Gas to electric conversion

[shopteacher]

I'm sure it's been discussed her before, but doing searchs provided nothing. In fact everytime I try and search for something I never come up with anything.  That includes searching for that pot-o-god I want to retire with. (hint, it ain't in teaching).  Anyway, I'm thinking of changing my LT40 over to an electric motor and was wondering who had done it and what all is involved other than the electric motor.

[Dave Shepard]

I run two LT40's one '92E15 and a '94G24. The mills are identical except for the motors. The electric has a control box in place of the gas can that has the motor controls in it. When you turn the key to "start" it sends juice to a relay which in turn pulls in the contactor to start the electric motor. (Sparks, hopefully I got that right) It doesn't look like it would be too difficult to do. You will need to figure out the pulley diameter, and also rig up the alternator to run off of the motor shaft. What size motor do you want to put on? A 15 is comparable to the 24HP gas, in my experience. Will you be making the mill stationary?


Dave

[shopteacher]

My mill has always been stationary and it seems it would be a lot more convenient to just throw a switch and not have to get gas and listen to the noise anymore.  I have a 20 hp. that I was planing to install. I have to check, but I'd say it's probably 1725 rpm. I may have all the electrical equipment already.  I not sure if I have a motor starter for 20 hp or not.  I didn't know if there needed to be any modifications to the mounting or not.
Thanks for the reply.

[Faron]

It depends some on the frame style of your motor.  Ours was a 3600 rpm motor, so the pulley was about the same as our gas.  We put a 2" wood shim under our motor to get the shaft to the correct height.  I just have  start -stop buttons and a starter in a box on the wall.  I built a litle box and put it where tha gas tank used to sit to house a battery charger instead of an alternator.  Not too difficult.  I don't know what the bigger diameter pulley you will need will do for you.

[Dave Shepard]

I will attest to the advantages of an electric mill. It isn't quite enough to completely do away with earplugs, but it is much nicer. You will have to rig up some sort of festoon for your wires as well. I believe the motor on the electric mill is 3600 (3450?) rpm. It has a fairly small pully, so you should have room to put a larger one on for your 1725. How old is your 20HP motor? I have been keeping my eye out for a 20 to convert the gas mill, but most of the old ones are waaay to heavy to put up on the mill. The 15HP uses a 213T frame, and an equivilant 20HP is a 215T. Everything is the same between the motors, except that the 20HP is longer, and the bolt holes are correspondingly wider.

I can try to get some pictures and measurements the next time I go out to the mill, maybe by the weekend. Let me know if that would help.


Dave

[shopteacher]

Pictures always help and I would greatly appreciate it if you could post a few.  I have 2 of the  20hp motors and the one is the older type. Your right about it being to heavy, you'd have to have arms like Samson to pull that thing up.  I had planed on using it for another phase converter, but I have info on building a transformer converter and from the DVD I've been watching it puts the rotary to shame.  The guy that built and filmed the information starts a 3 phase compressor with the unloader disconnected and 160 lb. of air on the head and it starts right up.  He also shows running a regenerative blower with the inport blocked off. When the transformer isn't loaded there's very little electricity being expended.   Pretty impressive.  I'm looking for a 10KVA and up 3 phase dry transformer if anybody out there has one I'd be glad to heaar about it.

[Dave Shepard]

I will try to get some pictures, measure the pulleys, and confirm the motor rpms the next time I go out to the electric mill, but it might be a little while.


Dave

[shopteacher]

Time is on my side. ;D

[Kelvin]

Hmmm...  I've been harboring a desire to trade for an electric woodmizer, but i thought it would be so complicated that i would just sell mine a look to buy one.  Hopefully a super!
But, you guys make it sound easy!  I've got a nice 40hp motor to make a rotary converter out of and a nice blador 20hp to switch my 25hp kohler out with.  Heck, i might even make money selling my kohler to someone who burns up theirs.  Its only got 650 hrs or so on it.  Boy oh, boy, what a 20hp electric would do compared to that 25 gas!  Man, i'd switch to 1 1/2" bands and rip it up!  Enclose the saw shed for winter, and no more stinky gas trips.  Wow.  Be sure and take pics of your conversion and keep us all informed.  I want to know how this goes and what i'll need to do it!

[Handy Andy]

  Just how big a single phase motor can you use before you dim the neighbors lights, and the power company wants to charge you a demand charge?  I was thinkin I read that you could get by with 1/2 the hp of your gas engine.

[Dave Shepard]

10HP is about as high as you can go on single phase, which isn't going to be a fair replacement for a 25HP gas motor. I have never seen any single phase over 10HP, now that you mention it. ;)


Dave

[MattWatson]

10HP is about as high as you can go on single phase, which isn't going to be a fair replacement for a 25HP gas motor. I have never seen any single phase over 10HP, now that you mention it. ;)


Dave

Baldor makes a 15hp 1ph motor... it IS a 70amp motor though 

[MartyParsons]

Do not forget you will need to run the alternator with the electric motor. We can get you the parts to hook it up and the Safety shields for the belts. The starter box on the side replaces the fuel tank. This is a soft start to prevent high amp draw on start up and keeping from going to high demand on the meter $$
.
Marty

[Bibbyman]

Why would you want to go to this much pain when there are a number of used LT30, LT40, and LT70s electric mills out there on the market?

With one that came out from the factory,  you can call Sparks when you have a problem.

Looks like a good time to trade up.

[WH_Conley]

I went through this thought process when I needed to upgrade the motor on my LT40HD. Some things to look at are

1- How much are you going to spend converting vs trading?

2- The biggie, when you decide you need a bigger mill down the road how much is your old mill going to be worth with a non factory conversion?

When I did the numbers I decided to put a new engine on mine and wait til could a new super or 70 in the future. Course everybodies situation is different.

[sparks]

If you go single phase 10 hp you will cut no where near like the gas engine did. You will need a 15hp motor the runs at 3400 to 3600 rpm. What year mill do you have? You may be able to buy the starter box and motor from us and have less of a hassle.   Thanks

[shopteacher]

Can anybody tell me who manufactures the electric motors used by woodmizer and what frame it is?

Sparks:  I have a 92 LT40HD24  Can you give an approximate cost of the motor and control?

[ronwood]

shopteacher,

You might want to contact ElectricAl. He converted his Woodmizer over to electric (15 HP). Not sure what year his mill his.

Ron

[Dave Shepard]

I am pretty sure the motor is a Baldor, and the frame size is a 213T, unless I am mistaken.


Dave

[sparks]

The Baldor motor is $1076.09. Baldor number 37F551X608G1. It may be hard to cross that number since the motors were wound for our usage. The motor pulley is $30.60. The split taper bushing is $8.42. The starter box is $1240.51 and it includes the harness to connect to the motor. The drive belt is $30.50. These are the major parts you need to convert it. If you have single phase power you will need a phase converter that will maintain 29KVA. If you run low volt (220vac to 240vac) you will need to move the wires on the transformer in the starter box for low voltage. The transformer is marked where to do this. The starter box is set for high volt from the factory.     Thanks

[D._Frederick]

Shopteacher,

You mention a transform converter in you  No.5 post, do you have a wiring diagram for it?

[shopteacher]

The info I have for the transformer converter is on 3 DVD's and I've only got through half of the first one.  I was amazed at the difference between it and the rotary.  The amps and voltage are both very close on each leg of the output.  From what I've seen so far you need a 3 phase transformer that is equal to the hp. you want to run.  15hp would require a 15KVA.  What their doing is cutting out the middle coil and adding extra turns of wire onto the 2 left to get the voltage you require and running one leg through a bank of capacitors the create the 3rd. leg.  If and when I get to the wiring diagram I'd be glad to share it with you.  Now that the daylight is shorter I might have more time to watch it.

[sparks]

The 15hp motor can produce up to 24 hp. Your phase converter needs to be able to handle that increase in hp and amps. That is why we recommend 29KVA. While your sawing, you do not want your converter triping out when you dive a blade or and the amps spike when in wider cuts.   Thanks

[ElectricAl]

Ron's got a good memory ;D

We switched to an E15 in 1997. Best move we ever made ;)

The special Baldor Sparkes is talking about is a powerfull motor.
You will not be  disappointed.

The part # listed in my book is P11813 (215T frame) and sold for
$800 plus or minus. Looks like the copper prices are effecting current pricing :-\

Don't forget the addaptor plate # S11734.
I'd be shocked if that is an in stock item ,
but it could be made in a couple days for not too much money.

I would suggest not putting an old style 20hp on your mill. Way to heavy.
In fact our Baldor was a fair amount heaver than the Onan P224 coming off.


We don't get EMail notifications of replies to posts, so if you have more questions make a reply then send me a link using the FF IM

[shopteacher]

Sparks is WM using a VFD for the soft start?  The starter seems a bit expensive and I was wondering if this is why.