Thread: 3 Phase Motor

3 phase is much better. Less to go wrong, better starting. But you will have to have a 3 phase starter and may be an outlet and it will have to be installed by a licensed electrician. $$$ On the other hand it would be advisable to have a sparky install a new single phase as it may have different connections to the existing one in which case the difference in $$$ will not be great.

Hi Lee,

Is that barkersegg or barkersnest,

anyway I'll watch out for both of them,LOL!
What you are running is small stuff and wont require starter stuff as in big stuff.
So yes if you have 3ph it is cheaper to run, lucky buggar and wont slow down and cook as your last single phase probably did. Just get a 3ph power point stuck near where you want it, I'd go for about 2hp! Got the guts! Set up your unit as you want it and turn it on, if it runs backward just reverse any two of the three conductors at the plug or motor, whichever is the most convenient and it will run in the opposite direction, handy for grinding and buffing and if you put in a reverse switch you can run it both ways. Best for both jobs, or the oddjob if you like, hey!

All the best...Oddjob1

Thanks for the replies Hugh and Oddjob1..........

In my enquiries to the company, they mentioned I needed a starter but I had no idea what they meant.....thinking capacitor like for a fluro light or something....I was under the impression that smaller load stuff like I will run up to 3hp didn't need anything so confusion set in along with the alzheimers....

From what I gather then, it will just be a matter of getting the sparkie to wire up the 3ph motor with a lead and plug (the donk does not come with a lead) and then just plug it in....will probably get him to do a switch too and then easily buff the dags off my welds ......

Oddjob1, when I got my shed built I got the sparkie to wire it up 3ph so have points handy....until this motor carked it, I only ran 1 ph stuff, so planned on upgrading my lathe and other motors to 3ph as they go to god and I expand the man cave. He mentioned that the 3ph carrier line from the mains came in star rather than delta form and that it would be easier for me to run star 3ph in motors in future.........does that make sense??? When I mentioned this to them, the chap at the motor company said I could wire it either but that's beyond me....is this something I have to worry about????

Tks again ...lee

Hi Lee,

your sparky is the man that is in the know, the motor guys just sell motors. Best get your sparky back and he will sort it all out for you.

Too easy...Oddjob1

Hi Lee,

You are lucky to have 3 phase power!... makes a lot of things easier.

I agree with oddjob, go for more power, 2.2kW would be nice. More power is handy for buffing wheels anyway.

While you are at it, get the electrician to add a reversing switch.

Lucky sod.

Regards
Ray

No its nothing like a fluro starter or a capacitor, it's the box with the start and stop buttons on it and has over load and single phase protection built in. Just plugging it in is not a good idea, you don't switch your other machines on and off at the power point do you?


Moderators, where is the electrical warning on this thread?

Hi guys,

I guess some folks just don't read or only read what they want to hey!
As for the electrical warning needed in this thread I think we can conclude it has been mentioned a couple of times that "It's a job for the sparky" as he is the dude with the ticket, he knows all the oc-health and safety stuff! OK!
Lee, small setups like the one you are having installed don't need a starter box. This is a big nasty looking thing with a whole bunch of overload goodies and mainly the ability to slow start you motor then when it is up to speed you swing it over to the main fields. Because if you started it straight off the main winding in a machine like a big thicknesser it would do loops across the workshop such is the grunt. But of course your Sparky will know all this and will of course set up a simple on/off switch on the front of your bench so you don't have to reach over the back and subsequently get wound up in your buffer.
These small units start fine on the main winding as there is little or no load at start up.
Shouldn't cost an arm or a leg to get the sparky to fit it up for you. Starter boxes can cost a whole bunch of money!

Cheers...Oddjob1

The device on the machine for switching a 3 phase motor on and off is known as a starter and does not necessary have any soft start ability but usually has some protection for the motor and is not a great big box.
As for the warning Lee has admitted he is not clued up electrically and asked for advice and I have understood some suggestions here to mean just put a lead and plug top on, plug it in and switch on. Although that would run it is not good advice or practice.
The warning is usually put on the post asking for advice even before it's had an answer.
In case you are wondering where I'm coming from I had 49 years in the electrical trade in 4 countries and many industries before retiring and still hold a valid ACT licence.
I am not trying to be a smart #### but I still think this thread warrants a warning.

Thankyou gents for all the information...........perhaps my grammatical prose in earlier posts could have been better enunciated....

I appreciate the safety concerns mentioned but again iterate, I'm not wiring it up or anything - I was just after information on what's involved in replacing a single with a three phase motor.......that's all.........I know my limitations because SWMBO keeps reminding me of them......continuously...... so before any fatwas are sought, perhaps we should leave it at that, my question has been answered..............thanks again and apologies if some got the wrong gist ..............Lee

Originally Posted by A Duke

Moderators, where is the electrical warning on this thread?

Some do slip through as it can take a while to get through all the threads on the whole of the forum

In future if you see one that hasn't had the warning put in, please report the post in question by clicking on symbol just above the post and it'll bring it to the attention of any the Mods/Admin straight away if one of us is online at the time

Thanks DJ.
I was just worried about this one as the poster and some of the advisees don't seem to know what a motor starter is, and I think that sort of situation is what the disclaimer/warning is all about.
Anyway next time I will do as you say and let you guys do the offending. I thought the symbol was for reporting unsavoury posts not just to highlight them for attention.

PS apologies to any one I might have offended.

Hi barkersegg,
What you would be looking at is a .75kW 3 Phase Motor (1HP) if on your existing setup you had a switch to turn on and off your old motor that can be used in a new 3 Phase setup.
As you would be switching 3 phases now use a contactor rated to 1kW and for motor protection an Overload, it fits onto the Contactor and needs to be rated at Full Load Current, this info will be on the Motor Name Plate.
To switch the Contactor which would have a 240VAC Coil use the existing Switch on your Grinder.
An Electrician who has done Industrial work will be able to do this for you easily.

Regards,
Keith.

A contactor with over loads is a starter.