running 3 phase motors from single phase...

From: Dwight K. Elvey <dwight.elvey_at_amd.com>
Date: Tue Mar 30 11:35:06 2004

>From: "Jules Richardson" <julesrichardsonuk_at_yahoo.co.uk>
>
>
>Rats, I just found out the museum's dead Sperry drum store uses a 3
>phase motor - is there any way I can run this from a single phase supply
>(UK mains, ~240V, 50Hz) without things blowing up? Or am I resigned to
>replacing the motor with a single phase equivalent?
>
>I just want to get the thing spinning so that people can hear it running
>- it's way beyond actually being able to restore it to working condition
>again :-(
>
>cheers
>
>Jules
>

Hi
 A common shop trick is to get another 3 phase motor and
start that one spinning with a rope. Then connect the single
phase wires as one of the phases and cross connect the other
phases. This uses the free spinning motor as a generator
for the motor with the load. The motor would need to be an
induction type.
 Of course, one could have another motor to spin up the
generator and a simple control to switch over the power
once it is spun up.
Dwight
Received on Tue Mar 30 2004 - 11:35:06 BST