Is it possible to turn 230 single phase into 230 three phase by just adding another hot wire?

Question

Someone asked me this and they way the were explaining the question, they almost had me convinced to say that you could, however, I couldn't see this being possible as I thought more about it! Please don't think I am a moron!

Someone asked me this and the way they were explaining the question, they almost had me convinced to say that you could, however, I couldn't see this being possible as I thought more about it! Please don't think I am a moron!

Answer 1

The answer is: Yes. Kind of... It is not just any old hot wire, the third hot wire has to be at the right phase relative to the other two hot wires.

Your single-phase service has two hot leads and one neutral. A three-phase, four-wire service has an extra "wild phase" (a.k.a. "hot phase") wire that is 120° out of phase from the other two.

The electric utility may furnish an open-wye, open-delta transformation that consists of two single phase transformers. They are connected phase-to-neutral on separate phase conductors of the utility's distribution circuit. One serves 100% of the single phase load. Both transformers share the three-phase load.

There is an alternative to 3Ø power from the electric utility. There are pieces of equipment called "phase converters" that manufacture the third phase for the end-use equipment. See link below for details.

Answer 2

No.

Three phase wiring comes from generating stations to local transformer plants, where it is taken off as three-phase at a lower voltage for big manufacturing plants and other large loads.

The individual legs are also taken off as single phases for street wiring. The primary wire that runs from pole to pole down your road or street is a single phase derived from one leg of the three phase that comes to the nearest transformer yard.

So you are stuck with single phase unless you can get the power company to pull a three phase line in to your location.

For more information, try an internet search on "three-phase wiring."

Answer 3

no, better use a variable frequency drive if you want single phase to three phase. three phase voltage are out of phase by 120° to each other.
by the way, you can convert two hot lines with a neutral from a three phase source if you provide your own two transformers and connect it open wye open delta and the capacity would be 57% of a three transformer bank, so you have three phase in your output.(if somebody doubt this connection, email me and i'll show how)note: The useful capacity of the open Wye-delta bank is 87% of the capacity of the installed transformers when the two units are identical.

Answer 4

No, its not possible

The reason is that Alternating current looks like a sine wave if it is plotted on a graph. A three phase power supply will look like three sine waves on top of each other, but each out of "phase" by 120 degrees. (120 x 3=360)

Simply adding another hot wire will provide a second AC source, but it will be in phase with the original one and not out of phase. Also, you need TWO more wires for a three phase system.

It is possible, however, to power a single phase appliance using a three phase power supply, as long as the appliance is connected to ONE PHASE only. PLEASE CONSULT AN ELECTRICIAN to do such work NEVER try it yourself

Answer 5

No, but you may run some three-phase devices from single phase by using a conversion device such as a variable frequency drive.

Answer 6

Not just by adding another wire, but there are electronic devices that can generate three phases.

For low power low voltage applications, up to 5HP, there are inexpensive static converters. Check the link below.

Answer 7

nooooooooo!
bang!!!!!

Answer 8

NO!