10hp RPC runs Airco Mig just hunky dory

Gunner Asch · 2005-09-12T18:31:24+00:00

Ive got a mint Airco PhaseArc 350 mig welder, which is a 3phasemachine so havent been able to run it here at the homestead. When Ihad the warehouse, I was able to use it down there because there was3ph. Hating to have machines taking up space that I cant use, Idecided to see if it would run off my current 5hp RPC. To make a longstory short..It wouldnt. (PRC is Rotary Phase Converter btw), which isbasicly nothing more than a 3ph motor spun up to speed in somefashion, and then it will run on single phase 220, and it generatesthe 3rd leg all by itself, allowing you to hook up 3 phase industrialtype equipment to it.I had a brand new Marathon Elect 10hp 3450rpm motor kicking around soI decided to breadboard it up into a bigger RPC and see if it wouldrun the Airco. Getting it up to speed was the problem, as I couldntspin it fast enough with a rope wrapped around the shaft, so mickymoused up a 1/2hp 110vt 3450 moter, pulley and flat belt to spin thebig motors shaft directly, before applying single phase power to it.Which worked just fine.God that big 10hp motor is loud when it runs....I could hear it 200yrs away, Of course..bolting it to a pair of I beams, then sittingloose on the top of my welding bench turned the bench into a soundingboard....aaaaack!!Anyways...plugging the Airco mig into the impromptu RPC. I found themotor itself was idaling at about 18 amps on each input leg, and theoutput legs generate 240, 2399, and 233 volts across the output legs,with the manufactured leg provideing 233 volts. With the Airco turned on, simply ideling, current went up to about 22amps per leg, and here is the funny part...at 25 volts, burning .45DualSheild, with 150 amps indicated on the welder, total current drawonly went up to 28 amps, raising the voltage to its top 35 volts...farfar into the OH FUCK spray transfer mode, only raised the total ampsto 35 with an indicated 250 amps of weld current. Chuckle..burningthat hot was like using a spray gun, the weld looked like it...

Sep 12, 2005 20 Replies

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Wayne Cook 20 years ago

Unfortunately I don't know any of those. At one time I thought I might have a hot shot driver who would trade for a tool box. But I've not seen her in over a year.

Wayne Cook Shamrock, TX

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10hp RPC runs Airco Mig just hunky dory

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