240 volt 3 phase power? What cool things can I run on it?

[BBR]

My last house was 3 phase. I did not know until I was running wiring for the shop and my electrician buddy mentioned it as being unusual.

I didn't ever use it for anything special though.

[Aircooled]

that is very confusing. I am going to reread it 75 times to see if I catch on.

it seems a hoax somehow.

Pot, kettle, black?

[Barry Donovan]

This wiki link describes what I have http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-leg_delta
To ground, the legs measure 120, 120 and 208. Phase to phase, all the legs measure 240 volt. All three legs run into my breaker box, although the red leg has it's own separate breaker at the bottom. I've been told that this set up was fairly common in the nicer subdivisions built in the 50's and 60's in Houston.

that is very confusing. I am going to reread it 75 times to see if I catch on.

it seems a hoax somehow.

[Huskinhano]

This wiki link describes what I have http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-leg_delta
To ground, the legs measure 120, 120 and 208. Phase to phase, all the legs measure 240 volt. All three legs run into my breaker box, although the red leg has it's own separate breaker at the bottom. I've been told that this set up was fairly common in the nicer subdivisions built in the 50's and 60's in Houston.

I don't think I've ever seen a house around here with 3 phase although some mansions around here probably do. It's good to know about the 208v high leg and don't accidentally hook it up to a 120v circuit and wonder WTF just happened. Lucky you, it'll open up the door for you on good use machinery. You have quit a bit of power. If you have a 100 amp 3 phase service, that equal to a almost a 200 amp single phase service. It would be equal to 173 amps single phase in total wattage

[Aircooled]

I've found lots of 240 3-phase stuff on CL and Ebay. This is the stuff I have to pass by 'cause I don't have the power (I know I COULD do the converter thing but that's more to fail so I take a bye run). I've noticed that the prices are pretty low as no one else has the juice either. I'd just start watching and stuff (lathes, mills, air compressors, etc) will come your way.

Dan

Dan, this is good to hear. I assumed all the cool 3 phase stuff was 480 volt

[Aircooled]

How the hell were they able to put 3 phase in a house, very unusual?

On a Delta system there's only transformer out of the three that they can get 120 volts, which has 2 of the three phase conductors. The third phase conductor is going to be the high leg or 208 volts to the ungrounded or grounding conductor. With the Delta system you need to have a seperate panel soley for 120/240 volt single phase and 1 panel for 3 phase so you won't inadvertently connect the 208 volt high leg to what's suppose to be a 120 volt circuit. .

This wiki link describes what I have http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-leg_delta
To ground, the legs measure 120, 120 and 208. Phase to phase, all the legs measure 240 volt. All three legs run into my breaker box, although the red leg has it's own separate breaker at the bottom. I've been told that this set up was fairly common in the nicer subdivisions built in the 50's and 60's in Houston.

[BOOOGHAR]

open up a jamba juice in your garage with lots n lots of blenders

[Huskinhano]

How the hell were they able to put 3 phase in a house, very unusual? Are you sure you have a open or closed Delta or Y (wye) system? Phases are marked by color, black, red and blue. You could have a Y system with the B phase marked with red tape. A Y system from any ungrounded phase conductor to grounded or grounding conductor is going to be 120 volts. From phase to phase, 208 volts (120 X 1.73)

On a Delta system there's only transformer out of the three that they can get 120 volts, which has 2 of the three phase conductors. The third phase conductor is going to be the high leg or 208 volts to the ungrounded or grounding conductor. The advantage to the Delta is the fact that you can use only 2 transformers instead of three to get 3 phase. This is called an open Delta. With the Delta system you need to have a seperate panel soley for 120/240 volt single phase and 1 panel for 3 phase so you won't inadvertently connect the 208 volt high leg to what's suppose to be a 120 volt circuit. With the Y system you don't have this issue

Usually open Delta is used in light commercial. Also be aware equipment running on 208 volts draws more amperage then 240 volts and are suppose to be rated for 208 volts if they are running on 208 volts. Same goes for 240 volts stuff, don't run it on 208 volts if not rated for it.

The difference between the two 3 phase systems is that each has specific qualities. On Y systems the amperage in the transformer windings is the same as phase conductors but the voltage in the transformer windings is multiplied by 1.73 to get the phase conductor voltage. Delta is just the opposite with the amperage being multiplied by 1.73.

Sorry for getting long winded, any questions fell free to PM me.

I even know a little bit about 3,4 & 5 wire 2 phase systems too.

[nxpress62]

I'm with squirrel, surely its 208 with a high leg? If it does measure 240 leg to leg a lot of 480 motors can be rewired for low voltage, so you could run quite a lot with it..

[Schtauffer]

Garage door openers.

[squirrel]

it's not 208v? seems to be some confusion about 220/240/208 designations. Read the welder article in the new HRM for more confusion.

Set up a machine shop. Just because you can.

[DanStokes]

I've found lots of 240 3-phase stuff on CL and Ebay. This is the stuff I have to pass by 'cause I don't have the power (I know I COULD do the converter thing but that's more to fail so I take a bye run). I've noticed that the prices are pretty low as no one else has the juice either. I'd just start watching and stuff (lathes, mills, air compressors, etc) will come your way.

Dan

[1988montecarloss 2]

my compressor runs on 240 volts. its way overkill for my tiny garage but we got it wicked cheap, so thats why we picked it up

[milkovich]

I'd love to learn to run a mill or lathe but for all the stuff I'd ever need I just pay someone to build it, a vertical band saw would be far and away the most used tool in my shop.

[Aircooled]

I just figured out that my new house has 240 volt 3 phase power at the breaker box. It is what's known as a High Leg delta or Red Leg delta configuration.
I was really excited at first, but then I could not think of anything special I can do with it, other than a more efficient air conditioner. All the cool 3 phase stuff I could think of all requires 480 volt.

So Bangshifters, what cool tools can I run with 240 volt 3 phase?

Steve