3 phase to single phase

[fencemaker]

I recently bought a older big Miller mig machine with millermatic wirefeeder that came out of a manufacturing plant. Its not been used a whole lot and runs great ...... on three phase power which is where my problem lies. The price I paid made it well worth the purchase, even if I were to just scrap the copper. But I only have single phase power and would much rather use it. I need to know the RIGHT procedure to convert it from 3 phase to single phase.I know this will probably loose some duty cycle but that is ok since I'll only use it for general fabrication. I know there are phase convergers but didn't know if that was the best way. Thanks for the help!

[Cgotto6]

Rotary phase converter

[cruizer]

And what machine did you buy, no esp here. Basically no way to use a 3 phase only machine on single phase for starters. You need a digital phase converter. Rotarys are not the best idea on a welder

[weldbay]

The cheapesy way to make a phase converter is to buy a single phase motor and a 3 phase motor, use the single phase motor to turn the three phase motor and generate the third leg for you mach. Not cheap but any good elec,. not me, can show you or look on the net.

[cruizer]

The cheapesy way to make a phase converter is to buy a single phase motor and a 3 phase motor, use the single phase motor to turn the three phase motor and generate the third leg for you mach. Not cheap but any good elec,. not me, can show you or look on the net.

Lathes and other non circuit board machines don't mind the rotary converter, Welders do not work well on this system , thus its NOT recommended. The only way to do the conversion is with a Digital phase converter

[weldbay]

Lathes and other non circuit board machines don't mind the rotary converter, Welders do not work well on this system , thus its NOT recommended. The only way to do the conversion is with a Digital phase converter

Is it me or what. the mach is old so probably not an inverter but a transformer welder. I have used rotary inverters in my welding repair 1-phase shop for years,

Here is how you do it:
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/ph-conv/ph-conv.html

[m2Fred]

This is what I did ! Get on ebay get a generac 3 phase generator I got a 12 lead unit with a 350 Chevy engine it runs on propane or n/g with the 12 leads you get any voltage u want. I got my unit from a updating grocery store unit had 200 hours got it for $3000. Keep in mined this is a big unit 230 volts 100 amps 3 phase and your done

[Sberry]

fencemaker,,, see,,, some wonder why I stir the pot, you never know what interesting ideas come up. It hadnt occured to me to run a small block chevy to run a 200A welder.

[DaveKamp]

fencemaker,,, see,,, some wonder why I stir the pot, you never know what interesting ideas come up. It hadnt occured to me to run a small block chevy to run a 200A welder.

Boy, ain't that the truth... spend $3k on a generator, plus burn 2.5 gallons of LP-per-hour...The whole idea here, is to take a perfectly good, but otherwise low-demand three-phase industrial grade welder, obtained for $75.00 at auction... take an hour to clean it out, change some wiring connections, slap in $20 in two capacitors, two resistors, and six pieces of wire, plus a $15.00 range cord, and be quietly welding 1/2" plate at 100% duty cycle in a residential neighborhood garage before the nightly news... Sheesh...

[cruizer]

That or just spend the $3k, on a really nice single phase machine, cause there is lots out there