Understanding Three Phase Electricity

When it comes to powering certain industries and facilities, understanding three phase electricity is important. Single phase and three phase electricity are terms that refer to the alternating current in the way that the power is supplied. Three phase electricity makes use of three alternating currents operating in a sequence, providing a continuous flow of energy without any power level dips. Three phase power generators tend to be more powerful than single phase, due to the reliable and uninterrupted power supply.

Understanding Three Phase Electricity: What to do When Three Phase Equipment isn’t Compatible

Now that you have a basic understanding of three phase electricity, you may be wondering how to make use of three phase equipment if you don’t have three phase service. Luckily, there are several options available to get use of three phase equipment if you don’t have three phase power delivered to your facility. These options, as found on Popular Science, include:

• Replace Equipment’s Motor: If the equipment you want to use has a three phase motor, replacing the motor with a single phase one will make the equipment operable. This can be a more expensive option, but in some cases it is also the quickest and easiest option.
• Static Phase Converter: Three phase motors won’t start on single phase power; however, once started, a three phase motor will continue to run on a single phase power source. Static phase converters provide a temporary burst of three phase power that get these motors up and running. Static phase converters are ideal only for equipment that doesn’t need to be frequently stopped and restarted. Using a static phase converter is a less expensive option to make use of three phase-geared equipment.
• Rotary Phase Converter: Rotary converters act as power generators, creating the three phase power needed to utilize three phase equipment.
• Variable Frequency Drive: These drives use inverters to synthesize three phase power, effectively being used as a phase converter. This is an efficient but not inexpensive way to run three phase devices.

If possible, consider facilities and the type of power available before purchasing any major equipment. Single phase and three phase generators and other units may require additional converters or other enhancements in order to work efficiently for your needs.