running 3 phase motors from single phase... - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

30 Mar 2004

...
 From: "Jules Richardson"
&lt;julesrichardsonuk(a)yahoo.co.uk&gt;

Rats, I just found out the museum's dead Sperry drum store uses a 3
phase motor - is there any way I can run this from a single phase supply
(UK mains, ~240V, 50Hz) without things blowing up? Or am I resigned to
replacing the motor with a single phase equivalent?

I just want to get the thing spinning so that people can hear it running
- it's way beyond actually being able to restore it to working condition
again :-(

cheers

Jules

Hi
 A common shop trick is to get another 3 phase motor and
start that one spinning with a rope. Then connect the single
phase wires as one of the phases and cross connect the other
phases. This uses the free spinning motor as a generator
for the motor with the load. The motor would need to be an
induction type.
 Of course, one could have another motor to spin up the
generator and a simple control to switch over the power
once it is spun up.
Dwight