Motor Question

[bkharman]

I hate to admit it... but I am a dummy when it comes to motors.  I really don't get it when people start talking different phases and voltages.  I have also never really had large shop equipment.  It has always been handheld tools and some power tools until I got to Festool.

That being said, I think I am going to pull the trigger on 2 new items.  A Hammer A3 31 (or 41) and a Hammer N4400.  I went onto the eshop site and started putting it all together and it asked me 1 phase or 2 phase, 230V or 440V (dont quote me on these values, just what I can recall.)  I want to make sure that I pick what will work best for my current shop, as well as my shop being built in my next home. 

Current house is 300A Service and the panel is in my workshop, so if a sparky needs to pull a line for me, we should be fine.  New house will be 600A service with a dedicated panel in my shop, although I don't know what to ask for in there.  Still researching that.

If anyone can give me a basic breakdown of what I should order, and more importantly to me... why.  I would really appreciate it!

Cheers.  Bryan.

 

[Walk On Wood]

Hey Brian- there is single phase and three phase. Typically, homes in the U.S. Have single phase and commercial/industrial has 3 phase.  Single phase motors will work with three phase power, but the inverse is not true. If you have a home shop, single phase 220 is the safest bet to order, because it will work even if you luck out and have 3 pjphase power.

 

[tjbnwi]

If you can get a 600 amp 3 phase own the new home do it.

Ask your electrician, my guess is you have a single phase home (really it's 2 phases, we call it single phase). If you can get 3 phase on the new home get a 3 phase machine and run a Roto Phase until you move into the new home. A 3 phase machine is more efficient, it would suck to have single phase machines running on 3 phase power.

Tom

 

[stvrowe]

For a Hammer machine in North America, I would get the 230v single phase.  Three phase is great but: if and when the time comes to sell it, the single phase machine will be easier to sell.

 

[mastercabman]

Ask your electrician, my guess is you have a single phase home (really it's 2 phases, we call it single phase).

Actually, it's not 2 phases
It's 2 120volts single phase that makes up 240volts
That's all you going to get in residential

 

[tjbnwi]

Ask your electrician, my guess is you have a single phase home (really it's 2 phases, we call it single phase).

Actually, it's not 2 phases
It's 2 120volts single phase that makes up 240volts
That's all you going to get in residential

Read your second statement. 2-120 volt single phase- is 2 phases unless the new common core math says different.
No, it is not all your going to get in residential, ecarlson, a member here and a friend of mine has 3 phase power to his home. His furnace is 3 phase electric, so is his well.

Tom

 

[mastercabman]

Ask your electrician, my guess is you have a single phase home (really it's 2 phases, we call it single phase).

Actually, it's not 2 phases
It's 2 120volts single phase that makes up 240volts
That's all you going to get in residential

Read your second statement. 2-120 volt single phase- is 2 phases unless the new common core math says different.
No, it is not all your going to get in residential, ecarlson, a member here and a friend of mine has 3 phase power to his home. His furnace is 3 phase electric, so is his well.

Tom

Sorry Tom but most residential homes with 240 volts are not 2 phases
It is 2 - 120 volts each single phase
2 phases system has been dropped long ago
There are maybe a few places (old)that still generate 2 phases
But everywhere else is single phase or 3 phases
Yes there are some residential home that has 3 phase but thats usually because it is an old system or the homes are closed to an industrial service,
3 phases system in residential is not common
Maybe large apartment building

 

[Kev]

Have a good talk to Felder ...

The N4400 will probably have enough grunt without a 3 phase motor, but an A3/41 may be under powered depending on your application.

 

[Holmz]

Tom Is right. They are both 120 single phase but those phase are 180 degrees out so it is 2 phase.
Almost all the good tools are 230v single phase, unless theya re but and then they are three phase.

So from the tool's perspective a US 2-phase 220v and an Eu or Au Single phase 230/240 is indistinguishable.

I would suggest you get the sparky to put in a euro socket on each wall incase you want to use a tool from europe (assuming they will do it).

 

[Jbmccombe]

I think they are both right and maybe saying the same thing in a different way:

Most homes are Single Phase Three Wire, also known as an Edison system, which is a split-phase or center-tapped neutral. This is the most common residential service in North America. Line 1 to neutral and Line 2 to neutral are used to power 120 volt lighting and plug loads. Line 1 to Line 2 is used to power 240 volt single phase loads such as a water heater, electric range, or air conditioner, or 240 volt tools

[attachimg=1]

But the two lines coming in are two phases from a three phase supply further up the line

 

[mastercabman]

I think they are both right and maybe saying the same thing in a different way:

Most homes are Single Phase Three Wire, also known as an Edison system, which is a split-phase or center-tapped neutral. This is the most common residential service in North America. Line 1 to neutral and Line 2 to neutral are used to power 120 volt lighting and plug loads. Line 1 to Line 2 is used to power 240 volt single phase loads such as a water heater, electric range, or air conditioner, or 240 volt tools

[attachimg=1]

But the two lines coming in are two phases from a three phase supply further up the line

Again. The 2 hot wires coming from the transformer is not 2 phases!
2 phases system was introduced long ago and was discontinued when 3 phases came out
Common mistake that people think of two hot wires coming into the house
It is single phase
You will need 2 sets of wires to have 2 phases
There are maybe some area in USA  that may still use a 2 phases system
Most likely farms and old industrial buildings
But I think they are changing to 3 phases as the power co upgrade their system

 

[Holmz]

The semantics are te issue.
If one wire is power and one wire is a return (or reference) then it is a single phase.
In a signal wire this would be called "single ended".

The truth of the matter is that if one played roullette grabbing the three wires, then 2 or =ut of three would be killers. so those two wire are the same frequency with a 80 phase shift.
It is a push-pull where one wire is pushing while the other is pulling.

If they had tied the big x-fromer on the pole to ground on one side then then it would be single phase.
However they tied the center tapp to ground so the transformer supplies 2 phases 180 degrees out.

In any case the Eu tool looks at the voltage differenial between their blue and brown wires. Whether that is a black and white US push-pull or a blue/brown single ended Eu it is the same difference.

And the fellow wants 220v (221) wired to the shop/garage.