New here - considering building my own FB.

[olympiadis]

The current solid state relay setup I am selling is rated for 125a at 240v, I was offering a 75a one but my supply is out on those so the 125's are selling in place of those with no cost increase. This is over-kill for the 8 motor flowbench.

I think this is great news if I can get by with the one, and it seems it would allow forgoing the installation of several checkvalves?

I don't have a blower right now, but I do have a large 3-phase motor sitting around. I just don't have 3-phase service in my shop, so I'd have to use a 3-phase converter box.

Which model of motor would you (anyone) recommend for me to start with considering the ultimate level I'm working towards?

the Centralvacuum site has the #041-3430-23 for sale right now at $50 each, which seems like a great deal, unless this motor will be of little use to me.

I actually like the idea of having 16 smaller motors rather than using a large blower.
I think it gives some added flexibility and possibly making the overall installation a little easier since I can run two 220v 60a lines, and either connect them in parallel or leave one disconnected as needed.

I only plan on doing dry flow for now, but perhaps in the future. I'll have to keep the wet-flow in mind and look into it when I get a chance. I do work with carbs pretty often.

I did see the giant motors Barry Grant used at his facility before they shut down. I can't see doing anything near that.

[Brucepts]

http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/flowbench.htm

119563's in the voltage you require

or

http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/Ametek/115923.htm

You are going to need good quality motors they are the heart of the flowbench.

[haley63042]

Hi Olympiadis, John sent me a e-mail to this thread. I didn't see it. I am in Hazelwood on the St Louis side. I could help you flow flow your head. But I don't have the type of set up or moters to do everything that you are wanting to do. I used a shop in ST Charles that is known for there turbo mustang porting to test against my set up. I was only 2 cfm off what his sf 600 came up with. But you are right, The guy said he doesn't like to do the flowing anymore because there is no mony in it. He charged me 70 dollars to flow my intake and exh. Then I found out that he used a 4.036 bore adaptor and we wrote down before I left I wanted 4.36 or next bigger. Then he got all bent out of shape and starting telling me it wouldn't matter and he wouldn't be able to get back to it for a week or so and was throwing bore adaptors around the floor from underneath the sf 600. I just told him it was all right and not to worry about it and left. I am waiting for my setup to go south and then build bruces plans

[olympiadis]

The RPM on my 3-phase motor is only 1720, so I don't think that's enough without a steep ratio cog pulley setup, and plus the 3-phase inverter cost would buy a lot of vacuum motors.
I've been looking over different plans to figure the best way to build for my shop.

I also have to figure the best solution for the control orifices in order to cover a very large range like I want.
The feed tubing my have to be 6" or 8".
I have seen quoted 70cfm per vacuum motor, so I may have to plan for 18 to 20 motors.
Most of the time I would only need to use 5 or 6 motors, so I may figure out some kind of
manifolded modular plan for the air boxes.

[olympiadis]

I just got a hand-held router in order to help shape the structures for this project.
I get the idea that if I make a couple of manometers I can save $400 or so on the digital air meters, is this correct ?

I also take it that a longer and shallow angle manometer is much more accurate and just requires more space. Is this also right?
I was planning to use an 8-foot 2x4 or similar and route grooves for the manometer tube.
Is there a problem with this?

[Tony]

I just got a hand-held router in order to help shape the structures for this project.
I get the idea that if I make a couple of manometers I can save $400 or so on the digital air meters, is this correct ?

Not sure about the exact saving, but it would definitely be the lowest cost way to get a fully functional bench up and running.

I also take it that a longer and shallow angle manometer is much more accurate and just requires more space. Is this also right?

A longer scale with wider graduations will be much easier to read, especially at the low flow end where the scale graduations are cramped much closer together.
Only real disadvantage of a very shallow slope is that it will be more sensitive to being kept level.
If your bench is on wheels, and the floor uneven, you might be best bolting the manometer to a brick wall where it cannot move around after it has been set up and calibrated.

I was planning to use an 8-foot 2x4 or similar and route grooves for the manometer tube.
Is there a problem with this?

Should work very well with well seasoned hardwood. It is especially important that the manometer tube be dead straight if the rise is very shallow.

[olympiadis]

http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/flowbench.htm

119563's in the voltage you require

or

http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/Ametek/115923.htm

You are going to need good quality motors they are the heart of the flowbench.

What do you think best? One, two, or three stage blowers?
..and are there any vacuum motors rated for continuous use and high temps?

I don't know much about vacuum motors at this point.
The 115923 seems a little tougher like it may handle loading better?
But the 119563 may spin a little faster giving it a higher CFM rating when unloaded?
Is that how that works?
I'll be doing most of my testing on cylinder heads at very low valve lifts so I'm concerned about motor loading and heat.

I'm looking at vacuum motors right now. Planning to start off with just two motors to get up and going quick, but
planning the design to allow adding more later on.

I have noticed that the SF600 runs all 9 motors all-out and will overheat with about 5 minutes of continuous use.
It seems like a flawed design to me. Also the inclined %-flow manometer seems way too small to get good resolution.

I'm initially building a floating-depression bench in order to use as a comparator for development work.
I have decided to get used to one on a smaller scale first before trying to build a monster bench.
I will learn a lot on the small one and have a better idea how to execute a larger plan later.

[olympiadis]

I have a 4-71 Roots blower in good condition and I was planning on driving it with a small 6 or 10HP Honda motor. The 4-71 will give me 493 CFM (in free air) at 3,000 RPM. I plan on working on a small motor with port flow less than half of that. Everything I have seen so far is focused on electric motors which make sense since they are clean, quiet, and controllable. But is my idea workable? Do you see any problems?

The title means "I" am new here, and I started this to ask my own questions, so it's best if you also start your own thread to address your questions. This is my first go around building a bench.

From what little I know now I would guess that you could build a "floating depression" type of bench which is simpler and described in this book: David Vizard's Porting and Flowing cylinder heads.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5 ... SS500_.jpg

It allows you to get by with using a weaker power source until you can build something larger, if you even need to go that far.
As described in the book you can set it up to get accurate CFM readings or just use it as a comparator.
This is how I'm going to start out.

[86rocco]

That style of flowbench doesn't get a lot of respect around here, read THIS THREAD.

[1960FL]

Salt, lets see if Bruce can move your post to a new thread.

Allways enjoy a new project.

Rick

PS update us on your reasoning for gas power...