Phase Changer: 3 Phase for Business

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PHASE CHANGER ROTARY CONVERTERS

RELIABLE QUALITY 3-PHASE

• Australian Designed & Made in Australia with Local Support and a 30 month warranty. 
• Suitable for ANY 3 Phase Application with models from 2.2 to 45KW (3HP to 60HP) standard, ideal for multi-load applications or any machine that has electronic controls.
• Industrial Micro-Processor Controlled Technology, Custom Designed and Built in Australia.
• Digital output voltage display on all models.
• Micro-Controlled 9 Stage Automatic Output Voltage & Balance Control For Stable Voltages Over the Full Load Range
• "Stress Free" Solid State Capacitor Switching using Industrial High-Power Thyristors - increase operational life of capacitors. 
• Extremely Reliable
• 3 Phase 415V Output: Pure sine wave, without harmonics or electrical noise
• High 95% Efficiency
• Automatic Hard Start and Boost Standard
• Start and Load Contactor Standard
• Internal thermal overload, control wiring fuse and input and output circuit breakers are on all models
• RCD (safety switch) fitted to all models fitted with 3 phase outlet
• 3 phase outlets are 5 pin standard, and suit either 4 or 5 pin 3 phase plugs on your machinery
• Improves Power Quality (Rides Through Short Term Over Voltage Spikes and Voltage Sags)
• Balances Incoming Supply Power Factor
• Maintenance Free
• Designed to Not Increase Your Power Bill
• Low Cost (when compared to a utility 3 phase connection)
• Made and designed entirely in Australia - including circuit boards. 
• Designed to be fully serviceable - even in 15 years time.

While rotary converters have been around a very long time, they still have their place and fill a role that VSD's simply can't. While some selling VSD's claim a long list of faults in 'old fashioned rotary converters', the fact is that most of these issues are an exaggeration of the truth. Phase Changers made by us use modern electronic and microprocessor based technology in conjunction with the older traditional basics of rotary converters. They do not have massive over-sized pilot motors and are set up to run with very low energy overheads.

As a result we offer a much more efficient and reliable converter, that is easy to apply and connect to all types of machinery.

Phase Changers work perfectly well with sensitive electronic controls, they provide PURE, true and clean 3 phase AC sinewave output, and the 3 phase supply is always available to power control circuits so machines operate as normal. Phase Changers, unlike VSD's create no electrical noise, do not require filters and do not require special shielded cable.

Machines that require a neutral connection (which is many) can also be connected to the output of a Phase Changer. The capacitors we use are NOT standard motor start and run capacitors that are normally used in rotary converters. We have all our capacitors specially made for us, using thicker film to give them a true 600V rating. And of course, our capacitors are all electronically switched, which on its own greatly extends the life of the capacitors.

Phase Changers store energy, both in capacitors and in the rotating 'flywheel' motion of the pilot motor. when an external motor load is starting, the Phase Changer automatically releases this energy to help start the motor load quickly and efficiently.

A Phase Changer allows you to add machines at a later date with the main consideration being that the load is not more than the output rating of the Phase Changer. In a typical workshop application, one Phase Changer is installed to run a number of different machines. Welders, electronic controls, VSD's as well as more basic motor loads can all be easily powered from a Phase Changer.

Rotary power converters within the Phase Change Converters range work differently to purely electronic drive systems. They don't chop and re-combine signal pulses to create a re-constituted 3-Phase, the output is generated within the rotary pilot motor which behaves like a form of spinning power transformer. This means that the output is clean, stable and has a very low harmonic content. The large filters which are compulsorily fitted to all-electronic drive systems are just not needed here.

POWER DISPLAY

All multistage Phase-Changers are fitted with a digital display which indicates the power level that your Phase-Changer is running at, as a numerical number from 0 through to 8.

0 will be indicated at idle, through to 7 depending on the size of the connected load. A 'Hard Start' is indicated by an 8.

NOTE: The voltage information shown on this site relates to typical Australian voltages of 240V single phase & 415V 3-phase. These converters are also suitable for 220V/380V and 230V/400V supplies as found in many parts of the world. We manufacture for 50Hz countries only.

HARD START AND BOOST

A unique Hard Start feature is present on all models in the Phase Changer converter range.

It helps to get large motors and loads going quickly. It can draw on the energy stored in the capacitor bank and the kinetic energy obtained from the spinning converter pilot motor, it may deliver instantaneous current higher than the maximum level available from the power lines. This is a major advantage when starting up machines like air compressors and refrigeration systems. The LED readout on the side of the converter will show a Level 8 code when a Hard Start event is in progress.

Phase-Changer Options and Advanced Functions

• Remote Start: Available on all models and standard on models from 11KW upwards. This is for remote starting and stopping of the converter. This is a safe isolated 12VDC control loop, that simply needs an external switch or relay closure to operate. Remote start is typically used in refrigeration, air conditioning and pumping systems as examples.
• Manual/Off/Automatic switch; connects to the remote start input and provides parallel control with external switching. Typically used to override the remote start switch when the converter needs to run constantly. 
• Neutral Balancing Transformer: In some cases it is almost impossible to configure a machine so all single phase loads are connected to L3. By fitting one of these transformers to the output of the converter, the neutral is centred between the phases so 240V will then exist between each phase and neutral. This is most typically used in inverter air conditioning systems where the 3 phases are being checked to neutral. Only applicable to models from 4KW upwards.
• Soft Start:  Soft Start reduces the inrush current when starting the pilot motor of the converter by as much as 50%. This will limit the incoming voltage drop at start up which in extreme conditions can lead to starting problems. This feature is important on larger models and is fitted as standard on these, but should be considered on mid range converters where there are known limits on the incoming single phase supply. Fitted as standard on models from 8KW upwards, but is available for smaller converters, which is particularly useful when powered from an off-grid solar system inverter.
• Electronic Coil Contactors:  Phase Changers can end up in rural areas where poor power conditions exist. When a users 3 phase machine starts under load, there can be a momentary impact on the converters incoming supply voltage as additional start energy or power must be drawn from the incoming supply. Depending on the circumstances, these voltage drops can be significant, resulting in low voltages to the controller and input / output contactors inside the converter.  The controller nominally works at 240V but has been engineered to work reliably right down to 160V for short periods. Wide voltage ‘electronic coil contactors’ can be installed or retrofitted to existing converters where low mains voltage under load conditions is an issue.
• 3 Phase outlets with safety switch can be factory fitted to any converter. 
• Plug in single phase supply for converters being moved to different locations.  
• Single phase welder function. This allows you to operate a two phase 415V welder from L1 and L3 of the Phase Changer without the pilot motor starting. When switched to 'welder mode’, the pilot motor will shut down, and an internal contactor will switch on applying 415V between L1 and L3 of the output circuit breaker.  

SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

Safety is a serious issue with any electrical products, and especially with converter products that must handle and convert large amounts of electrical energy.

While there may be cheaper rotary converters on the market these days, please remember that lower prices do come with greater risk.

Phase Changer series converters have THE ONLY purpose built multistage microprocessor based controller as the heart, that not only provides better 3 phase output than any others, but also has inbuilt protection systems that will self diagnose and shut down the converter in the unlikely event of something going wrong. 

• ALL Phase Change Converter rotary converters have both input and output contactors (like large power relays) that switch on the main power to the converter and also to the connected load. Both are controlled by the microprocessor based controller, and only switch on when all conditions are correctly met.
• ALL Phase Change Converter rotary converters have correctly sized D curve circuit breakers on the input and output, with units factory fitted with 3 phase outlets being fitted with a 3 phase RCD (safety switch).
• ALL Phase Change Converter rotary converters are fitted with internal thermal overloads that add one more level of protection in the event of overload for extended periods. If tripped, the overload will automatically reset when it cools. 
• ALL Phase Change Converter products are fitted with low current control circuit fuses.

Phase Change Converters do not produce any electrical noise or interference, and can be connected with standard electrical cable rather than expensive shielded cable.

This is a competitors converter that actually caught fire!

We do not take short-cuts on quality or safety.

If you get information from other suppliers, particularly those who claim theirs will do what ours does, and ask exactly what they have internally to guarantee safety and quality. Ask them how they comply with Australian Standards, particularly in relation to safety and protection. Some manufacturers are using imported controllers to switch capacitor banks via several thyristors, but have no logic outputs to control start and run contactors and no inherent built in safety.

All Three Phase Converters are definitely not the same and should not be compared on price alone.

CERTIFICATION

Phase Changers have formally been tested and approved to meet the stringent safety and EMC standards for the European Union (European CE approval). All models include both start and output contactors with thermal overload, control wiring fuse, input-output circuit breaker protection, and comply with Australian & NZ Standards. All units fitted with a three phase outlet have RCD (safety switch) protection.

Unlike inverters or VSD's, Phase-changers create no harmonics that may interfere with other electrical or electronic equipment.

THYRISTOR VS CONTACTOR CAPACITOR SWITCHING

In all rotary converters switched power capacitors are used to create an offset phase (needed to start the pilot motor), to balance the phase to phase voltages, and to improve power factor (if fitted).

Almost all converter manufacturers worldwide use contactors, which are effectively large relays with mechanical contacts to turn capacitors on and off. Capacitors store large amounts of electrical energy and need to be switched on regular intervals in and out of the converter’s AC power circuit to maintaning the best voltage balance under varying loads. As AC is alternating at 50 cycles per second and a contactor is a mechanical device with physical contacts that will randomly turn on at any part of the sine wave, arching WILL occur across the contacts and the life of the contactor will be dramatically shortened. While there are special contactors designed to limit the arching when switching capacitors, the timing of switching into the cycle is still random, plus these contactors are expensive. But there is more to it than simply arching contacts: Charged capacitors when switched into AC power circuits at the wrong time will suffer damage and will have shortened life spans. In addition, contactor switching is SLOW when compared to electronic switching as we do in all our Phase Changers, and this will limit the functionality of the converter particularly with varying 3 phase connected loads. It is not possible to have a hard start feature, as the Phase Changer does, when contactors are used to switch capacitors as the capacitor bank is too large and the time of operation is usually very short - often less than one second.

The following two pictures show what can happen to capacitors and contactors when mechanical contactor based switching is used in converters. This is from a competitors converter we replaced with a Phase Changer. It had become a constantly on-going and expensive problem for the customer who had his local electrician replacing blown parts on a very regular basis. The Phase Changer series of converters does not use mechanical contactors to switch capacitors. We use our own purpose designed and built controller to switch capacitors electronically. Not only does electronic switching allow us to accurately switch capacitors at the correct part of the AC cycle, it also allows us to switch them in many combinations, extremely quickly, so the Phase Changer reacts instantly to changing load conditions, including bringing in the large ’start’ capacitor bank when the hard start feature is required. This is the standard Phase Changer controller, which utilises two micro controllers with complex (and protected) programs, and remains fully serviceable well into the future.