sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
Friend has a deep well pump. He has no technical knowledge of the system.
Based on the specs, the pump motor is 3 phase 208-230VAC.
He has been feeding it with 230VAC from a split phase 120/240VAC generator via L1 & L2. This is not in doubt. I've seen it running; however, I have NOT seen the well head area, so I don't know what the wires from the generator are connected to.
I know that there are methods that can allow single phase to power a 3 phase motor like a VFD, though my understanding is tenuously tenuous.
The most confusing thing is that this pump uses way MORE current than the motor specs indicate. Motor is supposed to pull 11-12A, but it pulls 18-19A. Have confirmed those numbers on the output side of the generator with clamp ammeter. He also recently installed a dedicated LF 6kW inverter to drive it, and the 6kW inverter reported it's at 76% load, so ~4500W, which is consistent with the generator load.
Anybody have a guess as to why? Is this what happens when you try to drive a 3 phase motor with single phase 230?
The pump is about 10 years old, so I would expect some deterioration, but I would not expect nearly 2X the draw, so that's what's driving me to wonder if it has something to do with driving a 3 phase motor.
Based on the specs, the pump motor is 3 phase 208-230VAC.
He has been feeding it with 230VAC from a split phase 120/240VAC generator via L1 & L2. This is not in doubt. I've seen it running; however, I have NOT seen the well head area, so I don't know what the wires from the generator are connected to.
I know that there are methods that can allow single phase to power a 3 phase motor like a VFD, though my understanding is tenuously tenuous.
The most confusing thing is that this pump uses way MORE current than the motor specs indicate. Motor is supposed to pull 11-12A, but it pulls 18-19A. Have confirmed those numbers on the output side of the generator with clamp ammeter. He also recently installed a dedicated LF 6kW inverter to drive it, and the 6kW inverter reported it's at 76% load, so ~4500W, which is consistent with the generator load.
Anybody have a guess as to why? Is this what happens when you try to drive a 3 phase motor with single phase 230?
The pump is about 10 years old, so I would expect some deterioration, but I would not expect nearly 2X the draw, so that's what's driving me to wonder if it has something to do with driving a 3 phase motor.
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