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Where to buy a used 20HP 3 phase motor for building a RPC?

1K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  bigblockyeti 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am looking to purchase a used 20HP electric motor to make a RPC and was wondering if you guys have any suggestions on where to find one for the best price? I keep hearing that these things can be found dirt cheap, but after browsing google I can not find any that are below $300-$400. Can any of you fellows suggest a good place to look? What kind of price should I expect to pay?
 
#3 ·
Seeing as a new 3HP motor can be had for $3-400, I d say that s a steal on a used 20HP. Those are not small motors.

- jamsomito
That is not a steal on a 3 phase motor. I keep being told that used 3 phase motors are cheap and plentiful. I have a friend that says for a used 3 phase 20HP motor I should pay well under $300.
 
#4 ·
No idea on what a fair (or normal) price on a motor that size would be, but I'd check with any local motor shops and see if they have one. It's possible that your friend is overly aggressive with his expectations.
 
#6 ·
A lot of it is what's available locally. As Jerry pointed out, shipping a motor that big isn't cheap.

Turns out the one Jerry linked is about 30 miles south of me :) Unfortunately, I'm not the one in need! Where are you located? Maybe folks within driving distance of you might have some leads?
 
#7 ·
Below $300 for 20HP motor? Hmm….
This is not impossible, but not something I see very often?
Scrap value on 20Hp motor is well over a $100.

Challenge with old bargain motors in long dusty storage after major use; typically means new bearings needed. Removing, replacing large motor bearings is takes a large free standing hydraulic press and overhead winch. Motor shops I know will charge $200 for large bearing work.

One common source for large 15-20HP motors is hydraulic power packs. Can find large power packs at auctions cheap occasionally.

LOL, PHX has a 20HP motor on a RPC on our CL right now for $400:
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/tls/d/phoenix-rotary-phase-converter/6785637466.html

Best Luck.
 
#8 ·
I've seen plenty in and around Cleveland where I used to live in the burbs. The trick is letting the right people know you're in the market. We used to go through 10hp - 20hp motors like crazy when I was working in a plastics recycling plant. The whole process was basically a prototype plant heavily subsidized by the department of energy and the EPA. Too much was slapped together and different motors were either being damaged or were way oversized in their application, as a result many were being changed frequently. Even the bigger 20hp motors were well under $50 scrap value, only more if they were separated into different metals. We had a used industrial seller that had everything we would frequent often, including many motors: https://hgrinc.com/
 
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