W124 & W184 3 phase power

[mjwalsh]

We were seriously considering if the price was right buying some W124s & a W184 since we are acclimated to changing the bearings etc. & for the most part are very good at troubleshooting them. I understand that three phase can be 440, 208 volts, & also 230 volts. We have single phase 230 volts coming into our laundry building but also have another oversized capacity electrical feed coming into our attached car wash portion of our building. That extra power feed will branch out either single phase 230 volts or three phase 230 volts. Do I have to be concerned that some of the W124s & W184s out there might set up to be just 208 or 440 volts three phase which could then be a problem & a mismatch for my 230 volt 3 phase delta with a wild leg?

A person who has serviced a variety of these voltage specifications for the W124s would be the best fit to help coach me & others on it if they will work on either 208 or 230 or whatever when it comes to three phase.

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

If you are going to replace your current washers then just go with a new inverter driven washer which will only require 208-240 single phase. No big deal to hook up and no costly electrician either. The washers will be more energy efficiant and spin faster that not inverter drive washers, a all around positive!!!

[mjwalsh]

MSK,

Thanks for answering hopefully you will find time to share more. The electricians cost will be basically the same because we have 230 three phase available if we bring the extra wire through the conduit etc. I will be looking at the inverter washer to see how easily my new multi coin drop will fit etc. It would have to be ordered without any coin drop because I would want to keep all the coin drops the same with the better & more fail safe brand.

I realize I would gain with the ramping of the current both in speed & efficiency. I am nervous about the slight gain in efficiency being offset by the first time one of those inverters need to be replaced off of warranty. The speed gain is partially a non issue as our customers are used to using our two 1725 rpm Bock extractors which we plan on keeping. We are developing a fail safe way of giving the customer an option of eliminating the presoak so that hopefully that will offset the choice of cycle time the new washers offer.

At this time we are leaning towards buying four W124s & are wondering what the three phase voltage range was on those older Wascomat W124 three phase washers. In other words, if they said three phase, would both 208 or 230 three phase work with no problems?

If we can't find a good price on the four used W124s then we will probably opt for the new ones but then we could potentially get another brand of washer all together. Whatever brand we get, they will be ordered without factory coin mechs etc. unless they can prove that their coin mech option is better than what I have in mind.

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

You shouldn't have any problem using a gen 4 washer on any voltage between 208 to 240.

And as far as inverter drives are concerned, As a Ipso dealer (ASN Laundry) we have sold hundreds if not thousand of inverter driven washers for coin laundries and I can only count on one hand how many I have seen fail. I cannot speak for other Manufactuers, I don't think possible inverter failure and its cost is a reason to not consider buying one.

In fact, you are more likely to have motor problems or contactor failures on a non inverter drive washer, not to mention there being more stress on the frame and bearings and more belts replaced over the life of the washer.

[pete f]

This seems like a lot of trouble and expense to get 3 phase to 4 washers. If you have space (amp) for 4 more washers in your existing configeration it seems better to shop for machines that match your current box. If you need to pull new juice, then that is a different story. I am just not seeing as that is the problem though, I have done many makeovers, always found enough juice out of the existing box. MSK is right, 3 phase is a dying breed, almost worthless nowaday. I spent $1000's running it into my mats before the invertor was available.

what is the deal with the coin drops? Got something the coins do not jam? I only have that problem with some older maytag neptunes I have.