do you have a 2 post lift running from domestic?

[themininut]

I'm looking to get a lift but have been told by a chap that sells them that if i get a 3 phase screw type, then I'll struggle to get it working on single phase even with an inverter from 3 phase?

Anyone running a 3 phase screw type lift on domestic single phase without any issues?

M.

 

[madkayaker]

as long as the motor is duel voltage i can not see any problem. How big a motor is it?

 

[rtbcomp]

A friend of mined has a 3 phase 4-poster on single phase and an inverter.

 

[tigler]

I have a two post hydraulic and cable lift with single phase 240 volt motor. It won't restart from a lifted position with a load on it , I have to momentarily press the lower button before the lift. Apart from that it's fine. From memory the motor is 1.1 KW.

 

[Bsmith]

I'm looking to get a lift but have been told by a chap that sells them that if i get a 3 phase screw type, then I'll struggle to get it working on single phase even with an inverter from 3 phase?

Anyone running a 3 phase screw type lift on domestic single phase without any issues?

M.

It will take a big inverter to run the lift as it is as the motor will be 4hp.
I converted my (Laycock) screw lift to single phase by changing the motor and pulleys, but as tigler said, I have to lower it to the bottom before lifting (meaning that I cant stop lift with a car on part way up then lift further, got to lower it then lift again to desired height). More details if you request but better to buy a single phase hydralic lift as it can be run with a smaller motor.

 

[brightspark]

i wired a lift a month ago for someone using a static converter the 415v one .4hp . it was on the borderline for lifting to full capacity weightwise ps it was hydraulic with 3hp motor

 

[themininut]

I haven't bought one yet, i wanted to know if it was feasbile to get a 3 phase and convert easily, but it would appear that its far simpler to just get a hydraulic single phase in the first place. Only trouble is, 3 phase seem to be a hell of a lot cheaper than the single phase ones!

any recommendations for a hydraulic lift? what should I avoid?

M.

 

[brightspark]

I haven't bought one yet, i wanted to know if it was feasbile to get a 3 phase and convert easily, but it would appear that its far simpler to just get a hydraulic single phase in the first place. Only trouble is, 3 phase seem to be a hell of a lot cheaper than the single phase ones!

any recommendations for a hydraulic lift? what should I avoid?

M.

a 415 v static converter will cost 400 quid and ist to clever on lifts

 

[tigler]

I haven't bought one yet, i wanted to know if it was feasbile to get a 3 phase and convert easily, but it would appear that its far simpler to just get a hydraulic single phase in the first place. Only trouble is, 3 phase seem to be a hell of a lot cheaper than the single phase ones!

any recommendations for a hydraulic lift? what should I avoid?

M.

Whats your budget ?

 

[themininut]

Whats your budget ?

No more than 1k, much less would be nice

M.

 

[madkayaker]

theres a new 230V on ebay for that

 

[tigler]

The one I have is an Italian made lift , off hand I can't recall the make and I'm not in the workshop today. The price was £1450 when I bought it new and it's been totally fine. You could more than likely find a used one for under a grand. The company I bought it from changed the motor from a 3 phase to a single phase on installation and the only issue has been starting with a load , but I get around that with my little dodge mentioned above !
It's quite a common lift , I've seen the same one under various brand names in a number of workshops.
I'll find the name for you and post it up probably tomorrow.

 

[Bsmith]

No more than 1k, much less would be nice

M.

I went the same way, thought I would buy a cheap lift and convert it to single phase. Paid £300 for the lift, then almost £200 for a single ph motor, had to get a spark to wire it all up for me (thankfully he was owe me one), there was my own time making up pulleys and fitting motor, cutting and concreting floor for posts and chain which joins/drives the 2 posts, then I discovered the nuts were badly worn, they jammed the whole lift Paid £360 for 2 new brass nuts. now I still only have an old lift.
I would say if you can get a good working lift for around 1k, go for it, cheap options dont pay.

 

[themininut]

I went the same way, thought I would buy a cheap lift and convert it to single phase. Paid £300 for the lift, then almost £200 for a single ph motor, had to get a spark to wire it all up for me (thankfully he was owe me one), there was my own time making up pulleys and fitting motor, cutting and concreting floor for posts and chain which joins/drives the 2 posts, then I discovered the nuts were badly worn, they jammed the whole lift Paid £360 for 2 new brass nuts. now I still only have an old lift.
I would say if you can get a good working lift for around 1k, go for it, cheap options dont pay.

I'm beginning to see that! who would have thought it would be soo difficult to find a decent lift

M.

 

[Punx0r]

I read some advice on used lifts a while ago and the main message was that a lot of cheap lifts on ebay are put up for sale because they've failed their compulsory annual safety checks for commerical use and they're not economical to repair.

Might not be the case for all lifts, but probably worth reading up on or talking to someone in the know before parting with hard-earned. I think the main issues were wear in the nuts on screw lifts and frayed cables on the cable types.

 

[BChild]

I read some advice on used lifts a while ago and the main message was that a lot of cheap lifts on ebay are put up for sale because they've failed their compulsory annual safety checks for commerical use and they're not economical to repair.

Might not be the case for all lifts, but probably worth reading up on or talking to someone in the know before parting with hard-earned. I think the main issues were wear in the nuts on screw lifts and frayed cables on the cable types.

I'd say you are probably spot on with that - I've toyed with the idea but I keep coming back to the height thing - in a std garage you haven't really got a usable height

But these things I reckon i might one day be able to afford and would probably be ideal for my garage

Who knows maybe one day I could make one

 

[themininut]

I read some advice on used lifts a while ago and the main message was that a lot of cheap lifts on ebay are put up for sale because they've failed their compulsory annual safety checks for commerical use and they're not economical to repair.

Might not be the case for all lifts, but probably worth reading up on or talking to someone in the know before parting with hard-earned. I think the main issues were wear in the nuts on screw lifts and frayed cables on the cable types.

thanks for the heads up mate, will keep that in mind.

I'd say you are probably spot on with that - I've toyed with the idea but I keep coming back to the height thing - in a std garage you haven't really got a usable height

But these things I reckon i might one day be able to afford and would probably be ideal for my garage

Who knows maybe one day I could make one

fortunately i have around 4meters in height in my domestic garage so am lucky in that sense, the quest for a decent 2post goes on!

 

[BChild]

fortunately i have around 4meters in height in my domestic garage so am lucky in that sense, the quest for a decent 2post goes on!

Wow that's a lot of height for a domestic garage - pics?

There was a thread on here somewhere "how us your workshop/garage" I think - I'll see if I can find it

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1190&highlight=Show+workshop

 

[themininut]

Wow that's a lot of height for a domestic garage - pics?

There was a thread on here somewhere "how us your workshop/garage" I think - I'll see if I can find it

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1190&highlight=Show+workshop

There you go...

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=205916#post205916

you might spy the mini in the corner!

M.

 

[SteveK9]

I know this is an old post but as I found it looking for advice and help with lifts I guess others will too, so here goes.

I bought an old two post Kimm lift from a local auction for £180. It was marked 240/415 so I assumed I could wire it delta as I do not have a 415v three phase supply.
I was prepared to buy new load nuts as a quick visual before bidding revealed good screws but separated lifting mechanism. (it turned out they are fine but the bolts holding then on place had sheared on one side) the lift also had an H frame which I planned to extend to make fitting easier.

Someone had painted over the motor plate and on removing the paint I discovered they had sanded it down to provide a key for the paint rendering it unreadable. Looking at a number of equivalent lifts I concluded the motor wouldn't be over 5HP so I bought a 4KW VFD from China at sub £100 delivered. I also bought two 5M lengths of 150mm x 75mm x 10mmm channel from out local scrappie for £86 to make an extended base and these have been welded to the existing H frame. The tyre path has been raised with ex council paving slabs to to height of the cross chain to give clearance for low vehicles (the merc is very low at the front)

The motor has been rewired for delta, the existing control circuitry removed and replaced with a speed selector switch (off, slow, med, full speed) and a pair of push buttons for up and down, these are wired through the existing limit switches to stop overtravel.

The VFD has been programmed to start from 5HZ up to 20HZ, 30HZ and 50HZ for slow, med, fast with a 2 second acceleration and 0.1s deceleration it is wired to a 32A single phase supply through an RCD and MCB.

All works great, is stable and lifts an E Class mercedes estate from any position with ease, none of this go back down to go up stuff others have talked about. In all for under £400 I have a great lift working better than new.