550 Volts??
#1
05-28-04, 05:20 AM
550 Volts??
I have a friend who is considering buying a piece of equipment that requires 550V 3 phase power. The equipment is from Canada. I have hever heard of this particular voltage. Is that a common voltage in Canada, and would it be possible to obtain that voltage in the U.S.? I'm stumped on this one 
#2
05-28-04, 06:06 AM
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550V three phase sounds like they meant 600V. You might ask if the 550V is from the nameplate on the equipment or what they measured on the incomming lines. You could easily generate 600V three phase with a transformer. I hope that this is going into an industrial or comercial setting as getting three phase power to a residence would probably be cost prohibitive.
#3
05-28-04, 06:50 AM
Thanks for the reply, Scott.
The actual nameplate voltage is in fact, 550 volts. I figured this must be a Canadian thing. The equipment was manufactured in the early 1960's. Three phase is not a problem, as far as I know.
Thanks again!
The actual nameplate voltage is in fact, 550 volts. I figured this must be a Canadian thing. The equipment was manufactured in the early 1960's. Three phase is not a problem, as far as I know.
Thanks again!
#4
05-28-04, 07:25 AM
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That is kind of an odd voltage. You could probably get away with running it with 600VAC or possibly even 480VAC. It just depends on what type of equipement it is. I would dare say that finding a transformer to go directly from 480 to 550 would be next to impossible. You might be able to get away with a 3-ph buck/boost/autotransformer setup to elevate the voltage to something closer to 550, or possibly use a 600V transformer with adjustable taps to get closer.
#8
05-28-04, 11:08 AM
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Andrew,
Most high voltage, in our area anyway, is normally supplied at just under 600 volts and equipment is normally stamped at 575 volts.
For any motor that is not overloaded, a 10% variance from the rating does not affect the lifespan of the motor, or resistance heaters for that matter.
The only problem I have come across is scr speed controllers that are sometimes fussy about voltage. (At least the suppliers are if they fail under warranty.)
I see 460 as an option for some hvac equipment.
Is this a USA voltage?
Most high voltage, in our area anyway, is normally supplied at just under 600 volts and equipment is normally stamped at 575 volts.
For any motor that is not overloaded, a 10% variance from the rating does not affect the lifespan of the motor, or resistance heaters for that matter.
The only problem I have come across is scr speed controllers that are sometimes fussy about voltage. (At least the suppliers are if they fail under warranty.)
I see 460 as an option for some hvac equipment.
Is this a USA voltage?
#9
05-28-04, 11:29 AM
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it was the 550 that through me. I have heard of 575v. I guess it is the same as 110/115/120 residential voltage. Close is OK. Yes, 460/480 is a US voltage standard, as is 220/240, 208 and 120 three phase. Most of the three phase voltages are stated in delta configurations. There are also Wye configurations that are easy to pull single phase runs off of. So a 480 Wye system has 480 phase to phase but 277 phase to ground. A lot of comercial lighting is 277 because it can be lit directly from the 480 3-phase.
Scott E.
Scott E.
#10
05-28-04, 06:44 PM
Thanks for all the great information. The item he has is an old cold-war era air raid siren from Canada. Perhaps it was designed to run directly off the distribution lines without a transformer? It has a 5 HP siren motor and a 1/3 HP rotator motor, by the way. He is a hobbiest, so due to the complications about this voltage, I bet he will either replace the motors or else just admire it without actually running it. 
#11
05-28-04, 08:08 PM
Super Moderator
Hmmm..............
Andrew,
I just had a discussion with our town fathers about how if I use the circuit from the unused air raid siren on the town office for the proposed a/c, it would save having to do a major electrical upgrade.
The Fire Chief argued against it saying "you never know".......................he lost the argument.
The circuit for this siren is 240 volts 30 amp 3 phase.
Would your friend want one he could use.
I just had a discussion with our town fathers about how if I use the circuit from the unused air raid siren on the town office for the proposed a/c, it would save having to do a major electrical upgrade.
The Fire Chief argued against it saying "you never know".......................he lost the argument.
The circuit for this siren is 240 volts 30 amp 3 phase.
Would your friend want one he could use.
#13
05-29-04, 07:35 PM
Super Moderator
Andrew,
Right now the a/c install is only a proposal and removing the siren was not discussed.
The cost of removing it might be prohibitive.
Right now the a/c install is only a proposal and removing the siren was not discussed.
The cost of removing it might be prohibitive.
