Connecting 208v Supply to a 240V Machine?

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Scenario. Building supplies 208V but equipment is designed to run on Power Supply of
240V, 60Hz, 3Phase, and the motor Power is 7.5KW. can this machine be hooked directly to the 208V and run efficiently?What do you recommend?
 
Scenario. Building supplies 208V but equipment is designed to run on Power Supply of
240V, 60Hz, 3Phase, and the motor Power is 7.5KW. can this machine be hooked directly to the 208V and run efficiently?What do you recommend?

That is a question for the manufacturer of the machine.

And even then what is the power quality coming in? It is really 208? 202? 191? If you can, put a an inrush load on your service equal to the max inrush of your machine and see what VD you get. Then call the manufacturer of the machine and tell them what you're reading.

My guess is they are not going to want to stick their neck out. Buy a tranny or a power source or do a service change.
 
Scenario. Building supplies 208V but equipment is designed to run on Power Supply of
240V, 60Hz, 3Phase, and the motor Power is 7.5KW. can this machine be hooked directly to the 208V and run efficiently?What do you recommend?
Roughly, the torque is proportional to the square of the voltage so you would get about 75% torque. If your load can get by with that you may be ok.
Otherwise, as mgookin sensibly suggests get a step up transformer - an autotransformer would do the job so not very big and not very expensive.
Or replace the motor with one rated at 208V.
 
GENERALLY, responsible motor manufactures do not list the motor voltage as "240V", that is what is referred to as the "distribution voltage". The motor nameplate voltage would be shown as the "utilization voltage" and will say 230V, or better yet, "208-230V". Again responsible motor mfrs, ie those who follow NEMA guidelines when designing for use in North America, will have an acceptable voltage variance of +-10% minimum, without appreciable loss of torque. Utilities, who supply the distribution voltage, are supposed to maintain a +-5% range

So for a straight 230V motor, that means it can accept 230*.9 or 207V as a minimum voltage. The utilitiy can acceptably supply 208*.95 or 207.6V, but by the time that gets even a slight voltage drop from service to load, you will be outside of the motor's acceptable range. That's why mgookin asked about REAL values, not guesses, because this leaves little room for errors and fluctuations without noticeable consequences. In that, you must CAREFULLY read the nameplate data, and by stating it as "240V" you are showing that you did not look very carefully, or that your motor supplier is WAY off base (which often means really cheap junky Chinese motors because many of those bottom feeders have no clue).

If your motor nameplate says "208-230V", the design is a compromise based on a likely scenario wherein the motor winding design is really 220V, with maybe some extra iron to give it a slightly more acceptable range; 198-242V. The idea is based on the concept that 208V tends to be used in smaller facilities where the distance from service entrance to load is relatively shorter, so there is less voltage drop, and that true 240V 3 phase supplies tend not to drift upward very often or very much. These are, again, assumed generalities and there are always exceptions.

Unfortunately, motors designed for use in other parts of the world are generally NOT inclusive of 208V 3 phase, because that exists nowhere but here in North America. Their real design is actually 230V 50Hz, then they will often say "50/60Hz" based on a slight de-rating of the mechanical power (kW) of the design. That's because if you have a motor designed for 230V 50Hz and give it 60Hz, it spins 20% faster, but produces 17% less torque. So the motor is designed for the greater power rating, but is nameplated at the lower one and given the "50/60" label, usually without the back story details because the 60Hz rating is still valid, it will just actually be capable of slightly more kW at 50Hz than what they list and that's OK.

However, this IEC design is NOT typically suitable for operation on 208V, it is something that IEC motor designers do not have to think about. Since you say that your motor is rated in kW instead of HP, it's likely that it is an IEC motor, and even if it says "50/60Hz" on it, there will be no added lower tolerance. You should boost it to be safe.
 
However, this IEC design is NOT typically suitable for operation on 208V, it is something that IEC motor designers do not have to think about. Since you say that your motor is rated in kW instead of HP, it's likely that it is an IEC motor, and even if it says "50/60Hz" on it, there will be no added lower tolerance. You should boost it to be safe.
In Euroland neither 60Hz nor 240V 3-phase is common.
 
In Euroland neither 60Hz nor 240V 3-phase is common.

I agree, but what we see over here from IEC motor mfrs is often a version that gets a different nameplate (maybe an export version?) with a 50/60Hz frequency stamp. Brook-Compton motors, from your neck of the woods, used to do that, but I haven't seen or heard from them in years. Are they still in business? If so, maybe they just backed off on North America once the Chinese began flooding our market and eroded profits. The motor business is really tough now.
 
I agree, but what we see over here from IEC motor mfrs is often a version that gets a different nameplate (maybe an export version?) with a 50/60Hz frequency stamp. Brook-Compton motors, from your neck of the woods, used to do that, but I haven't seen or heard from them in years. Are they still in business? If so, maybe they just backed off on North America once the Chinese began flooding our market and eroded profits. The motor business is really tough now.
Brook Crompton still exists in Huddersfield. I don't know whether it is still a manufacturing site. It was when I last went there but that was thirty years ago or more.
 
GENERALLY, responsible motor manufactures do not list the motor voltage as "240V", that is what is referred to as the "distribution voltage". The motor nameplate voltage would be shown as the "utilization voltage" and will say 230V, or better yet, "208-230V". Again responsible motor mfrs, ie those who follow NEMA guidelines when designing for use in North America, will have an acceptable voltage variance of +-10% minimum, without appreciable loss of torque. Utilities, who supply the distribution voltage, are supposed to maintain a +-5% range

So for a straight 230V motor, that means it can accept 230*.9 or 207V as a minimum voltage. The utilitiy can acceptably supply 208*.95 or 207.6V, but by the time that gets even a slight voltage drop from service to load, you will be outside of the motor's acceptable range. That's why mgookin asked about REAL values, not guesses, because this leaves little room for errors and fluctuations without noticeable consequences. In that, you must CAREFULLY read the nameplate data, and by stating it as "240V" you are showing that you did not look very carefully, or that your motor supplier is WAY off base (which often means really cheap junky Chinese motors because many of those bottom feeders have no clue).

If your motor nameplate says "208-230V", the design is a compromise based on a likely scenario wherein the motor winding design is really 220V, with maybe some extra iron to give it a slightly more acceptable range; 198-242V. The idea is based on the concept that 208V tends to be used in smaller facilities where the distance from service entrance to load is relatively shorter, so there is less voltage drop, and that true 240V 3 phase supplies tend not to drift upward very often or very much. These are, again, assumed generalities and there are always exceptions.

Unfortunately, motors designed for use in other parts of the world are generally NOT inclusive of 208V 3 phase, because that exists nowhere but here in North America. Their real design is actually 230V 50Hz, then they will often say "50/60Hz" based on a slight de-rating of the mechanical power (kW) of the design. That's because if you have a motor designed for 230V 50Hz and give it 60Hz, it spins 20% faster, but produces 17% less torque. So the motor is designed for the greater power rating, but is nameplated at the lower one and given the "50/60" label, usually without the back story details because the 60Hz rating is still valid, it will just actually be capable of slightly more kW at 50Hz than what they list and that's OK.

However, this IEC design is NOT typically suitable for operation on 208V, it is something that IEC motor designers do not have to think about. Since you say that your motor is rated in kW instead of HP, it's likely that it is an IEC motor, and even if it says "50/60Hz" on it, there will be no added lower tolerance. You should boost it to be safe.


If this forum had a thank you button, I would press it 80 times :):):):cool:
 
In Euroland neither 60Hz nor 240V 3-phase is common.


Isnt most of Belgium or any super old Euro network 3x230 volts (230Y/133 no neutral). I frequently see Euro motors as marked 220-240 x 380-415? The stator is 6 leads, and can be connected in delta for 230 volts between phases and in Y for 400 volt networks. Super large motors are 400 x 690 since large industrial can also be 690Y/400 instead of the normal 400Y230?
 
Isnt most of Belgium or any super old Euro network 3x230 volts (230Y/133 no neutral).
EU is currently 400VLL, 230VLN
What they had in the dim and distant past in the various regions I know not but the present arrangement has been in place as long as I can remember. And I'm older than my waist and chest measurements combined.
 
Unfortunately, motors designed for use in other parts of the world are generally NOT inclusive of 208V 3 phase, because that exists nowhere but here in North America. Their real design is actually 230V 50Hz, then they will often say "50/60Hz" based on a slight de-rating of the mechanical power (kW) of the design. That's because if you have a motor designed for 230V 50Hz and give it 60Hz, it spins 20% faster, but produces 17% less torque. So the motor is designed for the greater power rating, but is nameplated at the lower one and given the "50/60" label, usually without the back story details because the 60Hz rating is still valid, it will just actually be capable of slightly more kW at 50Hz than what they list and that's OK.
However, this IEC design is NOT typically suitable for operation on 208V, it is something that IEC motor designers do not have to think about. Since you say that your motor is rated in kW instead of HP, it's likely that it is an IEC motor, and even if it says "50/60Hz" on it, there will be no added lower tolerance. You should boost it to be safe.

Thanks everyone. The Machine is made in China for Use In North America.It's been delivered. with [FONT=&quot]240V/60Hz/3Phase power and 7.5KW .How can I make this work without killing the motor.[/FONT]
 
Thanks everyone. The Machine is made in China for Use In North America.It's been delivered. with 240V/60Hz/3Phase power and 7.5KW .How can I make this work without killing the motor.

Get the transformer to up your voltage from 208v 3p to 240v 3p.
That's the simplest, quickest and (most likely) cheapest way to get it going.
 
EU is currently 400VLL, 230VLN
What they had in the dim and distant past in the various regions I know not but the present arrangement has been in place as long as I can remember. And I'm older than my waist and chest measurements combined.



UK, and Ireland have always been 415Y/240. But I swear in Belgium they still are kicking some 230 L-L.
 
Thanks everyone. The Machine is made in China for Use In North America.It's been delivered. with 240V/60Hz/3Phase power and 7.5KW .How can I make this work without killing the motor.


2 options: 208 to 240 volt transformer or a low price option would be a buck boost. Anyone see anything wrong with a buck boost for this or am I giving the correct statement?
 
UK, and Ireland have always been 415Y/240. But I swear in Belgium they still are kicking some 230 L-L.
I've not been there in a while.
But probably more than half a dozen times over about 20 years.
A mixture of business and pleasure. Paper mill, Manneken Pis, lace, but no 230 L-L that I was aware of.
 
GENERALLY, responsible motor manufactures do not list the motor voltage as "240V", that is what is referred to as the "distribution voltage". The motor nameplate voltage would be shown as the "utilization voltage" and will say 230V, or better yet, "208-230V".

But ... 208 would be the distribution voltage also, sqrt3*120. Analogous utilization voltage would be sqrt3*115, or 199V. Doing just a little rounding, SHOULDN'T the nameplate be "200-230V"?

I'm not being picky, just trying to understand. This isn't the first time I've noted 208 to follow "different" rules.
 
2 options: 208 to 240 volt transformer or a low price option would be a buck boost. Anyone see anything wrong with a buck boost for this or am I giving the correct statement?
If memory serves, Buck & Boost would only be a viable option if there is no
120 v requirement (no L-N load)
 
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