- #1
Planobilly
- 440
- 105
Hi,
We have a machine from Europe with three 400V 50Hz 3 phase motors. Assume we only have 240V single phase available. There may be 480V single phase available. I don't currently know how many poles the motors have. Assume they are not made for both 50Hz and 60Hz as some are. Power consumption is 2.95 kW. The application is a agro potting machine. The load on the machine is fairly constant. The machine puts potting soil into pots and drills a hole in the potting soil and moves the pots on a conveyor.
I have a rotary phase converter on another potting machine machine which has 240V 3 phase motors which works well. This potting machine was made for the US market.
I have never been involved with using a VFD. They seem at first glance to be pretty complex with lots of possible problems from supply power issues.
I also have not seen the schematic for the control panel on the machine which I assume has Siemens speed controllers for the 400V motors. Where I am going with that is considering replacing the three motors but I don't currently know the implications of running 240V 3 phase to the machine panel and what else I would likely have to change. The three phase 240V induction motors that I would need are not expensive, likely less than one thousand dollars.. I assume all the relays, speed controllers and other panel components would have been designed to run on 400V 50Hz so until I see the schematics there is no way to know how problematic that sort of change would be.
My only real question at the moment is do you think a VFD is a viable solution to the issue?
Thanks,
Billy
We have a machine from Europe with three 400V 50Hz 3 phase motors. Assume we only have 240V single phase available. There may be 480V single phase available. I don't currently know how many poles the motors have. Assume they are not made for both 50Hz and 60Hz as some are. Power consumption is 2.95 kW. The application is a agro potting machine. The load on the machine is fairly constant. The machine puts potting soil into pots and drills a hole in the potting soil and moves the pots on a conveyor.
I have a rotary phase converter on another potting machine machine which has 240V 3 phase motors which works well. This potting machine was made for the US market.
I have never been involved with using a VFD. They seem at first glance to be pretty complex with lots of possible problems from supply power issues.
I also have not seen the schematic for the control panel on the machine which I assume has Siemens speed controllers for the 400V motors. Where I am going with that is considering replacing the three motors but I don't currently know the implications of running 240V 3 phase to the machine panel and what else I would likely have to change. The three phase 240V induction motors that I would need are not expensive, likely less than one thousand dollars.. I assume all the relays, speed controllers and other panel components would have been designed to run on 400V 50Hz so until I see the schematics there is no way to know how problematic that sort of change would be.
My only real question at the moment is do you think a VFD is a viable solution to the issue?
Thanks,
Billy