Bernard Arnest wrote:
Hi,

After an 8-month-long search, I may finally have found a space
on campus for a forge.

For my forge I want a hydraulic press, which = power hungry

The room is shared by a bridgeport mill, a lathe, and a metal
bandsaw, which I'm told run on 3-phase.

I'm new to this. I know that with standard household power, all
outlets are 15amp, unless one contact is turned 90 degrees, and then
you know it's 20amps.

I'll visit the shop again tomorrow or tuesday and examine it
more closely. How do I tell the voltage and amperage of this 3-phase
circuit, so I know how much I can load onto it? The press would
benefit from a 5-10 hp motor, so I need to know if it could handle that
power. How do I find out; are there specific plug types to recognize--
if you even use plugs?
If you want to know the amperage of existing circuits, find the curcuit
breaker and read the label on the handle. If they have the place wired
for plug-ins, then unplug the machine and read the voltage and current
rating that is molded into the outlet.

If you want to know the remaining available capacity in that room,
that is a lot harder, and for the most part will require a visit from
the local electrician. There may be spare breakers installed in the
panel that don't go anywhere, so adding up the existing breakers could
give you the impression it is all used up already, when there is still
capacity left over.

Jon