Thread: TM 1 P / VF 1
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Old 12-29-2007, 01:43 PM
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Donkey Hotey Donkey Hotey is offline
 
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I totally forgot to address power:
There are a number of resellers on eBay that have rotary phase converters. I bought a 30HP for about $1500. It required 80 amp, 220V--about the same as a spa. I think it's done with 6 gauge all the way from the panel.

The in-rush current is a PITA. It was regularly blowing breakers. I had an 80 amp that kept popping when I'd start the phase converter. It turned out that the 70 amp I bought was actually less sensitive so I installed that. She only pops the breaker, very very rarely. THIS IS THE PHASE CONVERTER ONLY. The mill has never blown the breaker.

It has to do with the mass of that 30 HP RPC motor being suddenly connected to the incoming wires. It wants to start NOW. I think the breakers can't discern the difference between starting that motor and tapping the wires to ground.

And for reference: my new TL-1 is connected to 220V single phase. It's popping the 50 amp breaker 2 out of 3 times when I try to start it. Yes, that's the size they recommend. Yes, it's got ample wire gauge.

I think household breakers aren't used to seeing the sudden inrush currents that industrial machines subject them to.

In the case of the TL-1, it's not a motor starting up but the DC power supply is juicing up a considerable bank of capacitors. I think the breaker sees them as a 'short' for just an instant and that's enough to trip things.

I mention it because I believe the TM-1 is going to have an identical power system to the TL-1.
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