Identify Oneida cyclone

[tedrussell]

Can anyone identify the model of the 3 hp Oneida cyclone from these photos?  It's 24" DIA, 58" tall, with a 13-1/2" DIA blower, 8" DIA inlet, and a 7-1/2" x 6-3/4" outlet.

The label on it disappeared over the years. A guy donated it to a makerspace my son is building, and I'd like to find the specs on it.  Maybe I know everything needed from the dimensions and motor nameplate, but it would be good to know the actual model and be able to find info on it online.

More importantly, when I went to turn the blower by hand, it was stuck.  Is this normal for this type of motor, or is it frozen from rust?  (It was sitting in a shed in Maine with some other woodworking equipment, a lot of which were unfortunately pretty rusty.  If it's frozen, I think I can free it up, but I'd welcome any thoughts.

[TDKPE]

I can't identify it, but you need to be aware that it has a three-phase motor.  You can't run that on common single-phase system. 

BUT, having said that, a new (or used) 3 hp should be easy enough to source.  Probably need a new motor control, too, as that 3-phase control may not have a high enough current rating for a single-phase motor.  Might not be the right voltage, either. 

That's a nice, heavy unit.  Worth the trouble to make it work, IMHO.  


Edit 1: Or does the space it's going into already have 3-phase service? If that's the case, a new set of bearings is a cheap and easy fix.


Edit 2: I take it this is in place of the 2 hp Delta. The cyclone would be a good choice, especially if you can vent the exhaust outside.

[tedrussell]

Thanks. I was aware it needs 3-phase power. It has a controller that I didn't include with the photos. The space has 3-phase power, but unfortunately, we just finished the drywall in the woodshop, so there's going to be a bit of rework to run 3-phase to the DC.
Yes, this is in place of the Delta. Venting outside could be done, but my son doesn't want to put any more holes through the wall than necessary. Maybe we could run it out the vent for the welding hood in the metal shop.

About the motor - does it sound like it's frozen? If so, is it easy to free up?

[TDKPE]

Thanks.  I was aware it needs 3-phase power. It has a controller that I didn't include with the photos. The space has 3-phase power, but unfortunately, we just finished the drywall in the woodshop, so there's going to be a bit of rework to run 3-phase to the DC.
Yes, this is in place of the Delta.  Venting outside could be done, but my son doesn't want to put any more holes through the wall than necessary.  Maybe we could run it out the vent for the welding hood in the metal shop.

About the motor - does it sound like it's frozen?  If so, is it easy to free up?

That's good news about having 3-phase power available.  Now you only have to be concerned about voltage - 208, 240, or 480V.  Motor connection is easy (208 and 230V configuration is the same), but the magnetic control may or may not be easy.  Some have multiple transformer taps for the low voltage control portion - though there's no saying that it's actually a low-voltage control; could be line voltage - but if it's set up for a 480V system, the contactor may not be large enough for double or more current at 208 or 240V systems, and the wiring should be looked at between the control and the motor.  But that's not even remotely a show stopper.  With luck, it's already configured for your voltage (guessing 208V - what do I win if I'm right?
).

That's a nice machine, at a great price.  And 3 hp is more in line with what you want it for.  
  You can also make yourself a bag tree if you don't want to vent it outside.  American Fabric Filter is one of the big names in small particle filtration.  https://americanfabricfilter.com/filter-bags/

As to the bearings, cracking a 3-phase motor open is a walk in the park.  Just mark the two end bells with a scratch in the paint connecting each end bell to the frame, so they can go back on exactly where they were.  There are no surprises inside, since three-phase motors don't have internal wiring and a centrifugal switch like single-phase motors do.  The only moving part is the rotor. 

I wouldn't even waste my time trying to free those bearings.  Just buy new ones.  They're cheap and plentiful.  Don't buy cheap Chinese bearings.  There should be numbers on the existing bearings, making them easy to match, but you can always match them just from size, since they're almost certainly 'standard' deep-groove ball bearings.

[tedrussell]

Now you only have to be concerned about voltage - 208, 240, or 480V.  Motor connection is easy (208 and 230V configuration is the same), but the magnetic control may or may not be easy.  Some have multiple transformer taps for the low voltage control portion - though there's no saying that it's actually a low-voltage control; could be line voltage - but if it's set up for a 480V system, the contactor may not be large enough for double or more current at 208 or 240V systems, and the wiring should be looked at between the control and the motor.  But that's not even remotely a show stopper.  With luck, it's already configured for your voltage (guessing 208V - what do I win if I'm right?
).

Thanks again for all the great info. It's 240V - see nameplate on the controller.

If we did decide to find a 3 hp single phase motor to prevent the need for ripping out drywall, is there a downside in performance or durability as compared to the three-phase motor?

[tedrussell]

With luck, it's already configured for your voltage (guessing 208V - what do I win if I'm right?
).

Before I looked it up, I was going to say a lobster roll next time you're in Portland, Maine.

[tedrussell]

That's good news about having 3-phase power available.  

TDKPE - One more question, and then I'll quit bugging you - if we decide to find a single phase 3 hp motor so we don't have to tear out new drywall to rewire, is there a tradeoff of some kind - performance or durability?

[TDKPE]

TDKPE - One more question, and then I'll quit bugging you - if we decide to find a single phase 3 hp motor so we don't have to tear out new drywall to rewire, is there a tradeoff of some kind - performance or durability?

Probably not, though a 3-phase may be able to absorb more start cycles, since there are no moving parts other than the rotor.

Since the motor will be high up, being mounted on top of the unit, why not just drop a length of cord or flex conduit from the ceiling to the motor, and not disturb any existing drywall?

[EricU]

I really don't know oneida's history, but that looks a lot like the one I have, which is from the early '90s.  Mine has the internal filter, which this one doesn't have.  That's a blessing.  

You can get a bit more performance by fixing the shrouding around the impeller. Bill Pence's site has info about how the air should exit from the impeller.  Just dumping it into a plenum like Oneida did is wasting a lot of velocity and that will show up in the dust collection performance.

[tedrussell]

I really don't know oneida's history, but that looks a lot like the one I have, which is from the early '90s.  Mine has the internal filter, which this one doesn't have.  That's a blessing.  

You can get a bit more performance by fixing the shrouding around the impeller. Bill Pence's site has info about how the air should exit from the impeller.  Just dumping it into a plenum like Oneida did is wasting a lot of velocity and that will show up in the dust collection performance.

Thanks, Eric.  Just to be clear, do you mean the internal filter is a blessing, or the outside bag filter that this one has?

I wondered about the shrouding - it sure looks like an inefficient design to me, but what does someone who worked for 29 years on jet engines know? 


Oh, and thanks a million for pointing me to Bill Pentz's site. I hadn't stumbled on that yet, but it looks like a gold mine.