575 V to 480 v transformer help requestedI would like to as

[Youth444]

I would like to ask help ....I have a 10kw forced air heater that is built in 2015(never used)
and it is 575 volt 3phase 60 hertz set up for use in Canada ....Question : is there a transformer available that can transformer this heater so it can be installed in a building that is wired for only 480 - 3 pass 60 hertz?
if so can you elaborate on how this transformer works and an educated guess of the cost of such a transformer? And any ideas where or buy or obtain one?
controls on this heater are 120 volt
company (mfr) says can't be hooked up to 480volt
has 1/4 HP electric motor rated 575v
all responses greatly appreciated
thx
marcus

 

[Ingenieur]

Mfg/model/pn please
data sheet

it is a resistance heater with a fan?

if the controls are 120 you may only need a small xfmr for the motor
odd voltage, may be cheaper to get a 120 1/4 hp motor, pretty cheap

I can see no reason the heating elements can't be hooked up 480 at a reduced output ~70%
fusing will need adjusted

be aware listings may be violated

a 20% boost xfmr may be simpler

 

[Electric-Light]

The heater wouldn't mind running at 480v but it runs at 2/3 power. Some motors like ceiling fan and multi-speed air handlers are meant to take lower voltage to slow down by increasing the slip.

 

[kwired]

The heater wouldn't mind running at 480v but it runs at 2/3 power. Some motors like ceiling fan and multi-speed air handlers are meant to take lower voltage to slow down by increasing the slip.

If it is a PSC or shaded pole motor it probably would be fine, heater won't put out as much heat and it wouldn't need as much air over the elements to keep them from overheating, that leaves us with getting the 120 volt controls at the correct voltage so we don't burn out contactor/relay coils from overvoltage.

I come up with about 6.8 kw if run at 480 volts. A little more then your 2/3, a little less then Ingenieur's 70%.

 

[Electric-Light]

If it is a PSC or shaded pole motor it probably would be fine, heater won't put out as much heat and it wouldn't need as much air over the elements to keep them from overheating, that leaves us with getting the 120 volt controls at the correct voltage so we don't burn out contactor/relay coils from overvoltage.

I come up with about 6.8 kw if run at 480 volts. A little more then your 2/3, a little less then Ingenieur's 70%.

You mean undervoltage. 64% to be exact. 2/3 is close enough. 575 is 600 nominal. The control transformer has to be replaced if it doesn't have a tap for 480v input

 

[kwired]

You mean undervoltage. 64% to be exact. 2/3 is close enough. 575 is 600 nominal. The control transformer has to be replaced if it doesn't have a tap for 480v input

Oops, undervoltage was correct. And I guess nominal vs actual does throw things off a little.

 

[no1uknow]

The way I see it, you have two options. Both may cost about the same in the end.

1. Get a boost transformer. The downsides I see with going this route are: A). The transformer will be getting expensive by the time you get one rated for the heater's kW rating. B). You may find it difficult to find AC technicians who are willing to service the unit because it is foreign to them. C). Spare parts may be more difficult to obtain if the unit needs service in the future. And it will eventually need to be serviced, this is virtually guaranteed.

2. Sell the unit and use the funds towards a unit which is rated for your available power. This is the simplest solution and you take all the potential problems I listed above out of the equation.

I would go with option 2, but that's just me.

 

[kwired]

The way I see it, you have two options. Both may cost about the same in the end.

1. Get a boost transformer. The downsides I see with going this route are: A). The transformer will be getting expensive by the time you get one rated for the heater's kW rating. B). You may find it difficult to find AC technicians who are willing to service the unit because it is foreign to them. C). Spare parts may be more difficult to obtain if the unit needs service in the future. And it will eventually need to be serviced, this is virtually guaranteed.

2. Sell the unit and use the funds towards a unit which is rated for your available power. This is the simplest solution and you take all the potential problems I listed above out of the equation.

I would go with option 2, but that's just me.

I kind of agree, might cost about as much to do any kind of conversion as it would to just purchase a 480 volt heater, then you do have possible difficulty getting 600 volt parts for it when things break down the road.

 

[Ingenieur]

(480/575)^2 = 0.697 or ~70% or 7 kw
???

it is rated at 575 / 10 kw
P = v^2 / R
take the ratios and R cancels (it is a constant)

 

[Besoeker]

I would like to ask help ....I have a 10kw forced air heater that is built in 2015(never used)
and it is 575 volt 3phase 60 hertz set up for use in Canada ....Question : is there a transformer available that can transformer this heater so it can be installed in a building that is wired for only 480 - 3 pass 60 hertz?
if so can you elaborate on how this transformer works and an educated guess of the cost of such a transformer? And any ideas where or buy or obtain one?
controls on this heater are 120 volt
company (mfr) says can't be hooked up to 480volt
has 1/4 HP electric motor rated 575v
all responses greatly appreciated
thx
marcus

I suppose the short answer is yes.You can transform any voltage to any other and you don't have the complication of different frequencies. Stepping up from 480V to 575V isn't a problem. Whether you can find a standard off the shelf unit may be another matter. But, even if you can't, there are transformer manufacturers who will quote one for you.

If the heater is self contained it is possible/probable that the 120V controls are powered by a transformer within the unit.

 

[jim dungar]

Look for transformation from nominal 480V to nominal 600V.

575V is a 'Canadian' utilization voltage, finding it on a motor nameplate is similar to finding 460V on a US motor.

 

[kwired]

(480/575)^2 = 0.697 or ~70% or 7 kw
???

it is rated at 575 / 10 kw
P = v^2 / R
take the ratios and R cancels (it is a constant)

It is rated 575 / 10 kW.

Bring it to me and most 480 volt nominal applications I am around typically run at an actual voltage of 495 to 500, but as Jim mentioned most motors connected to it will say 460 on their nameplate. A heater like OP has probably will say 480 volts on it's nameplate if intended to run on 480 volt nominal.

 

[just the cowboy]

See this all the time

See this all the time

Sell it as is! Do not try to get it working, $1000-1500 for transformer. If you try to convert it you will lose 1/3 output as said, plus you need a motor and control transformer and ANYTHING that is not know now.

You see this all the time with someone who got a GREAT deal on something with the wrong voltage, wrong phase or frequancy.

 

[kwired]

Sell it as is! Do not try to get it working, $1000-1500 for transformer. If you try to convert it you will lose 1/3 output as said, plus you need a motor and control transformer and ANYTHING that is not know now.

You see this all the time with someone who got a GREAT deal on something with the wrong voltage, wrong phase or frequancy.

On this item yes, get rid of it is likely best option. Had a customer one time purchased a big dry ingredient mixer - food production grade, mostly all stainless, 25 HP drive motor, but the motor was 575 volt motor. It was a NEMA standard frame motor and was well worth buying a new 230/480 volt motor for it. I think the old motor eventually was sold with other scrap metal.