Convert 208V 3P to 208V 1P?

Mr. Small, are you sure? I thought that one phase wire and neutral = 120V 1P. I need 208V 1P.

You get a multitester and check line to neutral, if it reads 208V, then do not believe on the things you thought.

Mr. Small, ok I measured one 208V phase to neutral, and in fact it measured 120V. I need 208V 1P, and I think Mr. Tornado had the right answer, using a 2 pole breaker.

Hmm.,

Looks like you learned something today :-)

Its google. Why haven't you searched it?

One of my technician before, connected 2 hot lines for lighting I wonder the unusually bright illumination of a 15W light and do you know what happened next? It did not last 10 minutes, the ballast was toasted "poof".

Yes, they are different systems but they are both three phase power systems that are typically provided by electric power providers. To answer the OP question, one must know which if either of these two circuits the provider provides. (That sounds redundant.) In other words, the OP has not provided enough information to accurately answer the question.

One also should ask the question why the OP cannot just connect across the two nodes with a 208 potential. This will produce an unbalanced load for the supply transformer but that won't be a new concern.

Lastly, electric power distribution is dangerous. If one doesn't know the fundamentals of three phase power well enough to pose a proper question then they should hire somebody who does.

Uhhhh - no - this is the USA - our 208V is between phases. A phase and neutral gives you 120V. ( or B phase, or C phase and neutral)

Yes but, does the heater really care?

Hopefully, the OP quit reading after he declared Tornado's answer to be the correct one.

Otherwise, even his electrician will be befuddled by all the smoke.

Lyn, indeed I will hire a contractor, but I'm asking for my own education. Perhaps you could help out here?

If you're wanting step by step instructions on how to do the job yourself you've come to the wrong place.

Personally I will not advise DIYers and I doubt many here will.

Hire an electrician.

No worries. Tornado nailed the answer, in one sentence! Brilliant.

I don't doubt that Tornado's answer to your question is correct.

I do doubt your sudden conversion from someone who doesn't know the answer to a question, to someone who now claims to be qualified to judge all the answers to the same question.

I'd also be interested to hear how your electrician reacts to all this, if you actually relate any of this to him.

I'd just stand back and watch, if I were you.

Oh well, proved wrong again, some will give out DIY information.

Hey, I do tutorials for cheap $10/hour

Ok, that's nice. $10 is more like a social welfare.=)

Tornado, brilliant. Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for. A+

he was chewing gum while answering,I say he only deserves a B+

Minor corrections, if any, will be entertained, especially if they are entertaining.

A brilliant answer but for any misguided DIY'ers who haven't Googled yet and judge themselves to be the next Telsa, Edison or Westinghouse---- The 2-pole breaker goes on the adjacent two hot legs and not the Neutral and a hot leg for 208v.

Better yet, they should do as those guys would-- Call an electrician to come over and do the project. Either that or perhaps the Mortician.

Good Luck, Old Salt

Use any two (2) of the available phases but be sure to properly ground the equipment for personnel protection.

Also; Be aware that doing so can cause an unbalanced load in the distribution panel and may require moving other loads being fed from the panel to different breakers in order to correct any load unbalance created.

CAUTION!! Be sure all power is off when working on the panel.

ACHTUNG!ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS!DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKEN.IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.

(Upper case used for emphasis,not shouting.)

LOL! Das goot.

CR4 is an English-speaking community. As such, all content must be posted in the English language so that it is accessible to this audience and can be reviewed properly. At the same time, it is important to note that for many users of this site, English is a second language.

Let me say this about that; I did not inhale and I did not have sex with that woman!

Ghost of Dave Morrah at the "Saturday Evening Post"!

I'm still giggling at that.

(Plus when das ist alles überkäsen you don't have to worry about capitalization of nouns. )

But then if you use the shift key, you get stuff like "25mVA TRANSFORMER", which could be an amusing miniaturization project.

On the islands of Lilliput and Blefuscu, the lands of the Lilliputians, this miniaturization project you speak of has already been done. Many years ago, before either Telsa or Westinghouse were twinkles in their father's eyes, a guy named Gulliver, an itinerant electrician, came through town.

Since kerosene was so expensive, as it is also today, he devised and installed an electrical system for their lighting and power needs. He chose single phase since he was the only electrician there and he would need extra help if they made it 2, 3, 4 or 5-phase. He also chose 12 volts since the ratio of their height to his was 1:10 and back on the big island the power was 120v. The system ran well until they found out that it was not in compliance with the NEC. Since there was no NEC at that time they had to shut it down until there was a NEC (NFPA -70) to comply with. A guy named Jonathan Swift was instrumental in getting the non-compliance issues brought to the attention of the Public Power Board where they issued summonses for 2 missing phases. They wanted 3-phase but couldn't decide if they wanted delta or wye

As the sands of time covered up the electrical generating plant and the distribution network it has never been seen again.

That's what happened to the "amusing electrical miniaturization project".

Good Luck, Old Salt

:D