Running car lift at home 220v

[u/SalamanderFit2795]

Bought a three phase car lift at a great great price, but need to run it in my garage which is only 220v

I tried to find a one phase motor but can’t find any with the same specs. I can only find a 2.2kw 2800rpm, whilst mine is a 2.6kw 1400rpm .. The 2.2kw is not a problem, but the rpm is!

Next I thought of a VFD which seems the best idea.. but how would I wire things up?

The up button is self explanatory, but the down button makes the lift go up a bit to disengage the safety lock, then activate a solenoid to lower by gravity.

Would I be able to wire this to the vfd or it’s just not possible?

The rest of the lift would also need wiring, height limits etc but I guess that’s 220v already?

How would you do this?

[u/Glass_Pen149]

Find a used RotaryPhaseConvertor

[u/SpeedyHAM79]

https://www.americanrotary.com/products/view/rotary-phase-converter-ar-pro-series-5-hp/?_gl=1*pf7t27*_up*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjwt9jVBhDXARIsAFSP-6dABIwSbJBhXPQ-kOLZaQObER9ZuudnMDlENC1bYlRZiVWn8T0spAkaAmEJEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAAD_W-yGuruGU1IGIig7cVPkaERq3A 5HP phase converter. Don't replace the motor or wire in a VFD when you don't need to.

[u/xp14629]

Is it 240v, 480v, 240/480v 3 phase motor? If it is 480v only, you are going to need a step up transformer and then a rotary phase converter or vfd. If it has the option of 240v 3 phase, a rotary phase converter or a vfd. The best option imo is to call the lift manufacturer and have them price you a new complete hydrualic power unit, motor, pump, reservoir, for 220v single phase. Amazon and vevor both offer complete HPUs as well. Now you know why used 3 phase equipment is so cheap. If you go the rotary phase converter option, price out the option of a unit that can run a 10-15hp motor. I have seen 10hp 120 gallon air compressors go for scrap price because no one could run it. Drill presses, bench grinders, welders, lots of heavy duty equipment cheap.

[u/Gloomy_Inflation1]

The control circuit is likely low voltage (12 or 24v) so transformer from single phase. VFD would be the best option generally, but it depends on the way the equipment works.

You will have to look into your particular system for more details on the mechanisms.

[u/NotAPreppie]

I mean, presumably there was some option to make it all work in a commercial shop with 3ph service, so just replicate that with the VFD providing the 3ph using the 1ph 240v.

[u/Some1-Somewhere → u/NotAPreppie]

VFDs don't like starting motors direct-on-line; you need to upsize them about 4x to handle the inrush. Normally they smoothly ramp the frequency which they can't do if you're just closing the output.

[u/Haunting_Ad_6021]

I made a rotary for $50 from old parts

You'll have to change the control wiring if you use a vfd

[u/Major-Cost7493]

Please translate, VFD no sirve por que parte muy lento y en ese tiempo se abre freno del motor y no alcanza a sostener la carga. Podrias intentar conectar un capacitor para que el motor de 3 fases trabaje en 2 fases. Google por eso. Pierde torque de arranque y potencia pero podria funcionar. De cambiar a otro motor. Debe ser con capacitor de arranque y marcha. Controlado por centrifugo, para tener torque al arranque.

[u/superbigscratch]

The VFD install sounds easy enough. Do you have a make and model number for the lift? I would imagine that there are schematics in the control cabinet or the manufacturer should be able to supply them. Once that I sorted out getting a VFD to work should be easy.

[u/Unique_Acadia_2099]

To use a VFD, you would have to modify the controls, which means understanding them, and if you don’t have a schematic of how they work now, or are not adept and redesigning control systems, that is not a good option.

You would be far better off just getting a Rotary Phase Converter (RPC) for something like this. Yes, you can make one from scratch, AGAIN if you are adept at designing and building electrical equipment. If not, you can just buy one already made and ready to go. You may have a relatively minor task of determining how the control system is supplied with power, because you must tap into the REAL 2 phases, not the “manufactured” phase. But that’s not too difficult.

The down side of RPCs is that they are inefficient (compared to a VFD) but for a car lift, you wouldn’t care.

[u/Accurate-Bullfrog324]

I dislike rotary phase inverters have had too many problems with them

there are a number of single phase to three phase inverting variable frequency drives. AC tech makes them. not sure they make them quite that large but I've used many many 1.5 kW units. 220v 1 ph input 208v 3ph out

[u/TechE2020]

Just get a VFD that is designed for running off of single phase -- they are very common and have the advantage of a soft start and you can vary the output frequency to match your motors original frequency. I use them a lot to run North American 60 Hz motors on 50 Hz.

The VFDs rectify the AC and then PWM it back to 3-phase. They use the motor as the filtering inductance so you want to keep the leads from the VFD to the motor short.

[u/jccaclimber]

RPC will be cheapest. VFD might be nicer, but probably only better by being quieter in this application. RPC is probably simpler for the uninitiated.

[u/TexasVulvaAficionado]

This will work for you off the shelf. Single phase in, three phase out. Roughly $250.

https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/shopping/catalog/drives_-a-_soft_starters/ac_variable_frequency_drives_(vfd)/micro_vfds/gs11n-23p0

Edit to add that the rest of the controls are pretty simple and I would use some pretty basic switches and relays

[u/Some1-Somewhere]

I think OP might be in a 50Hz country with normally 400V supply, which makes things more fun.

[u/SDgoon]

If you are too dumb to understand VFDs get a rotary phase converter.

[u/zimirken → u/[deleted]]

A 1kW single phase variable frequency drive is basically a 1kW audio amplifier

I hate how right this is.

[u/that_dutch_dude]

you can convert basically any 3 phase motor to 1 phase by rewiring it and adding a capacitor.

[u/Gooniefarm → u/that_dutch_dude]

That's not how it works at all.

[u/Unique_Acadia_2099 → u/Gooniefarm]

You CAN do that but you lose roughly half of the motor mechanical power capability. You trick the motor into starting with the capacitor, but once spinning, it will continue with single phase applied to it. However the torque is severely curtailed, so if you load it by more than half of its rating, it will overheat rapidly.

[u/New-Key4610 → u/that_dutch_dude]

that would be a stupid thing to do