Powermatic pm-221 planer repower?

JRWoodchuck · May 25, 2021, 03:11:16 PM

Just bought a pm221 has a 15hp 3 phase motor which I plan to use to build a phase converter then I'll put a 10 ish horse on the planer. But for now I'm going to put a 13hp gas motor on it and need to order a new pulley for it. Online it says that planer head should spin at 4800rpm. The gas motor is 3600rpm. So the pulley needs to be 1.3333 times bigger than the pulley on the planer head? That math seem right to all you guys?

firefighter ontheside · May 25, 2021, 04:27:26 PM

Whats the speed of the original motor? 3450?

JRWoodchuck · May 25, 2021, 04:56:03 PM

The motor that's on there now is 1750 I believe. It is not the original motor for the machine though. But the pulley ratio is 2.36 to 1. Giving it a head speed of 4100 rpm ish.

firefighter ontheside · May 25, 2021, 05:46:05 PM

Then yes, sounds right to me.

Don P · May 25, 2021, 06:02:55 PM

This might help;
Pulley Calculator (forestryforum.com)

muggs · May 25, 2021, 06:11:43 PM

You can be off by a few hundred rpm, it really doesn't matter that much.

Southside · May 25, 2021, 09:46:50 PM

I think going from 15 HP 3 phase to 13 HP gas is really going to disappoint you. She won't have any torque to call up when you hit thick spot.

JRWoodchuck · May 25, 2021, 10:23:08 PM

Well I've never ran the planer so I don't know how well it functions with the 15hp motor. But 15hp seems overkill in my mind for a 20" planer. But my plan isn't to keep the 13hp gas motor it is just the easiest way to get the planer functional at the moment.

firefighter ontheside · May 26, 2021, 09:35:45 AM

I agree that 15 horse is overkill. 5 to 7 is probably sufficient for an electric motor.

muggs · May 26, 2021, 09:47:16 AM

I think new, that planer came with a 7.5 hp motor. My 16 inch powermatic has a 5 hp, and it has plenty of power.

trimguy · May 26, 2021, 02:38:33 PM

I just looked at mine. Yes 7.5 hp , 3 phase. Mine is also a 221.

JRWoodchuck · May 27, 2021, 11:57:55 PM

Perfect thanks for all the responses. That pulley calculator is pretty nifty.

clay3 · May 28, 2021, 12:23:03 AM

My 225 has a 7.5 hp 3450 rpm direct drive.

YellowHammer · May 28, 2021, 08:21:27 AM

I found an old advertisement on the planer. The max it was offered was with a 10 up electric.

clay3 · May 28, 2021, 10:51:34 AM

Does the 221 have a separate feed motor, if it does how are you going to run it.

JRWoodchuck · May 29, 2021, 12:46:06 AM

It does have a separate feed motor I haven't looked at the plate on it but I'm hoping it's single phase and I'll just wire it to a plug for now. If not I have some smaller single phase motors that I can bolt up to it.

tacks Y · May 29, 2021, 07:24:49 AM

Quote from: JRWoodchuck on May 29, 2021, 12:46:06 AM
It does have a separate feed motor I haven't looked at the plate on it but I'm hoping it's single phase and I'll just wire it to a plug for now. If not I have some smaller single phase motors that I can bolt up to it.

Good chance it is 3 phase also. Do you have fwd/rev on it, if so just look at the switch and see if it is 3 phase.

petefrom bearswamp · May 29, 2021, 08:20:12 AM

My spiral head 20" has a separate feed motor and I upgraded from 5 to 10 HP 3 phase.
Still wont take a very heavy cut.
IMO never too much power (Tim the tool man)

Don P · May 29, 2021, 06:05:10 PM

Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on May 29, 2021, 08:20:12 AM
My spiral head 20" has a separate feed motor and I upgraded from 5 to 10 HP 3 phase.
Still wont take a very heavy cut.
IMO never too much power (Tim the tool man)

Amen!

If the feed is 3ph a VFD will phase convert and give you variable speed drive.

JRWoodchuck · May 30, 2021, 12:13:57 PM

It does have the forward reverse switch that's a much better place to look to see if it's 3ph. Yes I agree with more is better but I am in need of a big motor for my phase converter so the 15hp will fill that position once I get around to it. Otherwise if I kept it on there I would have to get an even bigger motor for my phase converter

JRWoodchuck · June 03, 2021, 11:33:12 AM

You guys were correct the feed motor is 3 phase so I'm just going ahead with building the phase converter and putting a 7.5 hp electric motor on it. Has anyone ever flipped the motor and put it under the base on a planer like this? It would sure shrink up the foot print and clean it up. Is heat from the motor something to worry about being under there?

tacks Y · June 03, 2021, 12:05:27 PM

I had a 16 or 18 before and mounted it on the back side. Simple, easy and less waste of space. Not sure why PM did not build them that way.

JRWoodchuck · June 03, 2021, 12:07:40 PM

Looks like there is plenty of room under the main body to mount it in there would have to drill a new hole for the motor but I think it would mount underneath really nicely.