I am looking to buy a large industrial oven rated at 240V 25 amps 400*F and 3 phase. The problem is I dont have 3 phase. I only need to run the oven at 158*F so I would not be pulling all the amps hopefully.
I figure I could switch out the blower motor for a single phase one. But I am not sure how the Heating Elements work. Could I rewire these to run on single phase 240V?
Thanks Steven
Hard to say, without more details.
It may be possible to reconnect some/all of the elements in series and put that across the supply, thus reducing the current drawn.
Simply lowering the temperature won't reduce the current when the elements are on but will reduce the average current and average power consumption.
Typically, heating elements are made of resistance wire or tape. The ends of these are usually welded or crimped to terminals/connectors, from which copper wires go the controller and hence to the supply. You may be able to re-arrange the connections at the controller to use just a single phase and to series connect the elements.
A good electrician ought to be able to do the job. It is not a DIY job if do not know the answers to the questions you asked. Hiring a PE for the job is overkill.
Bill
-- Fermez le Bush
I believe that should be 'la' bouche.
Likely that the heating elements are delta connected. If so, simply connecting 2 of the 3 original leads to 240 volts single phase will result in heating at about 41% of normal. The heating will be mostly by a single element, and so may be uneven. Should be able to heat the unit to 158F, but may take longer. Insulate the unused lead. If heating is inadequate, then the elements will have to be rewired in parallel and a higher current service, wiring, etc. will be needed.
Bill Kaszeta Photovoltaic Resources Int'l Tempe Arizona USA snipped-for-privacy@pvri-removethis.biz
Many manufacturers' manuals contain the information for wiring to single phase or three phase for commercial cooking equipment. Eighteen years ago I contracted to install 208/120 volt three phase kitchen equipment from a Prudhoe Bay 500 man camp kitchen into a commercial kitchen supplied by 240/120 volt single phase service. I obtained all the service manuals that contained the wiring diagrams for both systems.
If it is delta connected, connect two leads together to one phase, and the third lead to the other. That puts two elements at full voltage and the third element shorted. About 67% of original heating capacity.
daestrom
ISTM that the best thing to do is to ask the manufacturer. Apart from anything else, there must be a controller somewhere between supply and elements. It may be solid state proportional, rather than simply a bendy bit of metal with a set of contacts...
As others have, I think, stated, it may have a link field designed to allow configuration. Including perhaps decreasing the load.
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