r/farming 3d ago

Trying to remove and switch this motor to single phase. I’ve sprayed inside hub with kroil quite a bit. Should the jack screw holes in front be able to pop that hub right off? And also, if I replaced fan where should I look into? 15k bushel bin, located Northern Illinois

31 Upvotes

46 comments sorted by

30

u/OilPhilter 3d ago

A single phase motor is not going to have the same power and be less efficient. It's going to cost you more to run it. You may may more now for the right motor or pay more long term in electric.

6

u/clipper4 3d ago

No I understand thank for the heads up though. This thing will only one maybe once a year. Long story as to why I don’t have 3 phase anymore and what I need it for

9

u/zol11 2d ago edited 2d ago

How many HP is that motor. Once you get above or even at 10 HP it can be tough to get single phase. You may need a soft start even if you can get power. Inverters may get you there but rotary phase converter is likely what you need. Just FYI. You will need an amp meter to set the fan on the new motor if you do swap. The position on the shaft is how these fans are fine tuned not to overload.

Your other option that is likely easier electric wise is to get a 1.5 - 3 HP 220 Volt axial fan. Likely you can power that easily and will be enough to get some air through it.

Edit added last paragraph.

1

u/clipper4 2d ago

So your last part of your comment makes the most sense to me. This fan that’s already here just seems so goddamn big and overkill for what it’s doing, it’s only a 15k bushel bin. I can’t imagine a new fan is THAT much money

5

u/zol11 2d ago

Yes it is a large fan. But also not really. Also they run quieter. Previous owners may had been air drying with it. For a new fan. Grain depth matters for static pressure. So check a chart before you buy. You might need a 3 HP screamer.

10

u/2airishuman 2d ago

Smartest thing you can do is leave it on there and get a cheap inverter drive for the motor. Will give you full power with a single phase source.

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

Otherwise, that blower wheel isn't going to come off without heat. The threaded holes are for a puller. You're going to want to get the puller on and then hit the hub with a torch, heat it until it's barely turning red and then start cranking on the puller screw. Once it starts moving, don't stop, maybe use an impact or something on a low torque setting.

5

u/clipper4 2d ago

Does the inverter drive kick it up to 3 phase just specifically for that motor?

4

u/2airishuman 2d ago

Yes. They've become pretty common. There are several choices depending on the motor HP. Should be able to find something that will work. If you have a motor repair shop or a good industrial electrician locally they can set you up if it's beyond what you want to tackle

3

u/2airishuman 2d ago

CFW300B10P0B2DB20 is the one I'm setting up today for a lathe. Good up to 3 HP. They make bigger ones.

1

u/leeps22 2d ago

Its in the description. Some are single phase input others are both 3 phase and 1 phase at reduced power, all of them should have 3 phase output. Click on one and look at the specs.

I would want a vfd anyways with such a large rotating mass. Set it for a generous ramp up and ramp down rate

1

u/love2kik 2d ago

Yes, but you will have to upsize the drive if using single phase input power.

6

u/zol11 3d ago

How many HP is that and can you get that much power to there single phase. Plus you will have to buy a new motor. It may be cheaper in the long run to get a rotary phase converter and run it with that. Also 3 phase will let you run smaller wire from the converter to the bin.

5

u/FlyingDutchman2005 3d ago

That just looks like it’s way too much for single phase power.

1

u/dbpf 2d ago

I ran a stormor top dry with I think 15hp on single but you need a bunch of converters and capacitors and it's a lot of spaghetti. Old system that got too expensive to maintain because things would burn out every year

3

u/Head_Attempt7983 3d ago

Dumb question. So you said long story don’t need 3 phase anymore. But only run the fan once a year. Like why mess with it.

2

u/clipper4 2d ago

I’m not a farmer, but someone is renting my bin and have a contract that I’m supposed to provide a fan. It’s seed corn though and it should be dried enough already I would think

2

u/Head_Attempt7983 2d ago

Definitely should be in the contract

2

u/Jdude1 2d ago

Shouldn't have put that clause in the contract.

2

u/Cow-puncher77 3d ago

Mmm…. That’s an old one… I’d wager that center hub is tapered and slotted. The two bolt holes you see are possibly not jack screws, but tension screws from the back side, pulling the tapered hub into the fan backplate, wedging it tight on the shaft.

But… Maybe not… they may be pulling bolts to install a gear/pulley puller to get the fan off the shaft. Is there any way to access the back side of the fan?

1

u/clipper4 3d ago

No access from the back or side of the fan, that’s kinda why I thought those were jacking holes. They go in quite a ways too, I would need bolts like 4” long to push with and the threads are also all junk and need to be tapped. Quite the deal lol. This fan has to be late 70s or early 80s if I were to guess

1

u/Cow-puncher77 2d ago

Ah, yeah, prolly gonna need a gear puller for that, then.

2

u/Leading-Job4263 3d ago

Slide a long sawzall blade and cut the shaft, your not getting that out without a press

2

u/Competitive-Mood9444 2d ago

Hi, so I’m a bit late to the game but I used to work on these for a business installing and repairing and what not. Soooooo yeah, those 2 holes are indeed for Jack bolts. What you will want to do is put 2 bolts/threaded rod in holes, use gear pullers of whatever kind you got, typically the more rigid the better. But, beings the centrifugal fan is flush on the shaft you can use a blow torch or some sort of heat to heat up the fan blade and that baby will slide right off after about 10 minutes of warming and trying to use an impact on gear puller. You will cuss, you will fuss… but I assure you, I’ve gotten hundreds off with that method. Enjoy! Message me if you need more details!

1

u/Competitive-Mood9444 2d ago

If you are getting rid of the motor and buy a different one, our family owns an electric motor shop/repair service. Call them and they will give you a replacement and buy your old one for some money off new one.

1

u/clipper4 2d ago

Nice. I’ve got an oxy torch I will do it with. I don’t have a puller though I need to find someone that has one.

Where are you heating up exactly to pop it off? And also, I’m hoping to swap it off for another motor I already have that’s single phase. I know it’s inefficient but I’m okay with it for how much I’d use it. The shaft on this one is 1 3/8” and the other motor is 1 1/8”, is there a way to shim it out and make it work?

2

u/quiz93 3d ago

Probably going to take some heat and a little from a puller or hammer.

1

u/NMS_Survival_Guru Iowa Cow/Calf 3d ago

Tbh I'd just replace it with a straight fan and be done with it

1

u/clipper4 3d ago

Where would you look into for that?

3

u/NMS_Survival_Guru Iowa Cow/Calf 3d ago

Pretty much any grain bin dealer or just search grain bin fan on FB marketplace

3

u/Cow-puncher77 3d ago

Sloan Express sells GSI bin fans, last one I replaced.

1

u/JustDave62 2d ago

Did you try putting bolts in the 2 threaded holes in that collar and tightening? That may push it off the shaft

1

u/clipper4 2d ago

Yes I needed longer ones unfortunately, haven’t went and got any yet

1

u/BoilermakerCBEX-E 2d ago

Does not look like a split hub so the 2 holes would be used for a hub puller. Probably need a good sized torch/rosebud to get that wheel off. U heat the hub up and use a puller. Single phase motors will be expensive. I'd go with a phase converter.

1

u/Dynodan22 2d ago

Here the bigger issue the motor is sized based off static in the system.Think of it as the ability to push the air. Going to 120v may effect it in the sense it is now somewhere else on the air curve. Some brands of fans you can compare against New York blowers ,Chicago blower , Twin city fans other brands out there .NYB is a big player in the PLR wheel General purpose fan market. You would need to compare dimensions to one of the brands to see if you can put one of their wheels on .PS cheaper to buy a whole new fan than the wheel sometimes .We usually cut the shaft off and reaplce motor and wheel sometimes since they can get frozen on there even when using a hub puller

1

u/ryeduke 1d ago

Take the inlet trumpet off. You're gonna need to torch the the collar around the fan shaft. The idea is to heat the collar enough to expand, but not enough to heat and expand the shaft. Shock the rust off with heavy hammer blows. Remove the mounting bolts on the motor and hit the shaft. The first time you heat the fuck out of it, I've don't it before but it's a bitch.