Liability & responsibility of electrician?

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Yeah, I should have been clear on how I said what I did. We live in a remote area, with the smallest parcel being 5 acres. There are larger lots, some of them as large as 60 acres. As a result, and the fact that it hadn't developed much until the past ten years, only one leg ran on the ridge. Growth necessitated the upgrade, but even then they had intended to run only two of the legs. The three phase terminates at our residence, and we are the only ones that are using all three legs.
I agree, having three phase run to a residence is not common, although I've had it at the last three locations. First one was open delta. Second one and this one are full blown three phase delta. Second one didn't cost us a dime----all we had to do was guarantee a given amount of use over a given amount of time. Wasn't so lucky here. It cost just over $22,000 to have it run to us. Worth every damned penny as far as I'm concerned. I have a 50 kw induction furnace that I want to run, to say nothing of my numerous three phase machine tools.
Harold

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MANY street transformers are single phase only in residential areas. The main feed would in all likelihood be 3 phase, with phases separated to feed different streets/loops. Getting 3 phase power to a building in areas like this is VERY expensive.

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For SOME value of populated that may be true, but almost every where I have lived, has only singe phase on the poles, in residential areas. Nearest 3 ph to me is at least a half mile.
jk

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Depends a lot on where you live. On the street where i grew up it could be had, but rotary converters were often cheaper. Most places i lived in the LA area it could be had from the local pole. Where i live now it is over 10,000 to get 3 phase.

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*Every* house I've ever lived in had 3-phase "on the pole". None had 3-phase service, though. My father wanted 3-phase service when they built their house in '59, but the power company wanted a minimum of $100/mo just to bring it down from the pole to the weather head. Wasn't worth it for him to work at home.

On Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:22:24 GMT, "Harold and Susan Vordos"
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That must have cost several pretty pennies.

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That must have cost several pretty pennies.
Heh! I just commented on that in a different response. It cost just over $22,000. They had quoted me over $30,000 originally, before they realized they had to update the line. The time interval between the original inquiry and the one where I committed was several years. Glad I waited! We were still living in Utah, so it made no difference. We've had the three phase service for about nine years now. Very convenient. I've had such service since 1967.
Harold

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Sigh! I'm through wasting my time with you. Take it up with someone that gives a damn.
Harold

I'm concerned that the system engineer (was one) didn't know what they were doing - no internal protection - or was the customer to cheap and didn't buy an option.
I hate that kind of option - to lower the price and risk failures.
Power lines have gone from 200 to 245 in my lifetime and will likely continue to inch up.
Remember 100v and then 107 and 110 and 115 and 120 and 125 and 130...
Pushing more power with the same cables - requires higher voltages.
Martin
Harold and Susan Vordos wrote:
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On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:16:52 -0500, "Martin H. Eastburn"
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We have never gone above 120 anywhere in the lower 48 that I remember.
Please refrain from top posting.

I ALWAYS top post. Keeps from having to read the drivel.
But as for line voltage, I monitor my voltage with an accurate digital meter. floats around 123 to 125 except during hot summer afternoons when it sags appreciably.
As for the sag, the guys in our weld shop on the 4 PM to midnight shift in the summer were constantly adjusting the heat levels down as the voltage rose over their shifts.
Archimedes' Lever wrote:
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You are the weakest drivel... goodbye.

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That 'accurate' 'cheap chinese' 'meter'?

On Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:58:01 -0700, Archimedes' Lever
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I believe you are mistaken. Under the REA in the 1930s and '40s the nominal voltage was 135. Voltage drops over the long rural lines made variations significant - a short lane farm got 135 while a long lane farm might get only 100 with any load running. IIRC much of this was also 25 hz. (All early "niagara project" power was 25Hz - changed over in the early fifties - I can still remember having new electric clocks, and motors on washing machine and refrigerator being changed over when I was a wee lad on the farm in Ontario.
"long life" lightbulbs sold for urban use even a few decades ago were "farm bulbs" rated for 135 volts.DuroTest was a major manufacturer of 135 volt bulbs IIRC.
Still common in Mexico (DuroTest in Mexico is now DuroMex)

On Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:17:57 -0400, snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca wrote:
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I seem to remember reading that the early Niagara generators are indeed 25 Hz. Also that instead of trying to replace the generators they installed frequency/phase converters when they connected it to the grid. It seems that the AC generators were not economically rebuildable or replaceable. Now where was that article?

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Nonsense. If you hire a 'pro' chances are they make even more mistakes. In this case the owner is to blame. He should have hired someone from the company that sells the CNC machines to connect them properly to the mains.

On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:34:43 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) wrote:
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If a proper electrician does not know how to hook up a machine, he is not a proper electrician.
Pro work is usually insured.
That makes you wrong on both counts.

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A CNC machine is something different than a light bulb. Few electricians know more than how to connect a light bulb and outlets. Besides, the story doesn't tell whether the machine has a permanent mains connection or is connected by a cord.

On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:28:50 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) wrote:
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I know of zero CNC machines that operate from a line cord.

On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:12:04 -0700, StickThatInYourPipeAndSmokeIt
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Then you have been in few CNC shops west of the Mississippie.
Gunner
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