Can an induction motor be rewound to a different voltage? And if so, is it difficult/expensive to do so? I’m looking at buying a piece of machinery with a 415v motor. AFAIK it isn’t a dual voltage motor. Replacing the motor won’t work.
Maybe, but it might be cheaper to buy a step-up transformoer. The only way to really tell is to find a motor rewinding shop and get a price.
Are you sure this is not a 3 phase motor, because if it is, your problems may be greater than you think, I’m not aware of 3phase supplies commonly being available at a lower voltage.
Why’s that?
I’m in the process of hooking up a Wave Solder machine that needs 400 volts 3ph AC.
OP, what voltage(s) is available to you (where the motor will be installed)?
A phase converter can handle that problem but I have 230v 3 phase in my shop. The motor is 3 phase.
You’ll have to contact a couple of rewind specialists, and price it up against the cost of a replacement.
Is it an unusual motor in any way, such as one that starts off with a long term overload until it gets up to full running speed, or maybe has to operate in high temperature or very frequent use cycle ?
If its a regular type, I would expect the differance between replacment and rewind to not be all that much, but if its anything slightly unusual then you’ll probably want to get it rewound.
I called a buddy that owns an electric motor re-winding shop. He was familiar with the 415V 3-phase motor and first thing he said was, “It’s a Mexican motor, isn’t it”. His advice was to buy a new motor if less than 20 HP, but said it was technically possible to re-wind it to operate on 230V 3-phase…just not generally economically feasible to do so on a small (less than 20 HP) motor. When I told him that replacing the motor wasn’t an option, he said that his shop couldn’t do it and recommended a different shop. Then I told him it was still in Mexico and his advice was to take it to a local shop see if they were equiped to do it. He didn’t elaborate on why it was difficult, I assume it’s the calculations involved to alter the number of winds.
I can call him back if you want clarification on any of the technical aspects, I didn’t really push after he said it wasn’t something he could do.
Thanks for all of the replies. The motor isn’t in México and it isn’t mexican as far as I know. I buy older machinery in the USA and import it to México. It goes to an industrial radial arm saw and I doubt the frame is a common one. I guess I’ll pass on it for now.
Sorry for the confusion, I swear I didn’t say a word about what it was, just that it was 415V 3-phase and that’s when he guessed it was a Mexican item. The way he shot it right out, I just assumed 415V 3-phase must have been a known value for that country.
If you have 230 V. wye connected power in your shop you have 400 V. available. If your system is 4-wire, 3-phase at 230 V line to neutral then the line to line voltage is 400 V.
The motor you are talking about was designed to run on a 3-phase, 230 V system. The original standard line voltage in the US was 110 V. Now, however, the nominial voltage runs closer to 120 V. Residential wiring comes from one leg of a nominal 220 V output which really will be closer to 240 V. The line to neutral volatage of a 3-phase system will thus be close to 240 V and the line to line voltage is √3 times that or 415 V. If your system actually runs at 230 V the you will have line to line o 400 V which is close enough for an induction motor.
Giving this one bump so that maybe CBEscapee will see it.
The motor will run just fine on the 3-phase power in the shop.
Thanks I’ll see if my electrician pal can wire it for me.
Your electrician is probably familiar with 3-phase connections. If that’s not the case the procedure is to just ignore the neutral on the shop 3-phase power. Wire the other three terminals directly to the three input leads on the motor. Connect a green safety ground from the motor frame to the safety ground on the supply. If the motor runs the wrong direction on startup, switch leads around until it runs the right direction.
Really, switching any two phases should accomplish this.