Panther vac question- black box or 7.5hp pump

[jbowen]

Hi, I recently pulled the trigger on a Panther with ATC, 5HP HSD, 5x8. I cut sheet goods almost exclusively for cabinet parts, my shop is residential with 200A service I run a dust collector on 20amp breaker FLA, a Quincy 80 gallon 3.5HP compressor 30amp breaker, CNC needs 50A. I do not need long duty cycles this is a one man show here. Which vac system do you recommend?

[Jim Becker]

The best long term investment is going to be the larger, more professional pump, particularly in reliability. The BlackBox machine is nice, but it's based on vacuum cleaner motors (the reason it can run on 240v single phase power) and those motors have a definite lifespan. I believe you can run the vacuum pump off a VFD and your single phase power with no issue and that's the most cost effective way to get three phase for a big, single motor like that.

[eugene]

i have black box on 5x8 panther. i dont do sheet goods every day. if did would want the bigger setup. for vacume.

[james mcgrew]

Mine is 25 hp FPZ we cut 40-50 a day, 5 x 8 atc

[jbowen]

Thanks for the replies... I don't see the VFD specifically listed in my exchange with CAMaster sales on the Busch pump but likely it is used. A comparable Becker in the same HP rating has a VFD option for an additional $1,700 or I can get over this single phase hurdle and buy a phase perfect for the shop and be able to use three phase elsewhere. The Hurricane is 30amps, the 7.5hp vacs are 60amps. The Hurricane is a third of the cost...

[eugene]

seen video of camaster running a vacume pump on 220 single with vfd. was preatty good looking setup.

[Doug S]

Damn James, I need to come see your operation. I can get 30-35 sheets of 3/4" per day humping it. I feel you may be using other tooling for drilling or something to get that kind of throughput.
Impressive.
I did get 65 sheets of 1/4" the other day and that was only a half day. I like 1/4".