"Tim Wescott" wrote in
:


"wallster" wrote in message
...
I am somewhat ignorant when it comes to more than basic wiring so
here's a question for all you electrically gifted folks. My boss has
a 30 gallon emglo compressor he would like to use for home purpose.
It came out of our shop and was replaced with an 80 gallon (when he
was starting out he
didn't
have the need for more capacity) so there it sits. He asked his
electrician
if he could wire it in to his panel at home and the electrician said
because
it was a 3 phase motor, he couldn't do it. This is a new home with at
least
250 service. Is there anyway this can be done or does he need to swap
out the motor with a 230 volt single phase motor? What would the 3
phase be needed for?

thanks,
electrically challenged,
walt



Unless he has a very unusual house with 3-phase service he'll need to
change to a suitable single-phase motor. Sorry. I have no idea of
compressors have trouble with this, but single-phase motors don't
provide as much start-up torque as otherwise equivalent 3-phase units,
someone else will be happy to fill in my lack of practical experience.

Single-phase power provides "pulsating" power, because the line
voltage drops to zero twice a cycle. 3-phase power provides
continuous power, because as one phase drops of there's another one
that's coming up. So 3-phase is better for running motors and other
big industry stuff -- anything with a single-phase power needs to be
able to store that energy for the 1/200th of a second when there's no
useful power.



Single phase (110V) is as you describe. 230V power, is actually 'two
phase' power, and they are also out of phase with each other, so that you
get somewhat the same effect as 3 phase.



--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

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