Daft question: Is this a single-phase setup?
Discussion
I can't say I've ever looked in detail before, but our current house has some odd components installed, like a dirty great big 36 breaker metal casing consumer unit. It also had twin parallel 21kW gas boilers when we moved in.
Anyway, is this photo a single phase install, or a multi-phase?
My gut says true single phase as the meter only has 4-tails, but it's wiring to the house has potential for multi-phase (based on each of the black box components in the lower right being 100A marked, and the red label being '415V'.
The EB2 box top left looks like a heavy duty junction box with 1 Neutral and 3 Live lines coming from it, but a 1N / 1L feed from the meter. All go into the one consumer unit through the one 'Main Switch'.
Is this just 3-phase kit fed by a 1-phase supply?
Anyway, is this photo a single phase install, or a multi-phase?
My gut says true single phase as the meter only has 4-tails, but it's wiring to the house has potential for multi-phase (based on each of the black box components in the lower right being 100A marked, and the red label being '415V'.
The EB2 box top left looks like a heavy duty junction box with 1 Neutral and 3 Live lines coming from it, but a 1N / 1L feed from the meter. All go into the one consumer unit through the one 'Main Switch'.
Is this just 3-phase kit fed by a 1-phase supply?
It’s a single phase meter, but has a 3 phase cable head, so maybe you do have the potential to upgrade, or maybe the fitter only had a 3 phase head in the van.
The Henley block is being issued for a one into three to supply what is effectively a three pole board, but all poles in this case are off the same phase.
Also, they look like 16mm tails, so maybe it’s only a 63A supply.
The Henley block is being issued for a one into three to supply what is effectively a three pole board, but all poles in this case are off the same phase.
Also, they look like 16mm tails, so maybe it’s only a 63A supply.
Rough101 said:
It’s a single phase meter, but has a 3 phase cable head, so maybe you do have the potential to upgrade, or maybe the fitter only had a 3 phase head in the van.
The Henley block is being issued for a one into three to supply what is effectively a three pole board, but all poles in this case are off the same phase.
Also, they look like 16mm tails, so maybe it’s only a 63A supply.
My house is a similar set up. At the time of our smart meter upgrade I asked about the 3-phase head, they had a look and confirmed that one of the two spare phases was live.The Henley block is being issued for a one into three to supply what is effectively a three pole board, but all poles in this case are off the same phase.
Also, they look like 16mm tails, so maybe it’s only a 63A supply.
Dr_Rick said:
But given the consumer unitnhas L1 / L2 / L3, I'm minded to treat them as pseudo phases, and group the circuits by input. I've only got one input monitored, so there will be an imbalance somewhere.
The CT would need to go on the single retail from the meter to the Henley block or you will indeed need three.TooLateForAName said:
Looks to me as if there was 3 phase at some time in the past but its now single phase and the henley block is connecting the current single phase coming in to what used to be the three phase circuits.
Yes, looks like a 3phase cutout, and a 3 phase distribution board, but joined by a single phase meter.I guess there is no real reason not to use a 3ph distro on a 1ph supply if you need the capacity, and presumably not the demand for the property to be on a 3phase supply anymore?
The only real benefit to 3ph is if you are driving motors, such as a factory or workshop, or your total demand requirement it more than you can get from a reasonable single phase supply. Such as a large heating load.
dhutch said:
Yes, looks like a 3phase cutout, and a 3 phase distribution board, but joined by a single phase meter.
I guess there is no real reason not to use a 3ph distro on a 1ph supply if you need the capacity, and presumably not the demand for the property to be on a 3phase supply anymore?
The only real benefit to 3ph is if you are driving motors, such as a factory or workshop, or your total demand requirement it more than you can get from a reasonable single phase supply. Such as a large heating load.
3 phase useful for charging EVs, especially if you've more than one.I guess there is no real reason not to use a 3ph distro on a 1ph supply if you need the capacity, and presumably not the demand for the property to be on a 3phase supply anymore?
The only real benefit to 3ph is if you are driving motors, such as a factory or workshop, or your total demand requirement it more than you can get from a reasonable single phase supply. Such as a large heating load.
I'd love it welders work better from multi phases.
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