Kaeser Kompressor.. info & what should I do?

[HiccaBurp]

I'm doing a buildout for a client who does cardboard packaging for the food industry.. big company. I just demoed a room that had a compressor in it that wasn't being used. Info on THAT compressor here..

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169753

However, there is this other impressive looking Kaeser Kompressor sitting on a pallet in the warehouse.. asked the maintenance guys about it. I guess it also used to run one of their custom cutting machines. It's been sitting there for a while.. guess no one wants it because it's 480v?? Wow? He said something about it being convertible to 240v?

I know the owner of the company, and can probably ask if I can have it. But, I don't like to bother him. This guys a Billionaire, I'm a nobody in his world. I want to make sure it's worth it? Especially since I scored the above linked compressor. Or, if I can make some good money reselling it?

If worth it, how easy is it to convert to 240v? Is it something I can do and use in my house circuit? Is it better then the above linked one I scored? This is mostly for my home shop that I do car maintenance/repair and wood work projects.

Here is the Kompressor

Also, I might be able to score this air hose and reel. You can see it in a couple pics above, here is the model..

 

[930dreamer]

I'm seeing 400V @ 50hz/460V @ 60hz volts only, can't tell but probaly three phase power also?

 

[HiccaBurp]

I'm seeing 400 @ 50hz/460 @ 60hz volts only, can't tell but probaly three phase power also?

Yes, I believe they said it is 3 phase, but can be "converted" to 2 phase? Is converting possible? Will it hurt the performance of the unit?

 

[930dreamer]

No expert but usually the motor will state the voltages it can be switched to and I don't see 240v.

 

[sublimate]

There's no 2 phase power.
You can't "convert" a motor to run on single phase power in the same way you can (sometimes) convert a motor to run on different voltages.
But you can use a phase converter to generate 3-phase power and run it that way. Not so cheap or easy though.

 

[PT Doc]

If you're talking about converting to 240v then this will be single phase.

 

[PT Doc]

No expert but usually the motor will state the voltages it can be switched to and I don't see 240v.

I agree, doesn't look like that motor is made to run on 240v.

 

[HiccaBurp]

So, what you guys are saying is this should be for a commercial application that has 3 phase power options? Is it sellable? What would I expect to get for it if I put up for sale?

 

[Norcal]

Yes, I believe they said it is 3 phase, but can be "converted" to 2 phase? Is converting possible? Will it hurt the performance of the unit?

2 phase is OBSOLETE, dating back to the early days of electricity, there are some cities that still have 2 phase distribution like Philadelphia though.

The compressor is small enough that a 480V VFD that the phase loss protection could be disabled was able to be found & use a transformer to boost 240 to 480 volts, that may work.... I do not recommend for those who are not familiar w/ 480 volts to set up anything along those lines though.

 

[47p2]

400V-460V 3 phase is common in the UK and some parts of Europe for commercial premises, I didn't think you had that in the US. Converters/transformers are expensive to buy. It is possible to but a 240V motor but it won't be as powerful as the 400V-460V and again an expensive item to purchase.


You could always ship it over to me in the UK

 

[awdblazer]

you have a couple options for that
a) phase converter (expensive and bulky)
b) change motor to single phase
c) use a vfd (probably the best bet)

 

[Norcal]

400V-460V 3 phase is common in the UK and some parts of Europe for commercial premises, I didn't think you had that in the US. Converters/transformers are expensive to buy. It is possible to but a 240V motor but it won't be as powerful as the 400V-460V and again an expensive item to purchase.


You could always ship it over to me in the UK

The UK is 415/240V harmonized by the EU at 400/230V, the US uses 480V, either just 480V or 480Y/277V, but 480 will not be found in a residence, well I did find it in a bootleg (non-permitted) MIL (mother in law) unit once where the owners were trying to replace some 277V florescent fixtures w/ ceiling fans, in the kitchen & living room, they took them down hot & it was a miracle no one got hurt, 120 volts is the maximum allowed voltage allowed by the NEC in a residence for lighting. The MIL unit was attached to a shop w/ a 480/277V service.

 

[EOC_Jason]

4kW = ~5HP... So it's not like a giant industrial compressor. That's cool in that I've never seen a direct drive unit before. It's definitely 3-Phase, and doesn't appear to be able to change the voltage beyond the 460v used here in the US.

If you can find an industrial place with 3-phase power that *might* have to buy a small transformer for it depending on what they have coming in, then yeah it could be sold. It's probably not worth the hassle though, since you don't know what kind of operating condition its in you aren't going to get a lot for it. Plus the large facilities with 460v usually have larger compressors...

 

[kbs2244]

That motor is useless in NA.
But even converted to a NA motor the pump may not have a wide appeal.

What are the CFM and pressure ratings?
That looks like a low volume, high pressure pump.
A lot of the older packaging machines use pneumatic cylinders to move stuff around.

 

[Norcal]

That motor is useless in NA.
But even converted to a NA motor the pump may not have a wide appeal.

What are the CFM and pressure ratings?
That looks like a low volume, high pressure pump.
A lot of the older packaging machines use pneumatic cylinders to move stuff around.

The motor has a 460V 60 Hz rating so it's not useless in NA, well it would be in Canukistan as Canada uses 600V vs 480V in the US.

 

[kbs2244]

You may be correct.
He shows two motor tags.
One tag says 50 HZ, the other 60.
So it may be convertible.

But there is still the pump spec problem.

 

[pvanderlugt]

That motor is useless in NA.
But even converted to a NA motor the pump may not have a wide appeal.

What are the CFM and pressure ratings?
That looks like a low volume, high pressure pump.
A lot of the older packaging machines use pneumatic cylinders to move stuff around.

looks like 150 PSI and 30 CFM, should be pretty usefull
Pete

 

[Delta74]

I just see 400 and the 460 tag, sorry no 240 listed, no joy, on the one tag it does show the Delta and Wye figures with amperage listed, so as a guess I would say 3 phase for sure. sorry think your outa luck.

 

[HiccaBurp]

Looks to be too much of a hassle to deal with. If I had no compressor, I'd see about converting it or whatever. But I just scored a decent unit that does not require any special doohickey!!

With those twin pistons, looked like a nice unit. Maybe I can convert it to run a gocart for the kids??

 

[sublimate]

Interesting design - the fan shroud doubles as the aftercooler - all of the air flows through it around the fan on the way to the tank.

 

[nehog]

That motor is useless in NA.
But even converted to a NA motor the pump may not have a wide appeal.

What are the CFM and pressure ratings?
That looks like a low volume, high pressure pump.
A lot of the older packaging machines use pneumatic cylinders to move stuff around.

1. About 150 PSI.
2. About 29 CFM (I think that is optimistic, but that is what the label says.)
3. 460/600 volt selectable. No 240/208 option.
4. 50 Hz
5. Three phase delta.

I'd offer them $25 for it as parts. No way you'll get it to work in the US, and I suspect the motor is so different (metric, European standards) that you will not find a US motor to fit. But search Grainger, maybe you'll get a surprise?