Made a Rotary Converter.....I now have 3 phase 415v Mwahaha (Video)

[steviec_lj]

I make it 87% - pretty impressive...

Dave H. (the other one)

Quick estimate, while in the shed

 

[Wallace]

Good videos, easy viewing and I don't watch a lot! What do you do as a day job?

 

[Tilly819]

I make it 87% - pretty impressive... Not up with VFDs though, they're usually in the high 90s!
They also don't draw most of a kw with no load :/

@Tilly819 - have you fitted power factor correction caps to the 240v input side?
Dave H. (the other one)

Cheers, I wasn't really expecting anymore than 75% when I was building it.
As I was expecting it to have poor efficiency that was another part of putting it in the trolley. Since it will be right next to what ever machine I happen to be using I can switch it off when it would normally just be idle..... Yes i'm a tight git haha.

I have not looking into PF correction. I may do in the future though, good idea, thanks.

Good videos, easy viewing and I don't watch a lot! What do you do as a day job?

Thanks i'm glad you are enjoying them. If you ever have any criticisms please let me know.
I'm currently doing a PhD, kind of a job... Before that I used to build / install autonomous factories then my first proper job was doing sheet metalwork and some basic machining.

Cheers.

 

[Justme]

That makes sense now. It was just the 3amp quoted on the video.

 

[Onoff]

I've got a rotary converter here a clever mate made up. Uses a re-jigged 110V trannie on these lines:

 

[Yellow peril]

A non technical observation, should the cabinet have some ventilation. Very nice job thou.

 

[Carl Wilson]

A very interesting project and a great video. I wish I had the gift of getting information across in videos like you and the Boost.

 

[addjunkie]

A very interesting project and a great video. I wish I had the gift of getting information across in videos like you and the Boost.

Yes I tool like a good video, but often wonder how many takes and how much editing goes into them. I really appreciate all the efforts others go to making them for us to learn from.

 

[Tilly819]

Hi all,

A non technical observation, should the cabinet have some ventilation. Very nice job thou.

The panel does not have a bottom which should allow the motors fan to draw some air in and throw it about but you are right that there is no way for it to escape. I'm going to run it for a bit and see if its a problem. If it is I will indeed put some vents in, or open the door. But I dont want to do it unless I have to as it is just another way for the dirt to get in.

Yes I tool like a good video, but often wonder how many takes and how much editing goes into them. I really appreciate all the efforts others go to making them for us to learn from.

In a word "Lots" there was about 65GB of raw video went into making the rotary converter video. For the two workshop extension videos there was over half a TB. Editing at the moment takes me about 1 hour/ 1 min of video, 10 min video = 10 hours editing. That is assuming I don't have to go and re-shoot anything. Each piece where I am talking to the camera usually takes about 5 to 10 takes. I'm hoping that and the editing time will drop significantly as I get more comfortable/confident/experienced.

Cheers

 

[rtbcomp]

That's time well spent. In a lot of videos the guy just rattles on, repeats himself, umms and errs a lot. One chap in particular has a really irritating voice, which is a shame because once you sort the content from the dross he's quite good, but I lose the will to live after the first 20 seconds!

Personally I like the speeded-up sections, it's nice to know how things are put together, but watching someone drill a hundred holes in realtime gets a tad boring!

 

[Carl Wilson]

Who's that then?! To be honest I don't know how the you tubers find the time. Doubleboost is my favourite one. I really enjoy watching his videos every Sunday. I don't understand how he manages to find the time to film enough content each week and then edit it up to make a two part episode, every single week, and have a full time job as well.

I take my hat off to him and all of the others.

 

[Seadog]

I've got a rotary converter here a clever mate made up. Uses a re-jigged 110V trannie on these lines:

View attachment 148796

That's reconfigured to be an auto-transformer. I would have expected the output to be around 450v by simple addition.

 

[Hopefuldave]

That's reconfigured to be an auto-transformer. I would have expected the output to be around 450v by simple addition.

nope, sadly - 230 + 110, 340v
There are a few site transformers around that have a pair of separate 110v output windings (usually 5 kva upwards) and a 230v input, those you could chain the two 110v and get 450v out which would be good for a rotary - or you can find a hefty dual-voltage (240/415) welder and use the mains side as an autotransformer, ignore the welding terminals?

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Seadog]

Of course, it's 110 centre tapped and not 110-0-110

 

[Hopefuldave]

Of course, it's 110 centre tapped and not 110-0-110

They can make cracking power supplies for "experiments" though, 55-0-55 at a hundred amps goes a long way...

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[knighty]

if anyone is planning to make one I have a pair of big 3 phase motors I have no use for

iirc one is 18kw and one is 20kw, they were spares... but got rid of the machine they were for

if anyone wants one you can have them for scrap money

I think 18kw is about 25hp?

 

[morssdn]

Did you connect Earth on the input to the steel cabinet frame? Just in case of a fault or loose wire....

 

[Kayos]

They can make cracking power supplies for "experiments" though, 55-0-55 at a hundred amps goes a long way...

Dave H. (the other one)

I used one to power a large amp I built, no droop on the supply even on 11

 

[Onoff]

Here's a pic of the one my mate made and gave me as he now has proper 3PH laid on. Just looking at it there's a wire missing from the big resistor top left...I'll have to check the original photographs:

I've got a big motor and trannie etc metal to make a frame, just got to get my ar5e in gear.

 

[Yamhon]

Just bumped into your video on YouTube and thoroughly enjoyed it OP.