Replace Burr King motor?

[Seth Howard]

I have had a 1.5 hp variable speed Burr King grinder for about 20 years. I now have a problem in that my new shop ( finally after being out of things for 4 years !!! ) is not wired for 220 and the grinder is. Has anyone had experience with replacing Burr King motors? I am renting this place and the owner has no interest in running 220 to the building. I can have it done but on my tab. I am wondering if it would be easier, read less expensive, to find a replacement motor or get the 220 run. It looks like the a new replacement motor will be in the $400 - $500 range.

Anyone know of a less expensive replacement or have creative ideas?


Thanks,
Seth

 

[Mike Turner]

Seth, going from 220 to 110 you may loose a lot of power something else to consider is the amps of the 110 motor. You may not have a large enough circuit for it and would need an electrician anyway. Me I would see what an electrician would charge you to run a 220 line, maybe cheaper and less headache.

Just for instance I had an electrician run a 50 amp line for a spa was about 100 feet cost me $200 for the electrician and about another $100 for the wire and supplies.

 

[Wayne Coe]

Mike, a 1.5 hp motor running on 110 develops 1.5 hp. A 1.5 hp motor running on 220 also develops 1.5 hp. It will also develop the same torque. The motor will require almost twice as much amperage on 110 as on 220. Thus will require a larger breaker and larger gage wire than on 220. Also the motor might last some longer on 220. For you to save an appreciable amount of money on electricity you would have to be running a bunch of motors a bunch of hours every day. For these reasons, plus the fact that 110 is more readily available, I wire the grinders that I build on 110.

Seth, is your motor DC using a DC controller or is the motor using a VFD. DC motors are more expensive to replace and I don't know if the motor and controller can be rewired to run on 110. They probably can, most AC motors can be wired to run on either and can be wired to rotate in either direction.

If it is using a VFD the motor is a 3 phase and the VFD controller acts as the phase converter and allows for the variable speeds. I don't know if the VFD controller will allow for wiring to run on 110 input.

These things can get complicated and you would need to have someone well versed in these matters,,, not an ordinary electrician who just wires houses.