I hear a lot about phase converters on this news group. Is this because 3 phase power is not readily available in North America? I was born in Canada and I think I recall that electric stoves ran on 2 phase power. Is this correct,or has my old age overcome my memory? Here in Australia, 3 phase power is available pretty well everywhere if you are willing to pay for it to be installed.( Even in domestic locations). Is this not the case over there?
Tom
In the USA, three phase power is more or less limited to industrial zones, and perhaps center cities. In residential areas, they generally run only two wires on the power poles, so 3 phase is not even available near most houses. The Standard house wiring is single phase 110/200V, so three wires. Perhaps that it what you are thinking of in Canada, using three wires, but really it is single phase 220VAC, with a center tap on the transformer to get 110VAC. (Easy to measure, just check the voltages between the wires, two are 110 and the third is 220, so a voltmeter will tell you you have single phase). Most home appliances run on 110VAC, with electric ovens, driers, etc, using 220VAC power.
Since most industrial machines are 3 phase, most home shops need to buy or make some kind of converter.
Richard
Tom Miller wrote:
Pretty much the same case in N. America. Generation and distribution is
3-phase. "Home" power is generally single-phase. Three-phase may / may not be available to the average residence. In most, if not all cases, there is a high price associated with 3-phase brought to the home or small business.Bob Swinney
You're right on that one Bob! I have 3 phase poles about 1000 feet from my shop. 6 or 7 years ago I asked the utility how much it would cost to bring the 3 phase to the shop. After giving them the pole numbers from the 3 phase pole to the pole at the shop I was given a preliminary estimate of $15,000.00 for just the wire! At least two poles would also need to be replaced, they said, because they were not tall enough. The three phase wires are run above the single phase one and the neutral below. And after paying for the wire and poles, plus installation, I would not own them. I use a nice phase converter. ERS
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