New to forum - Electric question

[Lewisman]

Greetings to all my fellow sawdust enthusiasts.  I have recently been added to the forum group and am excited to begin following along, sharing sawmilling experiences, and learning from all of you.

I operate in west-central Indiana with a Wood-Mizer LT40 Hydraulic and am working through a conversion from gasoline to electric.  My Nissan 36hp engine died after less than 1,000 hours - disappointing to say the least.

If any of you operate electric, I would greatly appreciate seeing the overhead electric cable installation.  I envision a track or steel cable/pulley assembly with some sort of accompanying spring type set-up to keep the electric cable out of the way of the moving sawhead.

Any other thoughts on the installation would also be appreciated.

Photos of my operation will follow in the near future.

Thanks in advance.

[Magicman]

First,  Welcome to the Forestry Forum.  I can't help you with your question, but there are many on here who can.  I'll look forward to seeing pictures of your operation and your conversion.   

[ronwood]

Look at post by Bibbyman. You might find a picture in his gallery. Also welcome to the forum!!

[Cypress Man]

Hi and welcome to the forum.  I think i still have pictures of my electrical setup in my profile.  Check it out.  Ive used this setup for over 4 yrs now with no problems.  Let me know if you have any questions.

                                                                                                                           Cypress Man

[scrout]

Cypress Man,
Whoa, nice setup, all 3 phase?
What is your 3 phase service size, 200 amp, 300?

[logwalker]

I have a lt40 setup with a 15 hp 3phase motor. You will need to locate some SO cable for a flexible feed. What size motor are you going to use? Joe

[logwalker]

By the way, what you are trying to do is called a festoon cord system and if you search for that on the web you will get some hits.

Oh and welcome to the log yard. Joe

[bandmiller2]

Welcome Lewis,I converted my home built bandmill to 3 phase 15 hp elect,old engine was a two cyl wisconsin.The building I have it setup in has a high celing with just a drop cord in the middle and a small loop.As mentioned you can festoon ,basically run a wire cable beside the mill overhead.Get some small pulleys at the hardware store to run on the wire.Make loops with the electric cable and attach to the pulley eye with wire ties.I hope you have three phase as its hard to find and feed large single phase motors.Frank C.

[ElectricAl]

This is a busy photo, bet you can't find Waldo or "ElectricAldo"


We used a piece of Basswood to carry the power cable for the Wood-Mizer. It swings on a hinge. There is a guide wire and hinge above the board for support. The Red light is for the drive way alarm. That way we are not supprised by someone opening the shop door.

We started with an Onan 24 hp. The engine was weak at the 1800 hour mark. So we moved inside an electrified.  15 HP  3PH is enough power on most days. In years past the blade would cause problems before the motor ran out of power. Current WM blades can handle a lot of power.

Just a little tid bit of info... Gas engines spin around 3600 rpm. Electric motors spin at 3450. You may want to put a bigger pulley on the motor to keep your band speed correct.
Also electric motors don't bog down when loaded heavy, they just pull more apms until the motor stalls


ElectricAl

[ElectricAl]

Hey, I forgot to mention a steel track with a roller on the inside is a great idea. Unless it's used in a dusty building. Ours lasted a couple weeks before it pluged up.
Look at the top right of my last photo. That's the track that has not been used sence 1996

[Bibbyman]

Welcome to the Forum… 

I can’t seem to find any photos that specifcly show how our cable is installed.  But it’s about the same as ElectricAl’s but come from higher up in the ceiling over the mill and has a large spring to hold it back (like used on tractor trailers to hold up hoses and cables under the trailer)

Just a suggestion,   Since you live relatively close to where you’re mill was created,  why not get with “Sparks” (Wood-Mizer electrical expert and Forum member) and see if they have a pile of used electrical parts laying around?  They may have converted an electric mill to engine and have all the leftovers you need.

[Lewisman]

The electric motor will be a 25hp, 3 phase.  I only have single phase power available so will be installing a 40hp rotary phase converter.  The phase converter components arrived this week.  I have a breaker, a fused disconnect, and some wire/cable to purchase and install this weekend then it's merely waiting on the mill components.

I don't know Sparks at Wood-Mizer but perhaps he could be of some help with respect to my conversion and the overhead installation of the electric cable?

I'll check out the web for information on "festoon cord system".

Thanks for all the welcoming thoughts and recommendations for my conversion.  I look forward to monitoring this site for information.

If anyone has any other photos I'd sure appreciate it.

[Cedarman]

You are welcome to look at our set up that has been working without trouble since 1996.  We are north of Marengo about 40 miles west of Louisville.  Ours is an LT30SuperE, but a 40 could be set up the same way.  Our ceiling is 12 feet.
Richard

[Bibbyman]

Here is something I wrote up and put in the Knowlege Base about our roto-phase setup..

http://www.forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/tips/tips.cgi?display:1048263552-19768.txt



Probably my best idea was to install a "distribution block".   That's the big gray box in the upper left.  That's where I ran the converted 3ph to.  I've since added a number of 3ph machines and have only had to come to this box to connect in.

BTW,  I'd suggest a much larger phase converter.  I've been told you need 2X hp converter to start a motor.  Plus, you'll want to add more stuff once you have 3ph power.  If I were to do it over,  I'd run a 100hp.

[Larry]

 



The gadget on the right is a distribution block.  Used at a different point in the converter than what Bibby menitioned.

Really great for power management.  Expensive new but you can pick em up on eBay used, in perfect condition, and best of all cheap.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Here is something I wrote up and put in the Knowlege Base about our roto-phase setup..

http://www.forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/tips/tips.cgi?display:1048263552-19768.txt

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

Probably my best idea was to install a "distribution block".   That's the big gray box in the upper left.  That's where I ran the converted 3ph to.  I've since added a number of 3ph machines and have only had to come to this box to connect in.

BTW,  I'd suggest a much larger phase converter.  I've been told you need 2X hp converter to start a motor.  Plus, you'll want to add more stuff once you have 3ph power.  If I were to do it over,  I'd run a 100hp.

BM & others in the know is there a low temp limit (ambient) for using a phase converter in unheated shop?

[sparks]

Lewisman, you have talked to me. I helped you find a Phase Converter company. If you go to Google and type in Festoon Cable you will find all kinds of various senario's on how to rig one up.    Good luck.

[Bibbyman]

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

The gadget on the right is a distribution block.  Used at a different point in the converter than what Bibby menitioned.

Really great for power management.  Expensive new but you can pick em up on eBay used, in perfect condition, and best of all cheap.

Well,  not exactly the setup I have.  The only thing in that big gray box on my setup is a distribution block.  It's considerably larger and has quite a number of lugs. 

[Kansas]

One thing to keep in mind. The electric motor that Woodmizer has is a proprietary motor. That means it has to ship from the Lincoln  factory. Of course,where you are in Indiana, they may have them in stock at Indy. Only difference I can tell is that the frame is slightly different. If you are manufacturing the conversion, I would suggest getting an off the shelf motor. We had two motors go out, both under warranty. We have too many "just in time" customers to have significant down time.    Only thing that saved us is we never got around to selling the LT 40 electric we had before we bought the LT 70, so we were able to use that motor.  

[Lewisman]

Sparks,

I wondered if you might indeed be the Wood-Mizer rep. I have chatted with.  Glad to know you're here on this site for future questions.

Bibbyman,

Sparks and the Phoenix Phase Converter rep. (Glen) spent some time on the phone together and determined that the 40 hp would be sufficient.  Time will tell I suppose.  I don't envision major operational upgrades other than a basic edger and perhaps a moulder at some point in the future.  Neither of those require more power than the sawmill and neither would be operating at the same time as the sawmill.  While I agree that bigger is usually better, I believe I would have been merely spending excess money if I went to 100hp.

I like the thought of the distribution block and can add that when I do any expansions.

I found pictures of festoon cable setups and will be going that direction with the new electric cable setup.

Thanks to everyone for the information.