2 Phase Power Issue

Reducing power demands through conservation may solve the problem. Use energy efficient lighting. Insulate freezers and refrigerators with Styrofoam insulation where they are cold to the touch on the exterior. Convert to LP Gas for cooking. If your climate is dry use evaporative coolers rather than compressor coolers. LED Lighting is coming on strong industrially and is very low cost to operate. The buy-in is presently high but it will go down soon. Some high demand appliances like hot water heaters, can be made to serve by storing hot water in large insulated tanks near the heater you may presently have. A small circulating pump keeps the larger tank full of hot water and when demand is high the heater will come on longer but more people will get their shower before the water runs out.

Hair dryers can suck up some watts. The industry has been making them better over the years but there is a lot of room for improvement toward higher efficiency.

Hi jimbo,

first of all, I would go to the electricity supplier, and ask them for more power. They probably want to sell more energy, so there must be a solution to the wiring problem You mentioned.

Then:

- There in Spain, the hot water can easily be produced by solar modules instead of electricity.

- Ask Your chef in the kitchen if she/he could use gas powered owens instead of electric ones.

- If You have conventional bulbs to light the house, then there's a possibility to use energy saving lighting.
- At last, the electric demand is not smooth in time. There are peaks and valleys. So, there are electronic control instruments, wich can switch off some load when the demand is high (this way reducing the demand) and switch them back on, when the demand has lowered. You can use such an instrument to control the refrigerators for example. This is the last solution, the best one is buying more power.

Have the power company install transformer that puts out 480V at the other side of the private property and then install a 480/110 volt step-down transformer on your property.

If you need a 20,000 watt load at 110 volts that would be 181 amps on the incoming wire.

20,000 watts at 480 volts would only be 41 amps on the supply line across the private property.

Something doesn't add up here Spain uses a three phase 230 V 50 Hz system so it sounds somewhat strange that you would be getting a 110 V split phase system. By the way 280 m is probably pushing the limit of the distance you can send 110 V.

If you have three conductors coming down from the power pole then one solution would be to bring three phases down at the 400V phase to phase you get and then feed a transformer wired as Delta on the line and star on the secondary or load side. You will need to connect the star point to ground at either the main distribution panel or transformer to give you the main earth neutral link.

If you on the other hand you have only two conductors then you can do something similar by bringing two phases down then installing a single phase 400 to 220 volt transformer.

If you are running on a Single Wire Earth Return SWER then you are probably screwed and the only way is to minimize you power consumption or generate your own power.

As I said earlier something smells fishy here, who told you that you are running on a 220 V split phase system and who said that you aren't able to update your feed? Above ground cables have a life expectancy and ultimately need replacing so some time in the future you are going to need to solve the problem. It just doesn't sound correct to me and I would get a second opinion.

Sounds like 208 3p light commercial In Y config 2 tap. Maybe electric company will allow higher 240 3 Phase Delta(no neutral) input to building. Then you get Delta/Wye transformer for you building.. It will give you at least 1.73 times more power with existing cable

Replies #1, 2, 3 & 4 are quite valid & may be considered collectivly till you get proper line.

Because to revert to such devices may cost much initially.

It may be the company's responsibillity to bring power line to your premises by any lawful route. It may cost you one-time but will be long-term much cheaper solution.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

In the short term, I think energy saving bulbs, gas ovens and series of timers to not allow certain devices to switch on at peaks times would certainly help.

Long term, I will speak to the power company about transformers and what exactly is "2 phase" configuration we have.

When you do speak with the electricity supply people and you find out what is going on would you please post what you find out and the ultimate solution on this thread. This split phase bit has got me wondering and I am interested what is really going on for future reference.

If additional power is available at your site, you can install a single phase 220 volt transformer with a neutral center tap and ground the center tap to your neutral. You must ensure that when connecting hot wires they are in proper phase. Else you can install an AC generator with a transformer.

emeritus

"If additional power is available at your site, you can install a single phase 220 volt transformer with a neutral center tap and ground the center tap to your neutral."

It sounds like this is what is already there however I am skeptical. Considering Spain uses a 230V to neutral, 3 phase 50 Hz 4 wire system it would probably be a good idea to stick with the same standard as the rest of the country.

Hi

I spoke to the electrical supplier yesterday and they said, its because years ago our area used to have 110v 3 phase and it looks like we are still connected to that system, using 2 of the 3 phases. The rest of our village is on 230v single phase. It does sound to me like something is not quite right! Is there any European regulation that states what voltage we should be supplied with etc.

Jim

I have just been looking at a list of supply voltages by country and it looks like countries that have joined the EU have converted from 220 V to 230 V. To me that would indicate that there may well be some sort of EU regulation that all domestic electricity supplies must be 230 V. Somehow I couldn't see Germany, France, Italy and Spain changing unless they were forced to.

If that is the case then it's time to lean on the utility people to fix up your supply. Whilst it's very likely that you are running on a 220 V split phase system the part about not being able to upgrade sounds suspiciously like a smoke screen to me.

Regardless of the regulations though if you are unable to get the cables replaced you could switch to having two phases, one down each line, at 300 V phase to phase, to you property then having a transformer to step it down to 230 V. This will give you slightly over 50% more capacity over the existing cables than you currently have.