Is there 3phase in this workshop

[Adam Marshall]

I recently looked at a workshop to rent but unsure if it has 3phase, the estate agent said it did have but there are only single phase 13amp sockets dotted around at the moment. Would be possible to get some 32 amp 3 phase sockets put in or is it impossible?

 

[Woody.v8]

I recently looked at a workshop to rent but unsure if it has 3phase, the estate agent said it did have but there are only single phase 13amp sockets dotted around at the moment. Would be possible to get some 32 amp 3 phase sockets put in or is it impossible?

It is a 3 phase board but the only way to know for sure is to take the cover off and measure between phases (assuming your ok with electrics) .
Putting 32a sockets in wouldn't be a problem with the correct mcb.

 

[Adam Marshall]

Thank you for that, I just needed to know before I give the go ahead.

 

[brightspark]

it will be 3 phase the one saying com is a triple pole breaker probaby fed a 3 phase compressor plus the board is marked up 400v

 

[Brad93]

Look at your incoming meter/fuse

 

[123hotchef]

it will be 3 phase the one saying com is a triple pole breaker probaby fed a 3 phase compressor

eagle eye

 

[dobbslc]

it will be 3 phase the one saying com is a triple pole breaker probaby fed a 3 phase compressor plus the board is marked up 400v

That's assuming some donkey hasn't used a 3 phase mcb on a single phase circuit.....
Look at the meter, if it has 3 sets of tails plus a neutral (8 cables) then its probably 3 phase.
Also worth knowing that I've seen quite a few 2 phase supplies around.

 

[sg66]

As l1 l2 l3 are brown black Grey I would say it's safe to say its 3phase

 

[Adam Marshall]

I know this is an old post but I have another question, would the 100amp fuse on the board be ok for running welders, plasma cutters etc or could this be changed for higher amps? Thanks

 

[carbon]

How many welders are you planing to use at once that you need more than 100amps?

 

[Adam Marshall]

Just using the one 400 amp and I meen the fuse pictured in the 3rd photo down.

 

[daleyd]

The 200amp (for example) rating on a welder doesn’t mean it needs 200 amp input to it, even something like a 400a set would only require a 32 a socket to run from.

 

[Screwdriver]

It is possible someone bodged a 3ph distribution unit onto a single phase supply. You need to find where the power comes in. There will be a master breaker feeding that distribution board.

You need to do that and isolate the supply before you take the cover off that panel.

<edit> oh and when you do, get rid of those metal covers! Replace with the correct plastic blanking panels.

 

[Adam Marshall]

No it is definitely 3 phase it is council owned I doubt they would do that with regs and everything plus the meter outside has 3 lives going into it

 

[Screwdriver]

No it is definitely 3 phase it is council owned I doubt they would do that with regs and everything plus the meter outside has 3 lives going into it

Thought you said you were unsure?

<edit> my house has "three wires" going into it. Had I been lucky, they might have been three different phases. Many years ago a street might have been fed by a 3ph supply with individual phases used in alternate houses to balance the load. Mine are all the same phase.

 

[Adam Marshall]

Yes sorry that was an older post as I wasn't sure if it was 3 phase or not but now the legals have gone through for the workshop i have found out it is 3 phase.

 

[Screwdriver]

Ah missed that. 3ph is no more difficult to install than single phase except for there being more of it and the safety requirements being more onerous. So yes, you can have as many sockets as you want really, one SWA per machine is all you need and if you need 32A, probably best to use 32A everywhere for compatibility.

 

[dobbslc]

Just using the one 400 amp and I meen the fuse pictured in the 3rd photo down.

That's not a fuse!
It looks like a 100A isolator, it has no overload capability at all, it just turns the board on and off. I can't see the numbers on it properly. They are probably on the side you can't see.
Isolator = BSEN 60947-3
MCCB = BSEN 60947-2
MCB = BSEN 60898
The supply to that board might be directly from the service cutout (head) and could be rated at 60, 80 100 amps