Electric motor for RIX SA-6B

[matt t.]

Just bought a gas powered RIX that I want to convert over to electric for winter months (run in the basement). The motor need to be 5h.p. What else should I be looking for? Thanks!

[underboats]

Matt,
Just make sure the RPM's are correct. Keep in mind the motor spec's and also the ratio on you belt. With 5 horses you likely want to go with 240v to minimize the load.

Chuck

[spoolin01]

Just wondering how the conversion went? I'd like to convert my SA-6A to 240V single phase electric and am trying to decipher motor specs. Which motor did you use? Did you have any other issues with the conversion, such as mounting the motor?

[Regnos]

For my conversion, I used a GE 5hp 21 amp motor from tractor supply. Drilled and taped holes in the plate that held the gas motor and used the slots in the motor's bracket to mount it. You will need a 3.35" o.d. sheave for your new motor. I added a 30 amp breaker and new outlet in the garage. Using 3c 10awg wire to run to the outlet with a 30amp knife switch spliced in before the motor to start and stop.

Thanks to Dave Dalton who graciously provided me with all the info when I did mine.

Gordon

[captain]

Actually you can get by with less horsepower when going from gas to electric. Electric motors produce maximum torque instantaneously from zero RPM to running RPM. Gas engine torque increases with engine speed so it takes a bigger gas engine to get the compressor from zero RPM to the running PRM but once it is at running speed power requirement is the same as the smaller electric motor.
I went the other way from electric to gas. The electric was 3 HP but a 5 HP gas engine was required to get the compressor running.

[rcontrera]

Actually you can get by with less horsepower when going from gas to electric.

While you are absolutely right, the SA-6G uses a 7.5 hp gasoline engine and the SA-6E a 5hp electric motor.

However, I haven't heard of a SA-6B but then I am fairly new to Rix. Is that an older designation?

[spoolin01]

When I picked up a used SA-6A 4 years ago, the E was the current model. I don't know if they've gone to separate model numbers for the electric and gas versions, but the SA-6B manual I got from Rix covers both, and refers to both the Wisconsin and Honda gas motors that were used for that model. I recall that one of these was 5HP and the other 7HP, though I can't find any info to confirm that at the moment. - could just be differences in nominal ratings or torque curves, perhaps?

[Peter_C]

FWIW I bought my electric single phase motor (My compressor was three phase) off of ebay for less than I could find it anywhere including with shipping.

[rcontrera]

- could just be differences in nominal ratings or torque curves, perhaps?

It could be just like my little Coltri machines. The MCH6C, MCH6E1, MCH6SH, etc are all the same compressor, just different mounts, engines or motors. It appears that today, there are 9 different designations for the SA-6 compressor series all based on motor and accessories. I am just assuming that it is the exact same compressor.

[spoolin01]

My impression when I bought the compressor was that the letter suffixes were generational designations, rather than configuration per se. I recall there was a change in some part of the block or head from ?? to stainless in going from the A to the B, but this is a very vague recollection. I haven't found much info available through 'internet research', and haven't needed to deal with any parts yet.