3 Phase Supply

[jackjosh]

Just had an electrician round to see about fitting a new consumer unit and run a 32 amp supply to my garage and impending workshop. When he looked in my under-stairs cupboard he said I could run a factory as i have a 3 phase supply at 415 volts coming in as well, is this normal?

 

[rtbcomp]

Not on a domestic property!

There is 3 phase in the street, as every third house is usually run off a different phase.

 

[jackjosh]

Not on a domestic property!

There is 3 phase in the street, as every third house is usually run off a different phase.

Yeah my domestic supply only comes off one of them but the other two are there!!

 

[bpcoryton]

lucky sod!a mate of mine had this in a place he lived at hook up on to it and make use of it,when the leccy board are due round to change the meter etc,disconnet it and make sure the cables are out of sight.or follow the main cable onto the property and tap into it and bury it under ground.just dont short it out so it blows the overhead fuses as thay will look into whats caused it!

 

[wristpin]

Possible that at one time your house had electric convector heaters or storage heaters and 3ph was for that. I have "legacy" 3ph for that reason and different parts of the house are on different phases. Can get the odd situation when there is a supply problem one can have part of the house working and part not!
Also need to be aware of no long extension leads allowing appliances on one phase to get near another with a 415 potential.

 

[Robotstar5]

lucky sod!a mate of mine had this in a place he lived at hook up on to it and make use of it,when the leccy board are due round to change the meter etc,disconnet it and make sure the cables are out of sight.or follow the main cable onto the property and tap into it and bury it under ground.just dont short it out so it blows the overhead fuses as thay will look into whats caused it!

I strongly advise against attempting anything like that. The cables are the property of the DNO and only they can work on them, they will always isolate for safety and if they do have to work live, they have the training and PPE to do so safely.

 

[rikrobson]

what meters do you have?

3 phase usually has 3 meters. I was involved in a drama group, who's building was 3 phase and had 3 meters, one for each phase. the bill was for the 3 meters and all 3 had to be read.

 

[jackjosh]

The house used to have a blown air heating system so that could explain it. I have no intention of fiddling with it from a safety and legal standpoint.
The meter only comes off one phase the other 2 are not used but are live.

 

[wristpin]

what meters do you have?

3 phase usually has 3 meters. I was involved in a drama group, who's building was 3 phase and had 3 meters, one for each phase. the bill was for the 3 meters and all 3 had to be read.

Not sure about "usually"; mine at home has only one as did my business premises.

 

[ford34/2]

Meters

Modern 3 phase supply comes through just one meter.New installation a few year ago into a unit we owned, NEDL installed one meter, connected a cable to the one in the stret and put the tails into the disb box, we did all the "donkey" work, tranches and making good.they did the road.
Stan

 

[madkayaker]

lucky sod!a mate of mine had this in a place he lived at hook up on to it and make use of it,when the leccy board are due round to change the meter etc,disconnet it and make sure the cables are out of sight.or follow the main cable onto the property and tap into it and bury it under ground.just dont short it out so it blows the overhead fuses as thay will look into whats caused it!

doing that is very dangers, illegal and will not just blow the overhead fuses as the first protection will be earth leakage protection on the input side of the HV and by the time you get to the trip levels there you will be very black an d crispy (do a google image search if you don't believe me.)

 

[the artfull-codger]

Not on a domestic property!

There is 3 phase in the street, as every third house is usually run off a different phase.

Not allways depends where you live, I have 2 phases in our house [only one used] & when inquired about putting in a third phase they said there's only 2 phases where you live [so phase converter it is!!]

 

[jackjosh]

doing that is very dangers, illegal and will not just blow the overhead fuses as the first protection will be earth leakage protection on the input side of the HV and by the time you get to the trip levels there you will be very black an d crispy (do a google image search if you don't believe me.)

I have healthy respect for electricity and would not tamper, I have seen the video's at H&S lectures. It just seems a bit of a result if i buy a bigger lathe etc.