another air compressor question for all you experts, I have found a champion compressor that I can purchase for not much over scrap price. The problem is it is 3 phase which I will convert to single phase and re-do the controls but the current motor is 15 hp, My question is can I drop the motor hp down and run the pressure setting lower. I have no problem doing the conversion to single phase etc...
Champion Air Compressor
- Thread starter jerryd68
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dbonne
Well-known member
You can drop the motor Hp, however you will have to reduce the motor pulley accordingly, slow down the pump. If you were to go with a 7.5 Hp single phase, the motor pulley will have to be half of the diameter of the one on it now, that might not be possible.
You would need to find out what the model, minimum RPM and thus HP needed for the pump is. Unless you have a cheap source of large hp, single phase motors, or you are getting the compressor for next to nothing. It is typically not economical to convert a 3ph compressor to 1ph.
Thank you, I understand about the conversion I work in the industry and should be able to get a motor fairly inexpensive though our local motor shop. My question more generally is whats the smallest motor I could run and still have this pump be a workable machine.
Without knowing the actual pump, it is hard to put an exact number on it. Most certainly a 10hp, possibly a 7.5, and maybe, just maybe a REAL 5hp. It just all depends on where the current motor falls in the pumps operating range.
Here is an example of quality pumps vs hp ranges.
http://www.mesaequipment.com/Html/Products/Quincy/qr25_basic.html
It just depends if the 15hp on there now, it at the top middle or bottom of power requirement for that specific pump. Which without further info on the pump we can't say with certainty
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