Single Phase to Three Phase: What It Is, And Why To Hire KB Electric LLC
KB Electric LLC recently did a project for a consulting company that required us to convert their power from single phase to three phase. Converting single phase power to three phase power is most commonly done for a business. With that said, if you are reading this and you are a business owner, chances are you are looking for a way to convert your single phase wiring into three phase wiring to handle your commercial equipment/machinery.
If you aren’t a business owner and just want to learn more about this process, let’s take a look at some basics first to better understand why converting single phase power to three phase power may be necessary, and why hiring a licensed electrician for this conversion is crucial for safety.
What Is Single Phase Wiring?
To start, let’s define single phase wiring. Single phase wiring is most commonly found in residential homes. The wiring provides power to your typical household appliances rated for 120v of electricity like your TV. It consists of a 2-wire AC (Alternating Current) circuit: one hot wire, and one neutral wire. The 240v appliances like your hot water heater, dryer machine, AC unit, etc are still considered to be single phase, but also dual/split phase, utilizing two hot wires and one neutral.
What Is Three Phase Wiring?
Three phase wiring is most commonly found in commercial and industrial buildings that utilize more powerful equipment/machinery. Three phase wires deliver power over 3 separate conductors and a neutral, while also offering the flexibility of providing power for appliances/machinery that use 120v and 208v.
Should I Convert My Business From Single Phase To Three Phase?
If you are a business owner that is in a facility that doesn’t have three phase power hooked up by the utility company, you many need to convert your power from single phase to three phase. It all depends on:
- Type of machinery and equipment you are running (will say if it indeed needs three phase power to operate.)
- How many machines you’ll need for three phase (it may make more sense to get a complete three phase electrical system if you have too many machines needing it rather than converting.)
Of course, to re-wire a building for three phase wiring when it is at single phase is very costly. The way to go from single phase power to three phase power is through conversion if you only need 1 or 2 machines/appliances hooked up for three phase. How so you ask? Let’s take a closer look…
How KB Electric LLC Can Convert Single Phase to Three Phase Power
At the last job we did, KB Electric LLC explains how we converted single phase to three phase power using a converter, sub-panel, rotary motor, disconnect, and transformer. Please hire a licensed electrician like us for safety and compliance, field knowledge, and expertise. Take a look at our latest video below!
