The main thing to remember with using a phase converter or inverter, to generate 3 phase power from a single phase power supply, is that you only get out the power you put into the converter/inverter. If one's single phase power supply is weak, and for example is only sufficient to drive a 3hp motor, then at best, the maximum 3 phase motor it will drive will be 3hp. Some people have the misconception that they can buy a huge phase converter and drive massive 3 phase machines/motors from a small single phase supply. It would be the equivalent of trying to drive the biggest slurry agitator on the market, with an MF135.
Once one understands this logic, phase converters or inverters work quite well. Inverters are probably more suited to sub 3hp motors and have the advantage that they can offer, effectively infinitely variable speed control of a 3 phase motor, which can be quite useful for items, such as lathes, Mills and drills. There are two types of phase converter, the basic static machine, which is the cheapest option or the more complex rotary machine, which has a 3 phase motor built into the converter, but is a more expensive option. Phase converters do not offer any option of speed control for a motor, so effectively are a single speed option.
I know of a good few people using both inverters and phase converters, with great success.
Another option would be to change the motor on a machine from 3 phase to single phase. One can replace like for like, in terms of horse power on most machines,with the exception of air compressors, where the rule is, multiply the horsepower of the 3 phase motor by 1.5 to get the required horse power of single phase motor needed. For example if an air compressor has a 2hp 3 phase motor, the horse power of single phase motor needed is 2 X 1.5 = 3hp.
