Discuss 3 phase rotary inverter from single phase. in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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My 3 phase cnc lathe is rated at 27 Amps on the manufacturers website.
When I mentioned that I want to run from a single phase via a rotary inverter I was told that it will need 27 A per phase therefore 3x27=81 Amps from my single phase. Is this correct? I reckon the machine is about 5hp.
 
Correct in so far as to get 27A 3-phase will require a minimum of 81A single-phase, actually more due to conversion losses. Machine tools usually show much higher current ratings than they will ever normally use. 5hp corresponds to about 8A 3-phase, then the main loads are likely to be hydraulic pump and axis drives. The rest is small fry. So it's unlikely to hit the 27A. However, what you really don't want is the converter output voltage ducking and diving if it is too small and can't quite keep up with load peaks. If it comes off the rails you will get the blame and the manufacturers will wash their hands of it. So you can't ignore their specs outright.
 
I would have a chat to them, nowhere in the spec is it suggesting a 3 phase supply, could it be a single phase machine?
 
The manual seems to be here:
But page 11 has it motor as 7.5hp and 415V 3-phase.

However, the overview says it is inverter drive so could be single phase in.

EDIT: Maybe it is not the matching manual? It is '1630' but otherwise name is not the same. however, search for other 1630 is not coming up with a better match.
Thanks for the info. I guess if the motor is 7.5hp ( 13A ) then the other 14A is for the servo drives.
I currently ( forgive the pun ) run this on 3 phase. The manual says it can only be wired for 415V VAC.
It also says that it can only be run using a rotary inverter.
Transwave supply rotary inverters - one model RT-15KW can supply 15hp/11kW and needs an 80A single phase supply.
Would this be ok? also what is the outside diameter of the 16mm swa cable I need?
 
Thankyou for your prompt replies.
Here is a link to the fatory specs. - XYZ PROTURN RLX 1630 | CNC Lathe | XYZ Machine Tools - https://xyzmachinetools.com/xyz-rlx-1630/
It is a XYZ proturn 1630.
81A seems a lot for a 5hp. Would it really need 27A per phase or 27A overall - roughly 9A per phase.
To roughly compare with my manual lathe that is probably a bit less powerful at 3Hp

The spec you linked to indicates a 7.5hp spindle motor, together with a coolant motor, lamp, and controls etc I would suggest 7.8-8hp in total or around 14A per phase (ish).

However as it also says the spindle motor is inverter driven, this could be single phase - 27A doesn't look unreasonable if it is supplied single phase.
 
Last edited:
The manual seems to be here:
But page 11 has it motor as 7.5hp and 415V 3-phase.

However, the overview says it is inverter drive so could be single phase in.

EDIT: Maybe it is not the matching manual? It is '1630' but otherwise name is not the same. however, search for other 1630 is not coming up with a better match.
Yes just looked at that, however the 7.5hp is spindle motor only, there's also the coolant (1/8hp) and the DRO/CNC controls. So 13-15A is probably realistic.

It also shows it as 3 phase, but doesn't mention inverters at all; so I suspect the reseller (xyz) may be adding the inverter to allow this ostensibly 3 phase machine to be used on single phase.

I would suggest the 27A is the single phase supply requirement for the inverter to provide the 13A plus for the 3 phase machine.
 
Yes just looked at that, however the 7.5hp is spindle motor only, there's also the coolant (1/8hp) and the DRO/CNC controls. So 13-15A is probably realistic.

It also shows it as 3 phase, but doesn't mention inverters at all; so I suspect the reseller (xyz) may be adding the inverter to allow this ostensibly 3 phase machine to be used on single phase.

I would suggest the 27A is the single phase supply requirement for the inverter to provide the 13A plus for the 3 phase machine.
Thanks Julie

I already own the machine and I will be moving it from my workshop that has 3 phase to my home workshop that only has single phase. What I can gather from the replies is that to get 27A 3 phase I need to have a rotary inverter that needs an 81A single phase supply. There are other machines too that are lower power and only one will be used at a time.
I have several choices:
A few digital inverters for the low hp machines.
A larger rotary inverter for the larger machines.
A diesel generator to cover the lot.
Two smaller diesel generators that are wired together and use one or both.
A combination of any of the above.
 
Thanks Julie

I already own the machine and I will be moving it from my workshop that has 3 phase to my home workshop that only has single phase. What I can gather from the replies is that to get 27A 3 phase I need to have a rotary inverter that needs an 81A single phase supply. There are other machines too that are lower power and only one will be used at a time.
I have several choices:
A few digital inverters for the low hp machines.
A larger rotary inverter for the larger machines.
A diesel generator to cover the lot.
Two smaller diesel generators that are wired together and use one or both.
A combination of any of the above.

You really need to check the ratings as I doubt the numbers you are using are correct, my husband has a 3 phase Harrison lathe at home in his workshop (+ Mill etc etc) this has a 1.8hp three phase motor and we run this via a 13A fcu (fused connection unit) through a rotary converter, if yours is 7.5hp - ~4 × the size of ours, then at most I would expect 4 x 13 or 52A in reality.

We have a boost energy systems unit, and it states that the boost 6 needs 40A fuses - I think that is 6hp

A single phase motor of 7.5 hp would have a flc of around 50A

Does it have an inverter fitted to the motor?

These run at a lower current than converters as they generally have the ability to remove apparent losses
(a motor has an efficiency, but also a "power factor" this means that although 10A is flowing, only 7.5A is effectively powering the motor - a power factor of 0.75 in this example, however an inverter directly on the motor could translate this to a pf of around 1 - so we actually would only need 7.5A in the supply cable with the inverter rather than 10A without)

This isn't necessarily the case if you use an inverter just to supply a fixed three phase supply.

Generally you would struggle to run a converter of 80A on a domestic supply.

Inverters are kinder to the supply than rotary converters, but some have a minimum load.

We had the same issue as you, one rotary converter for the whole workshop, convert each machine to single phase, add an inverter to each machine etc.

Husband likes the flexibility to just start the converter on no load, leave it running and start/stop machines just as if we had a proper 3 phase supply.
 
also what is the outside diameter of the 16mm swa cable I need?
It is slightly manufacturer dependent, but here is a typical table of values:
 

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