Jeff Horton
Member
- Messages
- 4,272
- Location
- The Heart of Dixie
WARNING - RPC's are dealing with high voltage and amperage. ENOUGH TO BE LETHAL! If you don't know what you doing this is not something to learn on!
With that out of the way I finally have started building my Rotary Phase Converter. It purpose is to generate 3 phase power for the Lab for a couple of restored old machines
First step is to get a plan or design for the RPC. I got mine from Bruce Norton and no doubt he will share his plans. His designs incorporate potential relay for safer start up. With his design you simple hit the start button and once it spins up and start generating power the potential relay kicks out the start circuit. Most designs depend on you to hold down and then release the button once the RPC starts. No expert but I am impressed with Bruce's design. It's not the simplest or the cheapest but I believe is a very safe design for you and the machines. I will ask Bruce about posting his design(s) in PDF format.
Next step, find the components. New components would be very expensive, so surplus and used are the way to go. If your seriously thinking about building one in the future and know what size you want. It's a good idea to start looking now and buying parts.
The hard parts to find are a suitable electronic enclosure. A motor overload relay and the motor starter. I got lucky on the enclosure. Someone I know gave me a large one. I just had to pay shipping on it. The rest of the components came off of EBay after a lot of digging around the site.
I studied the plans and finally decided on a layout of the components and start mounting them in the box.
Just have to remember to allow space for the capacitors and there are several of those that will go in the box.
Now I am ready to start wiring up the all the components. I have a couple of items I searched for and just now found. They should be in the mail but I can still start wiring.
Jeff
With that out of the way I finally have started building my Rotary Phase Converter. It purpose is to generate 3 phase power for the Lab for a couple of restored old machines
First step is to get a plan or design for the RPC. I got mine from Bruce Norton and no doubt he will share his plans. His designs incorporate potential relay for safer start up. With his design you simple hit the start button and once it spins up and start generating power the potential relay kicks out the start circuit. Most designs depend on you to hold down and then release the button once the RPC starts. No expert but I am impressed with Bruce's design. It's not the simplest or the cheapest but I believe is a very safe design for you and the machines. I will ask Bruce about posting his design(s) in PDF format.
Next step, find the components. New components would be very expensive, so surplus and used are the way to go. If your seriously thinking about building one in the future and know what size you want. It's a good idea to start looking now and buying parts.
The hard parts to find are a suitable electronic enclosure. A motor overload relay and the motor starter. I got lucky on the enclosure. Someone I know gave me a large one. I just had to pay shipping on it. The rest of the components came off of EBay after a lot of digging around the site.
I studied the plans and finally decided on a layout of the components and start mounting them in the box.
Just have to remember to allow space for the capacitors and there are several of those that will go in the box.
Now I am ready to start wiring up the all the components. I have a couple of items I searched for and just now found. They should be in the mail but I can still start wiring.
Jeff