kbsparky

A customer called today, who had just purchased a used electric forklift, with charger. The forklift battery assembly operates at about 48 Volts.

Problem is, the charger is 3-phase, and he only has single phase power available. I think that thing requires 30 Amps@240 Volts 3 phase.

Would you recommend:
1) Rewiring the charger for single phase (is this even possible?)
2) Getting a single phase charger (are these even available?)
3) Installing a rotary phase converter
4) Installing a static phase converter

nakulak

I'd contact the manufacturer and see if he could get a deal on a single phase charger

micromind

I've seen very few 3PH chargers that can be operated on single phase. On some of the older ones you could parallell the 3 xfmrs, but not the newer ones.

I've seen a few single phase 48DC chargers, usually in smaller ratings. Some of them will charge a big battery, but they take a long time. Others have a min. and max. amp-hour rating.

I doubt a static phase converter would work, since it depends somewhat on the motor's counter-EMF to generate the third leg. I could easily be wrong here, I just have a bad feeling about it.

A rotary phase converter should work ok, I've never used one for a battery charger yet. Make sure the control power xfmr is not on the generated leg. Some converters generate the A phase, and alot of chargers use A and B for the controls.

Rob.

brian john

Actuall some of these chargers can be changed/rewired, but most that have multiple input voltages are single phase 120 or single phase 208, then there are some that are 208 or 480.

Best bet is to sell this and buy new/used. Oh and always look at input voltage 1st.

kbsparky

This particular unit has 3 input ratings: 208/240/480 Volts.

There are no instructions on how to rewire for single phase.

The manufacturer appears to be Hawker Siddeley.

oldude2

I have the same problem as kbsparky
I was going to take the 3 phase unit and hook it up as 3 single phase units, but I do not know if the controls will work
Mine is a Hobart unit 48 volt also, with electronic sensing controls
anybody ever tried this before please lemeno