Best Way to Step Up and Convert 110V 60Hz to 240V 50Hz

Is this single- or three-phase, or do you need to convert that too? Isn't 240V already available from your supply? Also, there are 240V 1-phase input, 3-phase output VFDs.

It is 1 phase. The supply at the location where its going to be used is 110V. the machine came from London so it requires a 240 50hz input. it is really sensitive equipment and I was wondering whether or not the square wave output from a vfd would affect anything. I was leaning more towards using an inverter to give me the 240 50hz Sine

I am a service engineer who is employed in the Biomed industry. I have extensive training from numerous OEMs. In this particular unit, acquisition and the production of x-rays isn't affected with frequency since it is rectified after the transformer in the x-ray generator. Really the only thing on this unit that WOULD be affected is the motor that drives the c-arm up and down.

In that case, why are you worried about a VFD? Taken collectively, your 20-questions postings are thoroughly incoherent.

agreed

Maybe not.

If a transformer is employed in the equipment power supply, then those transformers may be tuned to the specific line frequency to optimize efficiency.

Operating such a supply designed for 50 Hz with a 60 Hz source produces excess heat and lower efficiency in the transformer. That may or may not be an issue for the specific equipment. Only the manufacture can really tell you if it is or is not an issue.

Chances are manufactures will give you a conservative answer and tell you not to do so unless it is already spelled out that the equipment is compliant at both 50 and 60 Hz.

10Hz is not enough to alter the performance of a power transformer. Most are built for 50-60Hz application. The only real difficulty here is the drop in supply voltage and the consequential rise in supply side current for the given wattage.

However, that said, the manufacturer should be consulted in this case. The OP needs to know if the primary side of the transformer has a wiring scheme to switch to 110V service.

Including that OEC 7600 you have depicted.

Agreed, and a GA. An ionizing radiation source that will be used for medical treatment or diagnosis will have a very high liability risk. All modifications to this machine must be approved through the proper channels. CR4 is nowhere in these proper channels.

another reason im worried about using a VFD is they slowly bring up the frequency not to put a lot of electrical load on during motor startup. I need a constant 50hz

I respect the fact that you know this equipment very well, but as you point out, you are concerned about how the AC/DC conversion process will be affected by the off-frequency/non-sinusoidal output of the VFD. This forum cannot tell you that, only the OEM can.

On the other hand, if you can state that the manufacturer has put in writing that it is indifferent to how you accomplish the voltage/frequency conversion, then I'm sure that you will get a wide variety of suggestions on how to accomplish it from the members here.

My first thought would be to look at VFD Drives.

Efficient and cost effective.

A VFD will not help if the motor is single phase, you cannt use a VFD on 90% of single phase motors. Also, transformers and power supplies will not like it, and the VFD would not like them.

Check with the mfr to see if they have a problem with 60Hz vs 50Hz, they may have designed it for export. If 60Hz is OK, just get a transformer. If not, you will likely need a motor-generator set frequency converter. That is what is usually recommended for medical equipment.

This is the kind of thing that should have been investigated and thoroughly vetted BEFORE purchasing. It happens so often, yet nobody learns the lesson...

I think if the motor is either a split capacitor or shaded pole single phase motor it will work fine.

I am an electrical safety regulator. In my jurisdiction, unless this equipment was labeled for use on the 240v 60Hz source that was present. it would not be allowed to be used.

As far as connecting this equipment to any "converter" to get its required power supply, we would require the OEM to design and install such a converter. The combined system would have to be field evaluated afterwards to re-establish certification.

While I have no doubt you know your business, perhaps a call to the local AHJ might be prudent.

My first thought would be a motor/generator (MG Set). They are expensive, but the wave form will be correct.

The American medical and legal systems has become very litigious. Taking any medical instrument designed and operated to use anything not considered a US standard without contacting the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is asking for a lawsuit.

My Query is!

Why wasn't it ordered from the OEM to run on 110v 60Hz in the first place instead of getting it fitted to run on 240V

Was it purchased On the Cheap ??

Cheers

Peugeot man

Contact manuf - they may be able to supply the internal transformer for the US version of the machine.

My guess* is all inside will be DC run, so change of trans will do the job. Much better than external tran / VFD & all that. Or check, inside may have multi taps on the existing tran for different input supplies, such as my 1960s Branson ultrasonic welder. Get the book!

*I could be wrong, I was wrong once before - to paraphrase my ex FIL ;-)

Use a 110V,60Hz battery charger to charge a battery & then invert to 240V,50Hz. The battery will act like a UPS.

I have been working for many years with medical X-ray machines and other equipment in Europe, South America and Canada.
Any circuits having AC motors 220V/ 50Hz need to be altered to increase the voltage to aprox. 265V at 60Hz in order to have enough power. Or you can change the motor for a 60Hz model (IF available)...! DC motors are usually ok by just ensuring proper operating voltage.
Other circuits remain at the prescribed voltage (independent of frequency).
Most European export devices wil have provision to do that on the INPUT TRANSFORMER (tappings...!).
Some "Older type" X-Ray machines often have X-Ray timers depending on the line frequency - so to get proper exposure times the unit must be properly calibrated. This must be done by someone properly trained>>> OEM.... (NO playful experiments...!)
This includes also that the "exposure time" is set properly aligned with the (rectified part of) the sine wave amplitude. We are talking about milliseconds>>>!
OPERATING of equipment producing ionising radiation also needs to comply with local authorities....!

Well, this http://www.chromausa.com/sourcetable.php is a solution too. Some of the supplies are qualified for military and aerospace, but may not be for the US medical regulations. Re-certification for use in the US is probably a given.

If it's not certified for operation in the US, it should not even be here. You might get lucky if it was use din a research environment on monkeys.

But again, regulatory issues.

Now, if the supply was medical certified, again, you might get lucky. Aerospace and Military isn't medical.

Let's first take, what goes on between sane people, then the regulators, then the medical equipment makers, separately.

Sane people design and build equipment design with either wide range 90VAC - 250VAC, 50/60Hz or wider) sensing and switching power supplies, in which case the customer have the onerous duty to get a plug converter, and plug in to the ac source, and That's it.

Or the higher power transformer has a switch on it for 110VAC / 220VAC. Both wide tolerance, both 50 (or less) / 60 (or more) Hz. That's it again.

Moving motors fed from the secondary get always properly fed. Design not accounting for frequency changes (maybe in processing software) is garbage. I would not want it. When such primitive requirement is missed, what else is too??!?

European industry is Export Oriented. So are the relevant standards. I worked with those and would not lose sleep about it.

The Regulator is right from his standpoint. He needs the proper documentation to satisfy. Not being able to produce it is too bad, or the product / company is bad.

Medical equipments have their own regulations parallel to general use, only generally much stricter. The standards are constantly harmonized, in the interest of export. I would not fret it. But YOU have to produce compliance.

You are THE IMPORTER, unless somebody else did it before you. If the manufacturer does not support all the way, refuse the equipment for reason, as falsely presented and sold. There are standard ways to handle contracts internationally.

As you see, technical side is important, but not the main theme in the developing drama. However, you did not do due diligence before getting into it, IMHO.

Having said all that, call with your problems. We are not out to iudge you.