Thread: Motor help - 10HP

The 2 simplest options are:
1. Find a 240V motor, swap it over and hope it's got enough grunt. A 15A motor will get you maybe 3HP.
2. Get 3ph connected.

There's no 3ph on the street. No idea how far it would have to run to get to me.

Sparkie said I can't get 3ph

I don't think even 3ph would be strong enough buy love to hear otherwise

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

I'm not an expert ! Over here we have 3 phase in just about every street (or so I believe - but check my first sentence), with houses on alternating phases to help balance the load.

There must be some way to get 3-phase, such as a 230v in/400v out motor-alternator set (or a static modern equivilent), but 10hp !! Again, I'm no expert, but even a 27amp stove circuit might struggle with that (I'm too tired to attempt the maths, and would probably get it wrong anyway ).

Originally Posted by hiroller

...A 15A motor will get you maybe 3HP...

So a 27amp stove circuit would be around 6hp (not taking an inefficiencies into account).

Maybe you'll need a diesel generator out back of shed...

The REAL experts will be along shortly.

Cheers, Vann.

Vann,
You may well be right about every street having 3 phase.
I remember my Dad saying how they wired up a 2 phase welder by getting the other 240 from the neighbours. All highly illegal I'm sure but that's what you did back then.
I have 3 phase and have blown one fuse at times, the motors won't run but the old Pilot Arc just keeps on.
H.

Originally Posted by clear out

I remember my Dad saying how they wired up a 2 phase welder by getting the other 240 from the neighbours. All highly illegal I'm sure but that's what you did back then.

Hah, classic !! Yup that's what people did back then.

Cheers, Vann.

Ok some pics

Thx to the replies so far

This is the little girl

Ok pics not loading. Ill be back

In the mean time I welcome the experts opinions





Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Dave, we only have 240 from the road. Three phase is 1 km away and about $40,000. Thanks to this Forum and BobL with his chainsaw milling I have a Ph 3Hp jointer, a 3Ph 3Hp Thicknesser as well as Panelsaw 3Ph 5.5Hp set up getting their power from a 5Hp Three Phase Converter. I only run 1 machine at a time and have had no problems. Cost wise....I think I spent probably just over $1000. Ebay has them starting at $2500

The Converter bits and pieces were sourced from various places (Ebay mainly) and put together by a very helpful Forum member. I upgraded the mains in using 25mm cable under ground from the street. The up grade meant that the Electricity crowd installed a transformer on the road just for us. I was worried that they would slap me with the bill but no, it was a "legitament upgrade" so I wasn't charged.

With your 10Hp motor.....will be dependant on whether or not your mains coming in will carry such a load. A generator, I reckon, would be a super pain in the **** to have to work with. The convenience to just turn a machine on and use it is great. To use my set up its just a matter of turning on the Converter then the machine all from the same spot where you are standing

Thinking about this a bit Dave, the old and not so old Wadkin thickys had 2 motors.
The big one for the cutter head and a smaller one for the feed.
Would it be possible to do this on the Wolf.
Run them off different circuits if needed so they don't pop the cork and let the smoke escape.
H.

The biggest 240V single phase motors are typically 4 or maybe 5HP so that's not going to help.

Using a VFD (240V single Phase to 240V 3 phase) can get you to about 7.5HP. Expect to pay $$$$$,
Plus you will need a DEDICATED 32A line and power point from your meter box to the usage point i.e. more $$$.
You also need to find out what your supply is, if it is only a 63A supply you will not be able to run many major items like stoves air cons etc at the same time.

Also bear in mind that something that big makes TORRENTS of dust that you have to actively extract otherwise it compromises its operation so you will need a 4/5 HP DC to do that.

My ancient 24" (not yet working) thickenesser only has a 7.5HP motor and that drives both the feed and head.
7.5HP is sufficient for 24" - you just can't take thick passes or put the timber through at the same rate as you would with a 10HP - does you machine have a variable feed rate?

Thx all

My machine has two speeds for feed I think. May be a case of looking at the machine again because I recall an on off but most others I have used had two speed feed control.

Just come in out of the heat and it is parked in the sun on the trailer. Will go check soon

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Sell it and get a single phase thicknesser.
Just keeping it simple.

I love my thicky. How much would i get for this one

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

What Pete said, any other road is going to cost money and be complicated.

Yeah maybr i ave to bite the bullet

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art