Domestic Vs Industrial

[Ryan_Moore]

Hi Sparks!
I am hoping to become an apprentice very soon and I have a question for you all,
What is the difference between the 230v single phase used in domestic buildings and the 415v used in commercial/industrial buildings. Also why is it necessary for there to be a difference, what are the pros and cons of each.


Also I have heard rumours of all new builds now having electric heating, does this mean less work for plumbers and gas fitters and more work for us....or you I should say at the moment, give me a few years

 

[Paul.M]

Each phase is 230V, If connected together on a motor for example or by cross connection by fault it will then become 415V. I haven't explained it very well but that's the basics of it. You will learn all about it once you start your apprenticeship, good luck and ask any questions if/when you get stuck.

 

[topquark]

Hi Sparks!
I am hoping to become an apprentice very soon and I have a question for you all,
What is the difference between the 230v single phase used in domestic buildings and the 415v used in commercial/industrial buildings. Also why is it necessary for there to be a difference, what are the pros and cons of each.


Also I have heard rumours of all new builds now having electric heating, does this mean less work for plumbers and gas fitters and more work for us....or you I should say at the moment, give me a few years

How long have you got

You mentioned an interview in the pm. So I'll try and answer this in terms of a level of knowledge they could reasonably expect you to have.

The main difference between them, as you've probably guessed, is the single versus three (poly) phase. That's probably what they are looking for you to comment on.

Remember that voltage is derived from a difference in potential between two points. In single phase that's between line nominal voltage (230V) and neutral (practically 0V). The word nominal is used because in reality the voltage isn't 230, neither does it stay constant, it fluctuates over time between around 230V and around 240V (and can change if you measure it quickly in succession).

With any (single/poly phase) AC supply the voltage fluctuates a number of cycles per second (Hertz). In the UK that's 50 times a second, in the USA it's 60 times a second. The change from +Ve to -Ve over time would plot a near perfect sine wave (ignoring the voltage fluctuation).

What you get with 3 phase is 3 of those sine waves starting approximately 1 Second / 50 Hertz / 3 Phases) apart from one another IE 0.0067 Seconds (or 6.7 Milli Seconds).

So with 3 phase you get the option of either using one phase only, with the Potential Difference derived between a phase and neutral. Or you can chose to derive the voltage between two phases (which is where the nominal 415V is derived from). The nominal 415V is derived from 240V times the square root of 3 (240V was our old nominal voltage).

With 3 phase you can get away with using (3) smaller sized (cheaper!!) cables, rather than using one large cable capable of handling larger currents driven by a 415V source.

The upshot is it's not "necessary" per se, but certainly cheaper and more flexible.

So 3 phase, some pros/cons, by no means an exhaustive list :

Pros: More power is available to drive power hungry devices like plant/machinery (anything with a motor).

Cons: 3 phase arguably more dangerous (they'll expect you to cite the health/safety issues).

 

[Ryan_Moore]

Thanks very much both of you, the interview I have this time next week(more or less) have asked me to speak for 3 minutes on the reason behind the difference in voltage of domestic and industrial.

So a 3 phase is 3 times that of a single phase, obviously, for something that requires alot of power to run ( Like the shutter in the wholesalers I work in) it pulls some power from each of the phases to opperate, because if it tried to opperate on 1 phase, it would blow the 60A main fuse, right?

 

[Paul.M]

Brilliant answer topquark, much better than my half arsed reply .

 

[Paul.M]

Here is a Wikipedia link to explain it better than what I could over a forum. It's American but the physics are the same. Have a read and come back to here to ask what you don't understand, its not the most simplest of things to understand straight away. Three-phase electric power

 

[topquark]

Thanks very much both of you, the interview I have this time next week(more or less) have asked me to speak for 3 minutes on the reason behind the difference in voltage of domestic and industrial.

So a 3 phase is 3 times that of a single phase, obviously, for something that requires alot of power to run ( Like the shutter in the wholesalers I work in) it pulls some power from each of the phases to opperate, because if it tried to opperate on 1 phase, it would blow the 60A main fuse, right?

Not 3 times, but more power available. I would avoid saying it would blow the fuse, it may (depends on a number of factors, ambient temperature and other considerations).

 

[topquark]

Here is a Wikipedia link to explain it better than what I could over a forum. It's American but the physics are the same. Have a read and come back to here to ask what you don't understand, its not the most simplest of things to understand straight away. Three-phase electric power

It has pictures as well

 

[Ryan_Moore]

You an engineer by any chance Topquark?
ooooh pictures are good, I need all the help I can get

 

[topquark]

You an engineer by any chance Topquark?
ooooh pictures are good, I need all the help I can get

Nope. Just a poor domestic/commercial spark.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I believe this is one of those questions where the answer can be never ending.
In general power is generated and distribute as 3 phase. Typically every 3 houses will be fed 1 phase from a 3 phase supply cable in the street. Every third house being on the same phase.
Each phase is 230V to earth or neutral, but is 400V between phases.
Where an installation is expected to have a high current demand, such as some shops, blocks of flats, factories etc. all 3 phases will be fed to the installation.
Equipment that uses 3 phases as opposed to single phase, is more efficient.
If you consider a large engined motorcycle traveling at 70mph, the engine will just ticking over, hardly any strain at all.
Wheras a small engined motor cycle will be revving it's nuts off at the same speed.
Sorry have to go.

 

[Ryan_Moore]

Lot of maths in that description, I like it, bit of a maths nerd B-)
I am sure between now and my interview I will have alot of questions, I gotta get this apprenticeship!
I really am grateful of any and every bit of help you can offer and I will let you know how it goes.

 

[Paul.M]

Lot of maths in that description, I like it, bit of a maths nerd B-) I am sure between now and my interview I will have alot of questions, I gotta get this apprenticeship!I really am grateful of any and every bit of help you can offer and I will let you know how it goes.

Once you've done your research for this 3 minute talk on 3 phase motors post up what you are going to say and we will have a look at it for you and see if there is anything you've missed out. Hope you get the apprenticeship.

 

[Des 56]

]Lot of maths in that description, I like it, bit of a maths nerd [/B]B-)
I am sure between now and my interview I will have alot of questions, I gotta get this apprenticeship!
I really am grateful of any and every bit of help you can offer and I will let you know how it goes.

Do yourself a favour and mention your interest in maths during the interview

When you start ingesting electrical theory,a large proportion of that theory requires a lot of use of maths, and a good understanding of it

It is the conerstone of electrical theory, from the very basic, to the higher levels probably attained by those who responded to your questions

 

[topquark]

As you like maths (mad fool) if you're up on your trig, you can use Sin(2pi x freq x time) to plot out what happens on the fluctuating voltage over time for each of the 3 phases, convert that to a current (assuming resistance of 1 Ohm). Then add up the current across all 3 phases at each point in time and amaze yourself that no current is flowing in the neutral ! That's one of the other advantages to a (perfectly) balanced 3 phase system.

With tau = 2pi (for all the newbie nerds).

Voltage at point in time t would be 230V * Sin(tau x 50Hz x t)

Assuming you have access to a spreadsheet.