Best Place To Buy Electric Motors

N_Jay

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I might need a 5HP compressor motor.
Wondering if there is a better source than Surplus Center?
 
That's my choice. I have bought a few from them, no problems.
Elmo
 
Surplus centers are good! Harbor Freight is OK but you want to get their "farm motors". They have better bearings, the windings are completely dipped making them last MUCH longer and
they have great startup torque. If I went new, this is what I'd get. If used, surplus or from a friend.
 
Surplus centers are good! Harbor Freight is OK but you want to get their "farm motors". They have better bearings, the windings are completely dipped making them last MUCH longer and
they have great startup torque. If I went new, this is what I'd get. If used, surplus or from a friend.


I bought mine from Surplus Center. Watch what you are buying, they have some ''5hp special'' compressor motors that are closer to 3 hp. Look at the amps, a 5 hp motor draws about 23 amps on 240V. I bought another NOS 5HP, 3 phase for my other compressor off of Craigslist for $125.

The largest motor that Harbor Freight lists now is 3HP, and I have not been happy with the HF electric motors.
 
Watch what you are buying, they have some ''5hp special'' compressor motors that are closer to 3 hp. Look at the amps, a 5 hp motor draws about 23 amps on 240V.
about 15 yrs ago i ran across a bunch of 240v single phase 56YZ frame air compressors that were "special 5Hp" manufactured by GE
so special that they were soon replaced by 5hp ,3 phase, 184t retrofits

ebay may be a source of reasonable motors
 
I bought mine from Surplus Center. Watch what you are buying, they have some ''5hp special'' compressor motors that are closer to 3 hp. Look at the amps, a 5 hp motor draws about 23 amps on 240V. I bought another NOS 5HP, 3 phase for my other compressor off of Craigslist for $125.

The largest motor that Harbor Freight lists now is 3HP, and I have not been happy with the HF electric motors.

Jim, was the standard or the farm motor you had problems with?
 
I think it was a farm duty. We tried two of them on Alloy's lathe and took both of them back. 3 HP, 1725 RPM as I recall. Both motors were very noisy, and overheated when running unloaded.

They don't seem to sell them any longer. In fact their motor selection is much smaller than it used to be.
 
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Thanks for that info Jim! I'd had good luck with their farm duty versions in the past. If they've gone downhill, I'll avoid them in the future!
 
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