Jraef said:
Well, you can't accurately correlate amps directly to HP anyway. While it's true that HP/746 = Watts, you can't directly determine Watts from Amps alone; you also need the power factor. You could assume a .8pf when fully loaded, but if the motor is running at less than full load the power factor will be lower than that, or even whatever is on the nameplate (if it is at all), because nameplate data is always based on full load. So from that standpoint, knowing Amps only is kind of a "hand grenade" estimate of HP.
Now the challenge will be, trying to explain power factor to your hydraulics tech...:wink:
We Electro Hydraulics guys find it hard to explain that motor load (amps) is not linear with shaft load to many plant electricians. I have a really hard time with PF, even to experienced MECHANICAL engineers and most electricians. I bet that fewer than 10% understand PF correction capacitors or the line inductors we use in servo and VF systems.
The Baldor website gives, for most motors, amps at %Load ...
Taking their M4408TS-4, 447TS frame (a good choice for a hydraulic system), we find DARN IT, no performance data on the website!
I selected a 200HP a none of the 250's have performance data ... M4416-T does.
0HP, 52A
50HP, 77.3A (35%)
100HP, 119A (54%)
150HP, 168A (76%)
200HP, 220A (100%)
230HP, 252A (S.F)
250HP, 274A
300HP, 331A
Large motors are pretty linear from half load up ... interesting thing here is that the no load is 52A, but the power consumed is probably in the 2 to 3 HP range, virtually all in iron and copper losses.