Electrical question

[Arrow-Tek]

Not common, but I have.
It was 480v 3 phase...You can get what you want if you’re willing to pay.

Please excuse my ignorance I’ve only been a master electrician for 22 years and held a contractors license for 14 years and can’t recall ever seeing three phase power available in a residential area. I have installed a lot of phase convertors in shops in residential areas.

[Briar Friar]

In residential work, you will see far more white conductors used for 240v than you will see red. Yes, it should be wrapped in tape to indicate it’s a hot.

If an electrician used “12/3 or 10/3” for a 240v load that didn’t require a neutral, he was throwing money away...

I am lucky someone (installer/electrician) did this to an AC system at an inherited rental. I had a leg burn out or ground out err lightening strike err somechit. We ran on the other leg and disconnected grounded leg….as opposed to having to rerun entire line.

Thanks BigBaller…wherever you may be ballin.

[Zmaxhunter]

Locally, in my little town of 2000, i can easily think of 6 homes with 3ph 240v.. its always a wild leg, 240v to ground.
We have our own generators, own power plant.. but we (the town) buy our power from a large provider, Evergy.. if we lose power from evergy, we can usually have our city generators online in about 15 min.. just cant afford to run them.. which is why they are backup only now.
When i was a kid, we always made our own power.. plant ran 247365

[Arrow-Tek]

Locally, in my little town of 2000, i can easily think of 6 homes with 3ph 240v.. its always a wild leg, 240v to ground.
We have our own generators, own power plant.. but we (the town) buy our power from a large provider, Evergy.. if we lose power from evergy, we can usually have our city generators online in about 15 min.. just cant afford to run them.. which is why they are backup only now.
When i was a kid, we always made our own power.. plant ran 247365

Bet those three phase appliances were pretty expensive or the electrical service and transformer to convert to single phase power.

[Zmaxhunter]

All it is used for is the AC compressor., the main house panel is normal single phase

[Arrow-Tek]

I didn’t read the full post sorry about that. This would work but still wouldn’t be a 5 wire system.

[Rubi513]

Please excuse my ignorance I’ve only been a master electrician for 22 years and held a contractors license for 14 years and can’t recall ever seeing three phase power available in a residential area. I have installed a lot of phase convertors in shops in residential areas.

Obviously you haven’t seen as much as I have...
I actually wired the service and shop. The guy built parts for oilfield work.
His house fed from a transformer in his shop.
I don’t remember the cost, but he paid the power company to bring 3 phase service to his residence.
I am a master as well.

[Rubi513]

I am lucky someone (installer/electrician) did this to an AC system at an inherited rental. I had a leg burn out or ground out err lightening strike err somechit. We ran on the other leg and disconnected grounded leg….as opposed to having to rerun entire line.

Thanks BigBaller…wherever you may be ballin.

Dumb, but ok...

[WTucker]

Locally, in my little town of 2000, i can easily think of 6 homes with 3ph 240v.. its always a wild leg, 240v to ground.
We have our own generators, own power plant.. but we (the town) buy our power from a large provider, Evergy.. if we lose power from evergy, we can usually have our city generators online in about 15 min.. just cant afford to run them.. which is why they are backup only now.
When i was a kid, we always made our own power.. plant ran 247365

Where are you from Zmax? I have worked in a few houses in the old parts of Beaumont that have 3 phase 240. I don’t see much of the old stuff you’re posting any more. Not many A-base meters and fuse boxes left after all of our recent hurricanes.

[Zmaxhunter]

Im in north central Ks.
My house was built in 1904.
I moved here in Jan. 2000
Main floor has 10ft high ceiling.
It had a 30a 125v service and meter.
The meter, fuses, and knife switch was at the top of the stairs, lol
I have kept a few Abase meters, only have 1 of the 125v meters, the others are 240v units.
Ive seen some made into working table lamps..

http://www.classicmeters.com/products.html

Currently, i am rewiring a 1930s bungalow, fishing wires thru plaster and lathe, cutting in new outlets and switches, complete rewire.

[Zmaxhunter]

I should apologize to Sunsethunter.. i dont mean to steal your thread.. i just love all things electrical.

Often where i am, i am the one to cut off the cities overhead supply conductors, i will rebuild the entire service and reconnect the city service, while its hot, even crimping new ics or wr connectors, as needed. Then plug in a new or existing meter.

[Quackerbox]

A 5 wire system? Please explain? Or pictures would be better to see what’s wired wrong.

Lol. I did commercial work for 3 years and should have kept at it. I'd be better of their than in LE. It's the way we wired computer labs.

I had 400 amps dropped to a property. 200 for a shop (current residence with a travel trailer inside). 200 for a house when we build. I have plenty of space so I ran no more than 2 duplex plugs per circuit.

There ain't no codes or inspections here. There are pics in a DIY thread. Just because it's not the way you would do it don't make it wrong

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Zmaxhunter]

The center GE was made in 1937

[Rubi513]

That’s some cool finds Zmax.

[critter69]

No, I am not. I have worked with my dad in HVAC for 30 years. Never have I EVER seen a 240 volt circuit use white/black/bare. I did research it and found no codes that state you cannot, however this is asinine and should have codes for it. If I see white/black, that is a 120 volt circuit. I will use my voltmeter to determine voltage, but If I see 240v running through black/white, I will walk away from it and tell them to get someone else or have an electrician rewire it with the proper 12/3 or 10/3 depending on load.

Most just wrap the white wire with black tape, or magic marker to indicate two hots. But then again, some don’t.