3-phase (was: Re: CDC 9766 Drive and packs) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

4 Feb 1999

...
  My line is prepared for 40 kW 3 phases, since the
former owner also
 used electric heating (this kind of night loading heating), but since
 I switched for gas, I can use anything for my computers :)))

> Anyway, figure that we're stuck with 230 volt single phase (115 volts from
...
 > either leg to earth) at our NA homes, while as
I've seen for example
> normally in Southern Germany at least, 380 volt 3 ph (220 volts from either
...
   leg to earth)
is the norm in most other modernized parts of the world. 
 In facht it is 400V/230V since more than 10 to 15 years, but everybody
 is still talking about 380V/220V ... And yes, 3 phases are the only kind
 of connections the power companies offer - so the outlets will be split
 up among the phases to get an even load (3 phases outlets are not very
 common :). 

You must have changed voltage long before we did then - we went from
415/240 V to 400/230 only about 5 years ago.  Like with you, people still
talk about the old voltages, and my voltmeter still reads 248V...

(BTW it used to be 240V +/- 6%.  It is now 230V +10% -6%, so electricity
companies haven't had to change anything.)

A few rural installations are only given 2 phases of the 11kV distribution,
rather than all 3.  This means that a single phase transformer is used,
rather than a 3-phase transformer (Yes, I know, in the US you often get
poles with three single phase transformers hung off them).  Usually this is
240V, but sometimes 480V centre earthed is used, the two sides supplying
different houses.  Apparently some farm machinery operates on 480V single
phase, but I don't think much else does.

Philip