Running 380V 3-phase motor on 230V 1-phase

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Oh, I’m happy to admit when I’m wrong (done it at least once in this thread). I’ll accept opposing views and statements when they are correct. One unsubstantiated example does not make it correct. The thing I can’t understand is why some proponents of the Steinmetz type of connection have to bring it up in any thread that mentions a VFD and why some of them seem so anti VFD.

Anyway OP is sorted, mystery solved.

Robert.

[jimalm]

On jimalm Said:

Mystery solved!

Today we took the motor to a motor-rewinding shop about an hour and a half drive from here and they quickly confirmed that the motor has been professionally rewound to run on 380V 3-phase mains. All the confusion arises because the person who rewound the motor neglected to replace the original 220V nameplate!

Although the motor runs beautifully on 400V, they confirmed it will be far cheaper to replace the motor (with 220V 3-phase) than to change the mains supply in my workshop. Of course I will get a VFD to provide the variable speed.

Once again, I really appreciate everyone’s contributions to solving my puzzle! Thank you all!!

Jim

Good! I wonder how much it was to get a three-speed motor rewound? It must have been a close-run thing between that and a simple step-down transformer.

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