My 15HP Rotary Phase Converter Is Finished

[@davefuelling7955]

I would change your on/off switch for a push button start/stop switch connected to the Allen Bradley contactor through the normally open auxiliary contacts. If the power goes out, your current setup will have it start back up as soon as the power comes back on. A push button start will drop the contactor out if there is a power interruption and you would have to manually restart the converter. You could probably find a fairly inexpensive set with enclosure at Grainger. If you're not sure how to wire it, there are plenty of diagrams online if you Google "Start circuit wiring" The other things you should address have been covered in other comments. The biggest one being using green and white conductors for powered legs. Green is designated as a ground wire and white as neutral. They need to marked with black tape showing they are carrying current.

[@joemancino9049]

Nice work. You need to disconnect that start capacitor from the circuit after the motor gets started. They are meant to start the motor, not as a run capacitor. Also, if you are using the ground wire in that SO cord as the third leg, you should mark it with black electrical tape at each termination.

[@yhnbgt365]

Nice idea and good esplaination. You just need to pay more attention to wire colors. Green is reserved for Ground, White is reserved for Neutral, and any other color can be used for hot legs. There is one exception, if the three phase is not balanced to ground, the higher voltage must be orange.

[@ThomasShue]

Yep, I get it, the colors are wrong. I have now tagged the colors with tape. I used the wire I had on hand, and wire is wire is wire. As long as you have the proper gauge, it's all good.

[@davejenkins6875]

Best description I've seen so far. Thanks

[@ebayollis]

Could you perhaps make a video of the step by step assembly and component list of how you chose the capacitors and how you assembled? I.E....which wires go exactly where?

[@rexhavoc2982]

Ed and I have the same question, How are you disconnecting your start capacitor from the motor once it starts . Thanks,-rex

[@cybercapri]

Hey Thomas, Nice project... I know a bit about electrical work, basically enough to get myself electrocuted, but I digress... LOL... Are you saying that you will use this 15HP Rotary motor to pick up your third phase on house electric so that you convert typical 220 2 phase house electric to 3 phase? I am probably stating the obvious but again I don't know how 3 phase works other than it's used in Industrial applications for mostly all machines, lathes, CNC's and the sort. I also understand that if your 3 phase motor runs in the wrong direction you simply chance any 2 legs and that corrects it. You may want to consider using the Red Wire and replace the Green Wire when it becomes the 3rd leg, just to keep from getting confused. You can use your second box as a junction box to run the Red Wire out from and just wire nut it to the Green Wire. I am a carpenter by trade and over the decades have adapted to learning how to wire a house so this is just an FYI opinion more than anything. Since that motor is running anyways, is there a way to hook a pulley up to it and connect it to another motor to act as a generator? Seems that the 15HP is going to be running anyways, may as well get some use out of it other than a third leg... I look forward to see how this pans out... Cheers...

[@3cl1]

Nice work on the RPC, I need to build another rpc with a self start circuit.

[@morrislucero810]

Good presentation

[@electricengineer624]

Good job

[@jaspermcconnell6417]

The breaker (60amp) that you use for main power does not protect the #10 wire that you apparently are using. #10 wire is rated at 30 amps. At some point I expect you will have overheating( meltdown) issues in this setup if you run more than about 5hp load simultaneously. You've got the main system down pretty well but it needs refining with a relay to drop out the start capacitor and possibly balancing the phase to phase voltage. Don't see that addressed in video.

[@ThomasShue]

Thanks for the input, I wish I had an electrician I could speak to and learn from. I have new step up transformer that I need to step up to 460v 3 phase, also I have built a second RPC and hope to use it separately for a Bigger 460V cold saw. I can’t afford an electrician to do this work for me, and most I have talked to are clueless when it comes to what I am doing here anyways. Can I speak to you directly?

[@cncsphere]

Don't know much about this but aren't the 2 legs of 220v 1p 180 degrees apart and the legs of 3p 120 degrees apart? I understand the motor generates the 3rd leg but how do you get the 120 degrees between the 3 legs?

[@tdg911]

What was your total cost on your 3 phase setup? Thanks for sharing

[@edmanthey4770]

Does it matter weather the pony motor is an internally connected Wye and not a Delta?

[@TheNeilcoppley]

How much run caps did you use I’m trying to find a starting point for the one I’m building

[@jmlcolorado]

I am very interested in the specs for your capacitors and contractor. I've just acquired a 7.5 hp lathe and can't swing the money required for a manufactured RPC at this time and yours seems to be the simplest. Could you post the specs?

[@alchemy1]

Is the voltage from the third wire of your motor the same as the other two legs you are getting or how close?

[@dunbartuason5443]

how does one determine the value of the RUN capacitors if the START capacitors are determined at 75-100 mfd per horsepower ?

[@1971Frenchy]

Any chance you could post how you wired the caps and your contactor?? Great video btw

[@feelingluckyduck373]

When you pick the size (hp) you want to use in your converter, do you go for the total amount of (hp) motors you want to power? For instance you want to push 3, 2hp motors and a five hp, do you get an 11 or 12 hp system, or do you go north of the max motor; 5, or 6hp? I'm just trying to take in some of the broad strokes of a workshop's requirements.

[@markreardon3472]

While you should always consult and electrician that has experience with rpc's the rule of thumb is to have your supply motor twice the HP rating of your biggest load HP (lathe,mill etc). This is because of the possibility of high amperage spikes while starting a machine with a heavy load such as a lathe with a large work pc etc.. Once it is already running you may then operate more than one 3ph machine as you would be producing enough power to do so pending the total combined operating HP dsnt exceed half of the rated output of the supply motor. As for the running caps they are there to "balance" the voltages on each leg of the 3ph which is necessary for sensitive cnc equipment. I was told that this was a big problem years ago but with the newer technology its not really a huge concern but then again with your money maker on the line who's going to chance it.

[@valarieburt2680]

was your generated leg higher than 120 volts? what is the total uf that you used on your run capacitor bank?

[@rexhavoc2982]

Why so many caps and what value are they? I would like a simple line drawing showing all the caps hooked up. thanks-mike

[@gtb81.]

phat mike the caps are for tuning the phases, to get them all within a few volts of each other

[@lorenzo42p]

I think the capacitors provide the second phase, then the motor generates the 3rd phase. residential panels may have 2x 120 volt feeds, but it's still only single phase.

[@patrickbeckford2769]

Looks interesting Where is the capicitor value need to build one for my dough sheeter

[@tonypark2417]

thomus shue can you draw out a schematics diagram with components used altogether? please and thanks

[@edrorie7764]

are you disconnecting your start capacitor from the motor once it starts and how?

[@ThomasShue]

ed rorie yes via I believe it's an internal components of the phazar pack

[@yhnbgt365]

How do you determine the phase rotation direction?

[@ThomasShue]

Run it and if it runs backwards, flip two leads.. Or buy a phase rotatation meter

[@electromechanicalstuff2602]

How are you disconnecting the start cap once it starts? If the start cap stays in the circuit too long it will explode. Induction motors are not generators because the rotor is not and cannot be magnetised. Like with an actual generator that have slip rings to energizing the rotor. You can spin that motor with a drill to operating rpm and maybe only a volt or two will come out. Infact you can remove the rotor and put any metal in it and it would rotate. Even aluminum. They are called induction motors because they induce a magnetic field into the rotor that causes it to rotate. The RFC works on the principal that all the windings in the poney motor are connected either delta or why inside the motor and because the coils are inductors and it causes an inductance phase shift and and sends it back up the third leg out of phase from the other two going in. The capacitors also create inductance that help optimize the phase angle to balance the voltages. Inductors 101 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJjaiZ6LqZiLrrM Aluminum can in an induction motor coil. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYCmnI2grJiNibM

[@ThomasShue]

Thanks for the information. My RFC is still working great. I use it all the time. Never a single issue since day one

[@electromechanicalstuff2602]

@@ThomasShue I didn't say it wouldn't be working fine. Just elaborating on how it works and asked a question. so you don't disconnect the start caps? The black one is in the circuit all the time?

[@electromechanicalstuff2602]

@@ThomasShue I've built several. Here are 2 of the ones I've built. I was just wondering about your start caps. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqrNipd7gZJrZtU kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGaYfIKYpbt9l7c

[@1971Frenchy]

Can I ask the part number of your contactor please? I'm guessing it has some kind of built in timed relay to drop out the start cap?

[@al2207]

do not think so , delay is only due to the inertia of motor and capacitors

[@jessieg5789]

hey many uf are you using

[@HillbillyRednecking]

What type of 3 phase power did you create?

[@ThomasShue]

Patrick Pikulski 220v 3phase

[@lostinthewoods7582]

Do you have a schematic posted anywhere?

[@ThomasShue]

no, but they are all over. I could draw one for ya I'm a few days. I'm out of town ATM.

[@lostinthewoods7582]

+Thomas Shue that would be cool. I'm having problems with mine starting and staying running. I would like to match your setup as close as possible. I've been researching for the last 2 weeks without much help.

[@ThomasShue]

+LostInTheWoods I'll do it and post a private video for you. sorry for any delays

[@lostinthewoods7582]

+Thomas Shue I think I just need a wiring diagram of your starter caps and the relay.

[@agustingalvezherrera2960]

y el capacitor de arranque como lo conectas

[@elnegerohe86]

Creo que lo tiene directo ... Nada lo desconecta al encender el motor...

[@andreaschristodoulou4274]

I hate seeing naked ground wires....do not carrying electricity thought but look messy and can accidentally witch off main earth trip device by live conductor/s

[@Bojangles1987]

This is the dumbest way I’ve ever seen anyone done how understand from all the examples of how to wire a rotary phase converter

[@brandenwalenga4168]

By a lot

[@rj41elledge]

120 amps lol really

[@lorenzo42p]

it's 100 volt service, but 2 phase residential so it's 200 volt, and the ground wire used as a hot makes it 9000 volt

[@jessieg5789]

hey many uf are you using