[modernprecision]

Hello everyone, I need to buy a Rotary Phase converter for my machine. It is a Bridgeport 2J Head Series 1 with the CNC KM-1 setup. My top qualifications are:
-Reliability, the converter must be super reliable and bulletproof
-Dependable, the converter must be able to run everyday
-A warranty is a must if it is expensive, greater than $300-400. Greater than or equal to two years. Three years would be great and if greater than that then that is superb.
-American Made would be great unless some reputable company is out there
-Low Operating Cost



This is what I have in mind. It is quite expensive but I'm willing to sacrifice the investment on a quality machine.
http://cgi.ebay.com/5-HP-Soft-Start-...QQcmdZViewItem

I think I might go with the American Rotary GENTEC/BALDOR machine but check with the gurus before I risk over $500.00.

I would appreciate if you guys could tell me what you think. Any brand names or tips would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Agmachines]

No matter which RPC you get, keep money in the budget for capacitors to balance the output of the line inputs and the wildleg output of the phase converter for your mill's horspower load. Make sure that the computer side does not connect to the wildleg or generated phase. The computer should be on one of the legs from the line.
You may want to make sure that the manufacturer has no warranty problems with you balancing the output to your load, if they did not balance it for you.

Russ

In the Phase Converter Forum there is a thread from five weeks, ago,with some used "CNC rated" rotary phase converters for sale that might be able to save you a couple of dollars, if, he still has them for sale.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37547

[modernprecision]

I see, I will keep that in mind. What does everyone think of the Gentec/Baldor phase converter posted above.

[wcarrothers1]

I have a 5hp www.cedarberg.com on my s1 R2V3. Was the one they recomended in their PDF of part numbers 5HP heavy duty. Has caps and stuff already built in. Seems to run nice. Pretty quiet (hum). Pretty large. Wish it was a sealed unit like some are but it's mounted in my basement to one of the over head I beams so it stays out of dust and stuff for the most part. was nearly crushed mounting it in the cage I made (lifting it up) but hay..

THings I don't like.. It's not soft start, Has a start mode switch that has to be on before power is applied then turned off. Kinda a pain. If the switch is not in the "On" possition you will blow a breaker or fuse. But I have not done that yet (except for the first time I powered it up)..

Kinda on the expencive side as well got it from the local Production tool.

b.

[modernprecision]

I have a 5hp www.cedarberg.com on my s1 R2V3. Was the one they recomended in their PDF of part numbers 5HP heavy duty. Has caps and stuff already built in. Seems to run nice. Pretty quiet (hum). Pretty large. Wish it was a sealed unit like some are but it's mounted in my basement to one of the over head I beams so it stays out of dust and stuff for the most part. was nearly crushed mounting it in the cage I made (lifting it up) but hay..

THings I don't like.. It's not soft start, Has a start mode switch that has to be on before power is applied then turned off. Kinda a pain. If the switch is not in the "On" possition you will blow a breaker or fuse. But I have not done that yet (except for the first time I powered it up)..

Kinda on the expencive side as well got it from the local Production tool.

b.

wow I would angry if I bought that one for $645 plus shipping. It doesn't have soft start nor does it have automatic start.

[wcarrothers1]

Switching it over isn't that bad. It isn't like you will be fireing up your cnc machine over and over in a given day. If mine gets turned on it will sit on for hours...

I can say it works. Didn't fry my CNC when I hooked it up. And they listed my model CNC as one it would run with vs saying Ya it's great and runs them all just great.. So hopefully ment some one actually hooked one up to it and it worked..

Seems to me a lack of people who actually have named the converter they are actually using on the site so I did. I remember when I started looking I could not find any posts that said "american phase converters" or some other brand was what they were using and it worked other wise maybe I would go that way.

Just figured I'd be pretty spacific and say the one I got worked.

was the heavy duty 5hp (not the standard duty) by the way.

b.

[modernprecision]

I checked out the Desco and it doesn't have soft start or auto start. Also no warranty so the $250 is a gamble.

I'm going with the 7.5 HP GENTEC/BALDOR from American Rotary on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/7-5-HP-ROTARY-PH...QQcmdZViewItem


Oh I forgot to post that I'm new here and probably should have searched for rotary phase converters. Sorry about that, I will search next time.

[wcarrothers1]

Don't worry about not searching. As I said the topic sorta goes "I got one" which left me wondering which ones work. So at come back and say the american one did if it does.

b.

[acerocket]

I recently inquired with American Rotary about which RPC to use for my garage shop. I am going to have an Sl-10 lathe possible and my Bridgeport Series I. They suggest using two RPC. A 20 HP unit for the big Haas and the 7.5 HP for the Bridgeport. Yes it is only 2 HP but they suggest the 7.5 because it has (and I can't remember the exact wording or numbers) a balanced output to 5% up to 60% load on the 7.5 HP unit. The 3 Hp and 5 HP units are only balanced to something like 10%. I could get by with a single 25 HP unit but the person I talked to said with what I wanted to do in my shop, two seperate units would be better (may upgrade to a bigger mill in the future so instead of buying a 25 Hp unit now and a 40 Hp unit later, I can sell off the 7.5 Hp unit and pick up the cheaper 20 HP unit.


Edit: I see your link to the ebay auction above. They sell the 7.5 HP unit on their website for $495.00 +$85 shipping(http://www.americanrotary.com/produc...9&cat=2&page=1). Wonder why they cost $525 + $95 shipping on ebay? Are you getting something extra? Perhaps they have new pricing but haven't updated their website.

[Agmachines]

I'm going with the 7.5 HP GENTEC/BALDOR from American Rotary on Ebay.

If you are buying the RPC for just the 2 Hp Bridgeport, you are purchasing a lot of capacity that you will not be able to use. That mill can be run off a 3 hp rotary converter, or, even a 2 hp unit would work in the best of starting conditions, although 2 Hp. is not what I would recommend. Buy 5 hp if you really want the extra insurance against hard starts and heavy loads. Even using the Gentec sizing spec.'s you would only need a 3 hp unit. A kneemill is not normally starting under a load and in most circumstances would be considered easy starting. If you are purchasing the extra capacity with future expansion in mind, remember that any 3 phase motor running off the converter adds that much capability to the whole system, not minus. You can use exsisting motors to boost the size of the system if you stay within the amperage ratings. If you are planning on a larger single machine, down the road, maybe you will put all that extra capacity to good use.

Russ

[modernprecision]

I recently inquired with American Rotary about which RPC to use for my garage shop. I am going to have an Sl-10 lathe possible and my Bridgeport Series I. They suggest using two RPC. A 20 HP unit for the big Haas and the 7.5 HP for the Bridgeport. Yes it is only 2 HP but they suggest the 7.5 because it has (and I can't remember the exact wording or numbers) a balanced output to 5% up to 60% load on the 7.5 HP unit. The 3 Hp and 5 HP units are only balanced to something like 10%. I could get by with a single 25 HP unit but the person I talked to said with what I wanted to do in my shop, two seperate units would be better (may upgrade to a bigger mill in the future so instead of buying a 25 Hp unit now and a 40 Hp unit later, I can sell off the 7.5 Hp unit and pick up the cheaper 20 HP unit.


Edit: I see your link to the ebay auction above. They sell the 7.5 HP unit on their website for $495.00 +$85 shipping(http://www.americanrotary.com/produc...9&cat=2&page=1). Wonder why they cost $525 + $95 shipping on ebay? Are you getting something extra? Perhaps they have new pricing but haven't updated their website.

yes the 3HP and the 5HP have upto +- 10% balanced output. Yet the 7.5 HP and greater all have a 5% balanced output. I just wanted to clarify what you were saying.

If you are buying the RPC for just the 2 Hp Bridgeport, you are purchasing a lot of capacity that you will not be able to use. That mill can be run off a 3 hp rotary converter, or, even a 2 hp unit would work in the best of starting conditions, although 2 Hp. is not what I would recommend. Buy 5 hp if you really want the extra insurance against hard starts and heavy loads. Even using the Gentec sizing spec.'s you would only need a 3 hp unit. A kneemill is not normally starting under a load and in most circumstances would be considered easy starting. If you are purchasing the extra capacity with future expansion in mind, remember that any 3 phase motor running off the converter adds that much capability to the whole system, not minus. You can use exsisting motors to boost the size of the system if you stay within the amperage ratings. If you are planning on a larger single machine, down the road, maybe you will put all that extra capacity to good use.

Russ

Like mentioned before American Rotary told me it's about the balanced % output not really the "HP."

You see I have a KM-1 setup on the side and it is highly voltage sensitive. Many CNC owners will not have this setup and will not consider the "sensitivity" of the unit regarding the RPC.

For an extra $100 I might as well spend it and rest assured. Why take the risk of blowing such an expensive unit then go searching on Ebay for "KM-1."
I said the heck with it and order it already. These guys seem to have all the top notch components and claim to have customized motors, capacitors, etc. from Baldor.
Tech service at AR recommended the 7.5 HP and I followed the advice since I don't know any better. The tech told me that 50% of their customers are buying RPC's for CNC so this guy knew what he was talking about.

I have been in the business for about 20 years now but recently moved my machines to a different state. I didn't have to worry about this RPC business on my CNC's but now I do since they are in a different shop unlike before where the machines were in a pre-setup environment.

[TPMX]

I am using the 7.5hp American Rotary Phase convertor on my 2hp Series II CNC and am real happy with it.
It is fairly quiet,easy to hook up and runs the machine perfect.
Like others have stated hook the "manufactured" wild leg to the side that only feeds the motor.
Mine was T3.

[wcarrothers1]

Far as I know the balanced output is really only neccessary for CNC applications. In other words if you have a 2hp manual bridgeport you don't need much if any balancing or added capasity. For the CNC's you tend to have other loads like drives, servos, computer, flood cooling ect.. that add to the HP needed to keep everything happy durring start up loads. Thus if my bridgeport was a manual one I'd get the 3hp capasity but since it's a cnc to I got the 5hp heavy duty (which had added balanceing).

Course from what I know the computer and drives run off only 2 of the legs anyway.

b.