Re: How to determine three-phase power

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

Original poster: "Zagarus Rashkae by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <arbitrarily_random-at-yahoo-dot-com>


--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
 > Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>
 >
 > Hi Chris,
 >
 > At 08:08 AM 4/27/2003 -0700, you wrote:
 > >Hi All,
 > >
 > >I want to get a three-phase feed into my house for
 > DC
 > >tesla coiling and I decided to do some research. I
 > >looked out the window and saw 3 wires on the power
 > >poles that come down my street. Going down the
 > street
 > >I saw that consecutive pole pigs were connected to
 > >different lines on th power poles. Now to make
 > sure, I
 > >have to get a neighbor that's supposedly using a
 > >different phase of the 3-phase line and measure
 > >voltage from my house to their house via really
 > long
 > >power cord... :-) But before I do that, I want to
 > ask
 > >the Tesla list if my speculation is correct.
 >
 > Very possibly, It is hard to know since everyplace
 > distributes power
 > differently depending on what the power company
 > feels like.  There are many
 > possibilities.  I would can them and ask what it
 > would take to bring three
 > phase power to your house.  Beware that the costs
 > can be stunning!!

I don't like the sound of that.

  You
 > will need to rewire the main panel of your house for
 > three phase.  They
 > also typically charge more for three phase service.
 > You will need a three
 > phase pole transformer probably... The costs added
 > up fast and none of them
 > is small...
 >
 > I would suggesting calling you power company first
 > and seeing if it is
 > possible and something you can afford.  Then call an
 > electrician about the
 > house wiring conversion.  Unfortunatly, this is the
 > kind of stuff you can't
 > do yourself ("possibly" the house side, if local
 > laws let you).
 >
 > Be prepared for some stunning numbers when it comes
 > to cost.  A friend of
 > mine had a chicken barn he wanted to bring three
 > phase to from directly
 > across the street.  The cost was quoted at
 > $150,000!!!

&#$()(^!  that's a lot! You could buy a house for
that!

  He moved the
 > chickens across the street instead. "Why did the
 > chickens cross the road,
 > to save $150,000 to get three phase..." ;-)

LOL.

  There
 > are rotary converters
 > and such that convert single to three phase
 > (motor/generator).

I might be able to get a 1HP 3 phase motot but it's
small and crappy and I want more power! Can I pull
more power off it?

They are
 > very cheap used and not to bad new.  Something like
 > this:
 >
 >
http://cgi.ebay-dot-com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2526540836&category=1267
 >
 > This place seems to have a lot of these,  Maybe ask
 > if they have a single
 > phase to three phase unit...
 >
 > Just a three phase generator may be an option too.
 > Another idea is to find
 > someplace else that has three phase and just work
 > there.

I know someone who has a 3HP three phase generator,
too bad he probably won't let me use it...

 >
 > Don't tell nobody (power company / electricians) it
 > is for a Tesla
 > coil.  They won't like that...  Say you need to run
 > three phase scientific
 > equipment or some other common benign three phase
 > use.

Ah, but it _is_ three phase scientific equipment! It's
scientific, all right... but why won't the power
companies like it if you tell them it's for a TC?

Regards,

Chris