How can you convert single phase 120 volt to 3 phase 480 volt?

Answer 1

You need an inverter or a motor-generator set. However, the cost of this will be quite high, and the efficiency will be quite low. Also, the available power will be rather low. The most cost-effective solution is to simply obtain 3 phase 480 volt power from your utility.

Answer 2

first off, the two 110v circuits would have to be from different bus bars in the breaker panel, one from the left bus and one from the right bus. if they are both from the same bus you can't do it. if you count down from the top on one side of the breaker panel, every other single breaker space (they're numbered, 1,3,5,7... or 2,4,6,8...) is on the opposite bus, and the top breaker on each side is on the opposite bus. if you call the busses a and b then top to bottom on the left would be ababab... and top to bottom on the right would be bababa... if the two 110v circuits are from different busses, then the black (hot) wires from the two circuits would have 220v potential between them and the white wires (neutrals) would have no potential between them because they are connected to the same place back in the breaker panel, the neutral bus. if all you want is 220v, then the black wires would be all you need. it is a code violation to do this, however because an electrician or fireman has no way to know that he has to turn off two breakers to kill power to the one 220v device unless the two 110v breakers are together on the same side of the panel (ab or ba) and they are clearly marked on the legend as serving the same device.

Answer 3

If you work in an industrial setting and DON'T know how to do this, you should keep your hands off it.
You are not a suitably qualified individual.
* National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2005 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training on the hazards involved."
* Performing any such operation without suitable qualification subjects your employer to action by OSHA.
Read that as: "financial penalty"

Answer 4

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz power supply service.You use a single phase 480 to 240 volt step down transformer. Connect the primary across the 480 volts and your load across the 240 volt side. Make sure that the transformer has a high enough capacity to carry the load with out getting into an overload condition. The proper size fusing of this transformer can be done on the primary side of the transformer which will protect the secondary side load.

<<>>

As you asked this question here the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to install a new 240 volt circuit with the right breakers, wiring and wall outlet for the appliance you want to use.

<><><>

As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 5

Is there still 240V 3 phase around? Take 2 legs of the three phase 240V and use them as primary side of a 240 to 120 transformer. This will give you 120V single phase on the secondary side of the transformer. Make sure that you know the load current on the 120V side and size the transformer accordingly.

Answer 6

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.

To convert 480 volts single phase to 240 volts single phase you will need to use a step down transformer. Any two legs of a three phase system is classed as single phase. The primary side connection will be any two legs of a 480 volt three phase system. H1 to H2 will be 480 volts. On the secondary side of the transformer the connections will be X1 to X2 which will give you the required voltage of 240 volts single phase. Depending on what the secondary side load current draws will govern the size of the transformer.

The formula to calculate the transformer size is KVA = Amps x Volts/1000.

Connect a 2:1 ratio step-down transformer across any two line conductors of the three-phase supply, and the secondary will provide a 240-V single-phase supply. Unless you are qualified to do so, don't do this yourself, because the circuit will require the installation of overcurrent protection devices such as fuses or circuit breakers, in accordance with the relevant regulations, to make the installation safe.

Answer 7

You cannot. There is only single phase and three phase. Both come from the power company in wire distribution configurations.

I believe in the Eastern united states there are still some two phase systems. If memory serves these systems have voltages that are 90 degrees apart. Sometimes three wires are used to provide two phase service - the two phases and an oversized neutral wire that is used as the return for both phases. Since there is a phase shift involved to get two phases from one, you must have a phase shifting device to accomplish this. It is generally easier to get two/three phase service from your local utility company as opposed to try to generate it yourself.

Answer 8

You need a transformer with a center-tapped secondary. There will be 240 across the whole secondary, and two 120's (180 degrees from each other) from center-tap to each leg. In this configuration, the center-tap is grounded and used as the neutral. If the original source is grounded at one end, then a 1:1 transformer is essential, because you cannot arbitrarily ground a center-tap, if one exists, when one leg is already grounded.

Often, when 240 split phase is already provided, it is possible that a 240 branch circuit is provided without a neutral. There will still be a ground, per code, but that ground cannot be used as the neutral1. In this case, you will need to run a new branch circuit, providing two hots, one neutral, and one ground.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1Exception being certain "deemed safe" appliances, such as dryers and ranges. You need to consult the applicable code, because I seem to recall that this requirement has been changed in recent history, for new work. However, just to be clear, the exception allows the appliance to use neutral as ground - the grounded conductor in the branch circuit must still be properly insulated, or it can only be used as a ground, not a neutral. Other than these exceptions, neutral and ground must be maintained separately, all the way back to the distribution panel.

Answer 9

There is no such thing as a 480/240-V three-phase generator. This is because there is a 1.732 (root 3) relationship between the line and phase voltages. So, the generator is either a 480/277 V machine, or a 415/240 V machine -depending on which of the two voltages you quote is correct. If the latter (more likely), then the 240-V phase voltage is measured between a line terminal and the neutral terminal, and there is no practical way of modifying the generator to give you a 240/120 V supply. You could use a pair of identical 240/120-V Transformers (of appropriate volt ampere rating) to give you this output, by connecting their 240 V windings in parallel, and their 120-V windings in series. I would advise against this, as you would really need to know exactly what you are doing!

Answer 10

You can use a phase converter to make a 240V single phase line into 415V 3 phase line. Just use a rotary phase converter. It is cost effective.