Jon sez:

" No, the problem is the reactive current would be huge. Somewhere around
75% of the rated load current, but at practically 0% lagging power factor.
This would blow your main fuses/breakers. The only way you
could do it would be with a totally HUGE phase correcting capacitor
bank. I'm guessing the reactive current couldn't be less than about
80 Amps."

Oooooppps! Right you are, Jon. I overlooked the fact that a 60 HP motor's
idling current would be much greater than the idling current of a 10 HP
motor. I had surmised the idling "draw" of a 60 HP motor to be in the
neighborhood of 10 HP. WRONG I had not accounted for the fact that the
motor would still take almost the same amount of magnetizing (excitation)
current as if it was developing full HP. In a nutshell, the reason is that
an unloaded induction motor has a poor power factor. For example, I read
that a Design B squirrel-cage induction motor, at 10% of full load, has
efficiency of 33% and a power factor of 28%.

Thanks for the correction.

Bob Swinney


"Jon Elson" wrote in message
ervers.com...
Robert Swinney wrote:
I'm sure someone might point this out --- Assuming the motor is strapped
for 240 VAC, a large induction motor might be started with the use of a
Pony motor (the Rozen system). After starting, it would probably be
possible to run the large motor on ordinary residential service

Maybe with everything else in the house off, you could manage
to do it. if you left it running for a couple of hours, the power
company would come running with their snoopers to find out who is driving
their phase correcting systems crazy with the huge lagging power factor.

Jon