Lincoln IdealArc 3 Phase

It will work, but for operating at high amperages, you would need a quite beefy phase converter. Many people, including yours truly, have phase converters to run welders off of.

voltage and number of phases are separate things.

i

I realized that right after I wrote my post....haha, anyways, thanks for the input, I haven't heard of anyone running a welder off of a phase convertor. Did you figure the HP for the motor by the relationship, volts x amps\ 755watts? Is it possible to get the full 3 phases off the convertor or am I going to get like 66%?

Im running a Airco PhaseArc 350 off a 10hp RPC. Data plate says 90 amps input and Ive yet to have the arc waver due to low voltage.

Damned noisy though..all I had was a 3600 rpm motor...sounds like an GE turbofan winding up...

Gunner

"The importance of morality is that people behave themselves even if nobody's watching. There are not enough cops and laws to replace personal morality as a means to produce a civilized society. Indeed, the police and criminal justice system are the last desperate line of defense for a civilized society. Unfortunately, too many of us see police, laws and the criminal justice system as society's first line of defense." --Walter Williams

Well, check out wikipedia article on phase converters:

there are some links there.

It is the job of a phase converter to take in single phase power and to provide three phase power.

Generally, the less is the power draw in kilowatts, compared to the idler's rating in kilowatts, the better is the quality of three phase power.

It is considered good to draw no more than about 2/3 of the nameplate rating of the idler (in comparable units). A welder may be tolerant of bad 3 phase power and you could push your power load even farther.

So, take the kW rating of your welder, say at 300 amps at 28v, it would produce 11,400 kW in the arc, figure in power losses, and it could draw, say, 15 kW. That's about 20 HP. So, then, your idler's capacity should be 30 HP.

If you plan on welding at lower amperages, as would normally be the case, you can get away with a smaller idler.

I have a phase converter with two idlers, totaling 17.5 HP. Two idlers, started one after another, make starting easier.

There are many ways of building phase converters. The main point to know is that they can be built very cheaply from used components and it is easy. It is not a complicated, risky project.

i

I know my response is a little late, but I hope you're still watching.

Use your machine's description or code number and look for a manual here:

I had worked on Lincoln's TIG assembly line in the 1080s and have never seen a 3 phase dedicated TIG machine; in fact, I have never seen a Linclon 3 phase transformer machine that had AC output. Are you sure it is 3 phase? You may not need a converter.

Bob