Thread: Three phase or single phase

Personally I would upgrade it to 3 phase. We did our place a few years back and ETSA did it gratis. We only had to pay for a new switchboard and the electrician to fir it. $800 in all. The reason is that it helps balance the load across phases so they like people to put on 3 phase. Will depend on your local policy though.

John

Originally Posted by clarky

Hi, I am about to retire, (from farming) and will move to a normal house block. I have all 3 phase equipment (contractors saw, planer, thicknesser, 2 lathes).
Is it worth keeping the older 3 phase gear and upgrade the suburban house to 3 phase, or buy new single phase gear. Some of the equipment is old, but in good working order.
Thanks, Clarky.

This could be another option (depending on your costings). http://www.tortech.com.au/3-three-ph...hase-converter
A mate of mine is looking into this at the moment. At least with this set up it can go with you if you decide to move house.

That's interesting, although I am in NSW and our electricity suppliers give you nothing. I was also wondering if the 3 phase machines are better, ie more powerful, quieter than the single phase ones.

Originally Posted by clarky

That's interesting, although I am in NSW and our electricity suppliers give you nothing. I was also wondering if the 3 phase machines are better, ie more powerful, quieter than the single phase ones.

There is no difference between single phase and 3phase machine power. If a motor says it is 3HP it should be able to generate 3HP whether it is single of 3 phase.
3 Phase motors are a bit smoother and less complicated (no caps or centrifugal switches) so they tend to last longer.
3Phase machines are generally built to last longer

Depending on the power ratings and types of motors in your machines you may be able to use VFDs that convert Single phase 240V to 3Phase 240V - some motors can be reconnected internally to use 240V 3 phase others need to be modified.

I have 9, 3 phase machines in my shed that run on 240V 3 phase using VFD.
Yes yt would have been cheaper to install 3 phase power
BUT
VFDs provide so many other benefits that the cost of getting 3 phase power and then turning around and adding VFDs would have been more expensive.

Keep your 3 phase machines

^^^^ I agree^^^^ The cost of hooking up three phase can vary considerably depending on what sort of powerlines are going past in the road/street out side. Form what I have been led to believe 3 phase machines are cheaper to run as well as they tick over with less effort.

In my humble opinion......3 Phase machines that have some age to them are cheaper to buy initially than brand new ones, and they will be made with very heavy cast iron so they have a lot less vibration. In my case I wanted to have a 300 mm Thicknesser as well as a 300 mm Jointer. I did have a "handy man" 200 mm thicknesser that could handle soft pine but was not a contender for hardwoods. Ebay found both machines. The power supply at the front gate is 240 ONLY (3 Phase is $40,000 away and a kilometre), so I then got together bits and pieces to make a Rotary Converter to give me Phase. Three or more years on the whole set up has been brilliant. The thicky can chew through what ever hard timbers I put through it with no dramas. I also managed to pick up on Ebay again an SCM Panel Saw with Scribing Blade which also runs on 3 Phase.
As said above If I move from here the converter and the machines will go too.
With buying older machines you may have to do some bearing replacement but its a very elementary type of procedure and can be done with minimal tools

Originally Posted by chambezio

The power supply at the front gate is 240 ONLY (3 Phase is $40,000 away and a kilometre), ...

Agree. I am in a similar position with the power although we have 11kv 2 phase run from the main road about 1km away with the delta-star transformer next to our front door. It would "only" require an additional cable run along the pylons from the road but heavens knows how much that would cost. Why the old owner did not pay the extra to get it done at the time heavens knows.

So far all of my machinery has been single phase but where I am now it would have to be an inverter (VFD maybe) if I did get any 3 phase machinery..

John