John E. wrote:

Service to building is 150A, 115/220 single-phase. Proprietor wants to run a
3-phase machine using rotary converter.

How efficient are these converters?

What is a safe maximum running load for a building with 150A service?
Obviously the machine won't be pulling maximum rated current all the time. Is
it safe to run 120A load? 140A load? Machine is mostly motor, running less
than 2 hours at a time, typically (printing press).

Building has only a half-dozen fluorescent lights, nothing else (no
computers, etc.).

Thanks.

I don't know the answers to your questions.

But

Many of the folks on rec.crafts.metalworking use 3-phase machinery in
residential or light industrial buildings with no 3-phase power. So the
interest level in rotary converters is high, there are a number of folks
there with practical experience and even a few who seem to really know
their stuff in this area.

I'm going to cross-post this, even though there's already three groups
on your list...

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com