460 3-phase to 120 conversion qn : spindle sander

[garagesapien]

Someone is giving away this industrial spindle sander. It is currently wired for 460V, and the seller says all I need to do is change the capacitor to run it on 120V. Based on my research, it doesn’t seem that simple.

Could someone shed some light on this?

What is involved in converting it to 120V? Would I need to replace the motor? If so, what type of motor would be compatible? Also, where would I buy the correct capacitor or other necessary components?

 

[larry_g]

460v and a capacitor does not compute. 460v is a 3 phase voltage and uses no caps. 120v is single phase and typically uses caps for starting and some for running also. Probably what the seller is trying to convey it that you can make a phase converter using caps but your a long way between 120v single phase to 460 v three phase.

lg

 

[whateg01]

Best thing you could hope for would be it's a dual voltage motor that you can wire for 230/3 and run it from a 120v vfd

 

[micromind]

It would be possible to run this on 120 volts but it'd be difficult and expensive.

Plus, it might not run on a 20 amp circuit, might need a 30.

 

[mm08822]

A 240v input to vfd to the motor wired for 230vac would work.

Verify motor is dual voltage.

Motor hp?

 

[Firebrick43]

Depends on the age of the machine.

Early B4 sanders had voltage specific motors, there were 4 different models, 115v single, 230v single, 230 3 ph, and 460v 3ph

Later models there was just two a dual voltage single ph and a dual voltage 3ph. If it’s one of the later ones you can rewire the motor leads in the peckerhead to 230v and then use a 120v to 240v VFD

If it’s an older model you will need a step up transformer and then a VFD or phase converter but it’s going to be on 240 single phase.

 

[Firebrick43]

A 240v input to vfd to the motor wired for 230vac would work.

Verify motor is dual voltage.

Motor hp?

These are not nema specific motors but purpose built ones to mount everything to and mount the stroking mechanism to

 

[twagler]

I have a few higher voltage, 3-phase machines to which I have added a cheap chinese VFD such that I can run them on 240v single phase power input. However, the best that these VFDs can do is to act as "voltage doublers" so you would need to connect to 240v, not 120v if you want to get up to 460v 3-phase. See this link for an example of my set-up: lhttps://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/show-us-your-vfd-conversions-installations.320064/post-11179962

However, I wouldn't really recommend this method to anyone else. You need to know what you are doing, especially with the resulting high voltage output. Also, don't buy a cheap VFD like I did, get a proper UL or ETL stamped VFD that will pass an electrical inspection. And make sure to put it into a proper electrical enclosure (which I did later on to my planer shown in the linked posting above).

Good luck with your spindle sander - it looks like a nice unit! If the motor is easily replaceable, swapping it out for a single-phase motor is probably the best way to go.

 

[whateg01]

Good luck with your spindle sander - it looks like a nice unit! If the motor is easily replaceable, swapping it out for a single-phase motor is probably the best way to go.

That's the motor. It's not easily swapped.

 

[garagesapien]

Thank you all kindly for speedy responses . I think it looks like lot of work and money to convert it to 120. As one member pointed out it is not easy to swap the motor - it is kind of enclosed units. The seller was trying to sell it for a while and finally giving it free as nobody wants to deal with 460.
Cool looking unit though ! Would love to restore it just for fun

 

[mm08822]

How about a pic of the motor nameplate?

 

[garagesapien]

That’s the only pic the sellers has

 

[whateg01]

... The seller was trying to sell it for a while and finally giving it free as nobody wants to deal with 460.

That's a nice cast iron top for free

 

[Dagny]

Boy