How to get from 440 volts to 220?

[JR]

Sometimes I see machinery for sale that I wouldn't mind snagging but is 440 volts 3 phase. All I have is 230 volts three phase.
Is it hard to change 440v machinery to 230v?

[Pt_Ranger_V8]

get a 230v motor of equivelant size...

[1980Jimmy]

Or use a transformer to bump up the voltage

[GiantTechGuy]

Or use a transformer to bump up the voltage


Yes probably his best choice.

[1980Jimmy]

whats the amp's? Ill try and get a size of transformer you need.

[landrvrnut21]

Sometimes I see machinery for sale that I wouldn't mind snagging but is 440 volts 3 phase. All I have is 230 volts three phase.
Is it hard to change 440v machinery to 230v?

Are you sure you have 3 phase? Generally 3 phase is 440V, 208V, and 120V. If you have single phase, and hook up a 3 phase motor, you will fry the motor.

You would need a phase convertor to make single phase into 3 phase.

The easiest thing to do is change out the motor to a singe phase.

To tell if you have 3 phase you will have 4 wires for your electrical service, 3 hots, and a neutral.

Single phase will be 2 hots, and a neutral.

[JR]

Yeah, I put in converter (pic) to run the mill and lathe (and hopefully, band saw, if I win!)
The only big machine that I want ( or have room for) is a industrial drill press.
It seems sometimes they are 440v.

Just so I could add in the price of a transformer, whats a ball park price range?
Lets just say it was a 2 hp 440v three phase.

[Toolmaker]

JR, most are dual voltage , you can run 440 or 220 depending on how you wire them on the side of the motor. Take off the cover and it will say what wires need to be together for 220 and what ones for 440, or a good electrician can tell you .
If you get one set up for 440 and you change it to 220 you will need to change the heaters it the start up switch for the right ones for 220 . The 440 ones will be to light .

[lt1yj]

What Toolmaker said is right.

Very rarely is a motor wired for 440 or 220 3 phase only. In the rare case when it is you can get a step down transformer to convert from 440 to 220 or 220 to 440.

The step down transformers are rated as KVA Kilo-volt-amp. If you do get one get the smallest one you can to fit your needs. They operate more efficiently at their power rating and if you get one too large will require much larger gauge wire to run from your panel and to your machine.