replace Italian controls - Italian 2 speed 3 phase motor - 4.3KW 2

[DanielB]

We have a piece of woodworking equipment (shaper) with the following controls: a magnetic overload switch, a less than inspiring plastic Lo(half); off; and Hi(full) drum switch; and a panic off button. The motor is 3 phase 4.3 KW. All of aforementioned is Italian. I'm quite sure it was spec'd for export to the US.

The drum switch is dying (- or dead)and I'd like to replace the magnetics and the speed control switch with domestic equipment. The equip mfr doesn't seem to be exporting to the US anymore. The equip doc's (with wiring diagrams) are in Italian.

any advice much appreciated. I do have

 

[jraef]

Chances are that the equipment mfr used standard IEC wiring diagram formats and symbols, so it can be "translated" into something you are more familiar with. What you are describing is a simplistic manual motor starter control scheme going to a 2 speed motor. The only tricky part is to decipher which type of 2 speed motor it is, but that can be done by looking at the motor connection diagram.

JRaef.com
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[DickDV]

At 4.3kw, it would probably be cheapest to fit a VFD to the motor high speed connection and use the VFD to get the two speeds you are accustomed to.

Of course, if more than two speeds or infinitely variable speed has benefits for your machine, the VFD would provide that capability as well.

 

[jraef]

Compared to putting together a 2 speed electro-mechanical starter from scratch, I wholeheartedly agree with DickDV. But compared to just buyng a replacement drum switch, that will be a lot more. Most IEC component manufacturers will be able to make that drum switch as long as the wiring diagram shows the contact target chart, which would be the IEC standard.

JRaef.com
Eng-Tips: Help for your job, not for your homework Read faq731-376

 

[DanielB]

Thanks for both sets of responses. We're happily not having to replace any switches in the machine. It turned out that a double pole double throw switch which had been put in to reverse polarity/direction was malfunctioning. The shaper would run on the high speed, but not on low. We were apparently running on single phase (ie. two legs). The electrician's judgement was that it would run on the high speed due to the extra set of windings of the two speed motor.