Homemade rotophase ISSUES!

[parkerbender]

I'm trying to get a rotary phase converter built for my shop, and have had nothing but issues for the last four days.

I'm theoretically trying to make a capacitor start machine, but also failed at trying to make it pony start, also.

I dont' know if I have the motor wired wrong, or what it is, the farthest i've got it to go is make it whine, and turn very slow, until my breakers pop.

It's a 30hp magnatek pacemaker, from surplus center, I have 19 135MFD mallory caps, wired in paralell, before the switch, and also tried to spin the thing up with the 5 horse emmerson motor from my air compressor, which just managed to toast my belt, while working the same as it did with just the caps, spinning at probably 50 rpm. Is there something special that you have to do to get these guys to run? I have it wired, 1&7, 2&8, 3&9, and then 456 tied together. my 1 and 2 circuits are hooked to 220, the 3 circuit is tied to the cap switch.

Does it have to be hooked to the three phase load to run? I'm just trying to start it without a load, as that I dont' want to fugger up my cnc, while trying to figure this out.

I also tried spinning it with a rope, same outcome...

Thanks for any/all insight, i'd love to get it working any way I can... I bought this machine without seeing it run, two weeks ago, and if i don't see it light up soon, i'm probably gonna have to find a bridge...

-Parker Bender

[Knick]

Hi Parker

first off I want you to know I am new here so bare with me!

From what I read it sounds like the start caps are not working properly. First I would make sure with that many caps you have good connections, and that they are wired in "parallel" . Also check the motor to make sure its good if you don't know for sure. You also state the caps are wired before the switch? I'm not sure what you mean by that, but your caps should be between leg 3 (generated leg) and one of the other legs and this would be after the switch. If your talking about the switch your using to turn the idler motor on and off with. Also make sure you disconnect the caps as soon as the motor comes up to speed. You can tell by the sound it will be smooth and then rumble if the caps are kept on to long .

Good Luck
Knick


I'm trying to get a rotary phase converter built for my shop, and have had nothing but issues for the last four days.

I'm theoretically trying to make a capacitor start machine, but also failed at trying to make it pony start, also.

I dont' know if I have the motor wired wrong, or what it is, the farthest i've got it to go is make it whine, and turn very slow, until my breakers pop.

It's a 30hp magnatek pacemaker, from surplus center, I have 19 135MFD mallory caps, wired in parallel, before the switch, and also tried to spin the thing up with the 5 horse emmerson motor from my air compressor, which just managed to toast my belt, while working the same as it did with just the caps, spinning at probably 50 rpm. Is there something special that you have to do to get these guys to run? I have it wired, 1&7, 2&8, 3&9, and then 456 tied together. my 1 and 2 circuits are hooked to 220, the 3 circuit is tied to the cap switch.

Does it have to be hooked to the three phase load to run? I'm just trying to start it without a load, as that I dont' want to fugger up my cnc, while trying to figure this out.

I also tried spinning it with a rope, same outcome...

Thanks for any/all insight, i'd love to get it working any way I can... I bought this machine without seeing it run, two weeks ago, and if i don't see it light up soon, i'm probably gonna have to find a bridge...

-Parker Bender