What is the biggest single phase IR dryer?

[Mark @ Hurricane Printing]

Do they make 12ft or 15ft single phase IR dryers with air flow capabilities? Currently I have an old 8ft EconoRed Vastex IR dryer....and no air flow...it does have a vent. I do not have 3 phase in my home obviously so any upgrade I do will have to be a single phase situation. My dryer has two plugs...one to control the belt and another plug for the IR heaters.

Not upgrading anytime soon at all but was just curious at the moment what my options would be.

[Gilligan]

Chaparral makes made them... Ir panels with air knives between them... But there is not much put out by those air knives.

[Prosperi-Tees]

I have a Lawson 3612 single phase 60 amps with airflow.

[Inkworks]

The toughest part of converting 3-phase ovens to single phase is usually the motors for the belt and blowers. The heating elements/relays/mercury switches are usually relatively easy to re-wire for use in single phase if the units are 208-240 VAC. Someone with a bit of know-how could wire in a small 3-phase converter for the motors and re-wire the elements to run off single phase.

Hix makes some big electric ovens that would be a pretty easy conversion, I don't have direct experience converting other brands.

Be aware, you do lose a lot of efficiency going from 3-1phase.

[Mark @ Hurricane Printing]

The toughest part of converting 3-phase ovens to single phase is usually the motors for the belt and blowers. The heating elements/relays/mercury switches are usually relatively easy to re-wire for use in single phase if the units are 208-240 VAC. Someone with a bit of know-how could wire in a small 3-phase converter for the motors and re-wire the elements to run off single phase.

Hix makes some big electric ovens that would be a pretty easy conversion, I don't have direct experience converting other brands.

Be aware, you do lose a lot of efficiency going from 3-1phase.

i wouldn't take any part of converting a 3 phase to a single phase......just seems dangerous to me even if professionally done.

[Gilligan]

Actually the Chaparral can go either way... only thing that converts is the panels.  Goes from all on one circuit, to each on their own leg/phase.  motors and blowers work on a 110 leg by themselves.

Most of these motors and blowers are so small I couldn't imagine them being 3 phase, but I certainly could be wrong.

Ink, you lose nothing converting resistive loads from 3 phase to 1 phase, they are just dumb loads.  Motors on the other hand do lose efficiency but again... at this size, if it's even a factor, it would be VERY small.

[Binkspot]

We like our Vastex EC1 54" but the second chamber add on would make it better. Does fine with plastisol, weak on discharge or water base. Our Maxi Cure does the job with no problems both plastisol and WB. The Maxi Cure was built 3 phase, the last owner switched it to single. I left it that way because our last shop was single but when we moved switched it back to 3 phase.

[Inkworks]

The toughest part of converting 3-phase ovens to single phase is usually the motors for the belt and blowers. The heating elements/relays/mercury switches are usually relatively easy to re-wire for use in single phase if the units are 208-240 VAC. Someone with a bit of know-how could wire in a small 3-phase converter for the motors and re-wire the elements to run off single phase.

Hix makes some big electric ovens that would be a pretty easy conversion, I don't have direct experience converting other brands.

Be aware, you do lose a lot of efficiency going from 3-1phase.

i wouldn't take any part of converting a 3 phase to a single phase......just seems dangerous to me even if professionally done.

Would you look into it if it meant saving $25000 - $30000 for your shop?

The heating panels in the dryer I mentioned are all single phase, the controls are single phase, and in some cases even 115VAC. The motors are the only thing that really run 3-phases in the entire units. In the case of things like my single phase converted, 3-phase quartz flashes nothing in them was 3-phase, and they really just use it as 3 legs of 220. Many shops run 3 phase convertors in their single phase shops too.

It's no more dangerous than any other electronics, factory or altered, if done correctly.

The main problem with switching a big 3-phase oven is that the resulting single phase amperage load can be triple the 3-phase amp. load and you can end up with a 200-300 amp single phase boa-constrictor of a circuit to run. The components for that add up to some significant cash.

[Mark @ Hurricane Printing]

The toughest part of converting 3-phase ovens to single phase is usually the motors for the belt and blowers. The heating elements/relays/mercury switches are usually relatively easy to re-wire for use in single phase if the units are 208-240 VAC. Someone with a bit of know-how could wire in a small 3-phase converter for the motors and re-wire the elements to run off single phase.

Hix makes some big electric ovens that would be a pretty easy conversion, I don't have direct experience converting other brands.

Be aware, you do lose a lot of efficiency going from 3-1phase.

i dont have a shop anymore..im in a one car garage. I see what you are saying though.....so its a typical thing to make a 3 a 1? I do not know enough about electricity so I am not familiar with the process....but if your saying some dryers are made to have the option between the two and not "make shifting" something then I am open to it.

i wouldn't take any part of converting a 3 phase to a single phase......just seems dangerous to me even if professionally done.

Would you look into it if it meant saving $25000 - $30000 for your shop?

The heating panels in the dryer I mentioned are all single phase, the controls are single phase, and in some cases even 115VAC. The motors are the only thing that really run 3-phases in the entire units. In the case of things like my single phase converted, 3-phase quartz flashes nothing in them was 3-phase, and they really just use it as 3 legs of 220. Many shops run 3 phase convertors in their single phase shops too.

It's no more dangerous than any other electronics, factory or altered, if done correctly.

The main problem with switching a big 3-phase oven is that the resulting single phase amperage load can be triple the 3-phase amp. load and you can end up with a 200-300 amp single phase boa-constrictor of a circuit to run. The components for that add up to some significant cash.

[mk162]

you can always go gas, yes you still have the motors, but gas is more efficient than electric anyway and all of your power won't be tapped out on a single piece of equipment.

[Gilligan]

The toughest part of converting 3-phase ovens to single phase is usually the motors for the belt and blowers. The heating elements/relays/mercury switches are usually relatively easy to re-wire for use in single phase if the units are 208-240 VAC. Someone with a bit of know-how could wire in a small 3-phase converter for the motors and re-wire the elements to run off single phase.

Hix makes some big electric ovens that would be a pretty easy conversion, I don't have direct experience converting other brands.

Be aware, you do lose a lot of efficiency going from 3-1phase.

i wouldn't take any part of converting a 3 phase to a single phase......just seems dangerous to me even if professionally done.

Would you look into it if it meant saving $25000 - $30000 for your shop?

The heating panels in the dryer I mentioned are all single phase, the controls are single phase, and in some cases even 115VAC. The motors are the only thing that really run 3-phases in the entire units. In the case of things like my single phase converted, 3-phase quartz flashes nothing in them was 3-phase, and they really just use it as 3 legs of 220. Many shops run 3 phase convertors in their single phase shops too.

It's no more dangerous than any other electronics, factory or altered, if done correctly.

The main problem with switching a big 3-phase oven is that the resulting single phase amperage load can be triple the 3-phase amp. load and you can end up with a 200-300 amp single phase boa-constrictor of a circuit to run. The components for that add up to some significant cash.

Ink, double check that math, 3 phase isn't much different than 1 phase 220.  Actually if its 3ph 208 you will increase your amps over a 1ph 220... Though you can spread that across more copper lines, I've done the math and an additional copper line is more expensive than a bit thicker one.  I had the option to switch my chaparral to 3ph when I moved it to my shop and opted to keep it 1ph.

[Inkworks]

So if you have 3 heat panel circuits  in a 3 phase dryer, each on a separate leg and each draws 50 amps, how big of single phase feed will you need once converted, to run all 3 50amp panel circuits? Original dryer feed was 60 amp 3-phase.

[Gilligan]

But each don't only pull from the leg by itself... it takes two to tango.

So, it will have be connected 1-2 2-3 and 3-1... basically all of them share the load.

Are you sure those panels are 50 amps each?  That would be a 10kw panel.

[broadway]

Do they make 12ft or 15ft single phase IR dryers with air flow capabilities? Currently I have an old 8ft EconoRed Vastex IR dryer....and no air flow...it does have a vent. I do not have 3 phase in my home obviously so any upgrade I do will have to be a single phase situation. My dryer has two plugs...one to control the belt and another plug for the IR heaters.

Not upgrading anytime soon at all but was just curious at the moment what my options would be.

I have a Ranar Red Star (2003), IR Dyer, it does come with an air flow option for wb inks. I do not have the air option. It does have an eight inch exhaust.The dryer has a three foot belt and is twelve feet long, 220v, 1 ph at 48 amps. I only use plastisol inks. It handles my automatic press just fine. I only have 100 amps to the garage and the compressor and chiller come off the house's 100 amps.

[Prosperi-Tees]

Ranar does make some nice dryers at great prices:
http://ranar.com/Conveyor_dryer/turbo_jetstar_spec.html