Re: 3 phase power for pole pigs

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Eric Davidson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <edavidson-at-icva.gov>


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 12:32 PM
Subject: RE: 3 phase power for pole pigs



Hi Allen,

>  Hello All,

 > I just went down to the local power company depot to get some 0.276 inch
 > solid copper wire, I saw a yard full of old power distribution
 > transformers,
 > most of which work, but have been rendered obsolete. I live in a
 > residential
 > area of a small city,
 > and I would very much like to upgrade my 15kV 120mA NST farm to a pole
pig
 > soon. However, I am wondering how I will power the transformer when (if)
I
 > get it.
 > Our house only has single phase power, but there is a massive 3 phase
 > terminal block in a green box on the footpath right outside our house. >

Terminal block?? what the heck??

> Questions -
>
>  1. *Must* you run a pole pig on 3 phase power, or can you use single
phase
>  for lower power levels like I will be running (under 20 Amps)?

Answer: NO

>  2. Assuming you do need 3 phase for a pole pig, do you have to
>  pay the power
>  company to install hardwired 3 phase power to your house for a power
>  distribution transformer?

Answer: You dont..but, YES, you would have to pay....ALOT...that is, if you
could convince the power company that you REALLY needed 3 phase service at
your residence...fat chance of that.

>  3. Assuming you do need 3 phase, can you use capacitors on a single phase
>  line to fool the transformer into thinking it has 3 phase power for lower
>  power levels (~20 Amps)

Answer: Again, you dont, and YES, there are capacitive and rotary devices to
simulate 3 phase current.  They work well in some cases...poor in others.

>  I have no experience of 3 phase transformers, but I have played with up
to
> 10 MOT's at a few kVA power levels, as well as the 15kV 120mA NST's.

Forget 3 phase altogether....

>  Thank you very much,
>
>  Alan Williams

Hope this helps...

Eric Davidson
edavidson-at-icva.gov