Jon Anderson writes:


Now on to the equipment, I could cut back to a smaller generator if I
could run the 3 phase machines on 50Hz. Both Hardinge lathes state 60Hz,
as does the 5hp motor on my CNC mill. The Bridgeport says 50 and 60hz if
I'm reading the stamped tag properly. I'm no electrical engineer, but it
doesn't look to me like it would be wise to try and run the other three
machines on 50Hz, but I find it curious the BP appears to be rated for it.

Thoughts? Comments?

I am dubious it pays to ship big heavy motors, vice buying ones there;
but you can do your own figuring there.

If the motors are rated 50/60; they'll run on 50Hz. If not, rotsaruck.
Running a motor underspeed decreases its counter-EMF, ergo increases
its current draw.

I'd be thinking of a VFD. It can get you 60 Hz easily. I don't know
how much single-phase load they'll take, but my SWAG is a good %
of their rating.

Any motors with brushes, i.e. electric drills, hand grinders, won't care.

Switcher supplies won't care. Wall-warts {with transformer/rectifiers}
WILL care but may survive on 50 hz. The most marginal will croak in minutes,
the others may overheat badly. [I have a larger one - 3"x5"tallx3" deep. It
was in a 50 hz location and melted. It went from:

-----
| |
| |-- plug]
| |
| |
| |
-----

to:

/|
/ |-- plug]
/ |
/ |
| |
| |
| /
| /
|/


It sagged down the wall...

Try the wallwart and feel it every few minutes to see how hot
it is getting.


Btw, my reasons for wanting to take the whole shop is because all this
stuff is paid for. In this economy, I'm not going to get near top dollar
for it From what I've heard, machinery and tooling is pretty pricey down
under. Looking into container shipping, and I'm guessing it's going to
be cheaper to ship a working shop that try and find machines there and
have them shipped out to a rural town.

And the import taxes on same?

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