×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

(OP)
I am considering purchase of an evironmental chamber that is 400 VAC 50 hz. I have 208 and 480  VAC in the shop. The chamber basically is an oven and a refrigerator, so lots of stuff including control electronics.

If it was a simple device the 400/50 matches up with 480/60hz, but it is not so simple.Whats the best approach?  Variable Freq drive, transformers, or simply dont bother?

RE: best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

Transformer for the oven, VFD for the motor.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

(OP)
That requires me to dig in a separate lines, I suppose I can do that, sounds cumbersome. The VFD wont do the whole deal?

RE: best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

It should. You would just have to purchase a bigger one.

Although, I don't know how a VFD would respond to driving an oven...

RE: best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

You could do it the old fashioned way with a rotary converter. 480v/60hz to 416V/50hz is a common spec.

Unless you are getting a very good price on the unit, or there is some other equally valid motivation, you might be better off to pass on this one and locate a chamber that works on the voltage you have available.   

RE: best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

VFD would not be a good option for the entire system. Transistor based systems do not like sudden changes in load, i.e. a heater contactor switching on and off. If you use an SCR power controller for the heater, it will not like being fed by the PWM output of the VFD.

Your real choices (other than finding one built for US power) are to separate the systems as previously suggested, or the M-G set approach.


"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe." -- Abraham Lincoln  
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies  

RE: best way to convert 400 VAC environmental chamber to 480 VAC

(OP)
Well it sounds like the best thing to do is forget it. The original idea was sound, but the power issues are not simple, and yes, by the time one is finished with all of the converters you are into thousands just for the power.

Thanks for the input, better to stop this train before it goes over the cliff...

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources