Re: How to determine three-phase power

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>

 > I would suggesting calling you power company first and seeing if it is
 > possible and something you can afford.  Then call an electrician about the
 > house wiring conversion.  Unfortunatly, this is the kind of stuff you
can't
 > do yourself ("possibly" the house side, if local laws let you).
 >
 > Be prepared for some stunning numbers when it comes to cost.  A friend of
 > mine had a chicken barn he wanted to bring three phase to from directly
 > across the street.  The cost was quoted at $150,000!!!  He moved the
 > chickens across the street instead. "Why did the chickens cross the road,
 > to save $150,000 to get three phase..." ;-)  There are rotary converters
 > and such that convert single to three phase (motor/generator).  They are
 > very cheap used and not to bad new.  Something like this:


Sounds a bit steep.  My friend who lives next door to my mother's house just
had the electric company install 3-phase power for use with some heavy
duty machining equipment he uses for a home business.  The electric company
installed the 3-phase power at no cost to the house.  The only thing my
friend had to do
was have a licensed electrician come into the house and install the proper
load center and have it inspected.

But as you said, I guess it varies greatly from place to place.

The Captain