Considering this was uploaded many many many years ago means video quality is always going to be an issue. Regardless, love this video. As a licensed electrical engineer, most of my work evolves around drawings and getting to see how the actually detailed mechanism and wiring works great. This also allows me to understand how the breaker is actually mounted. Thank you!
Thank you! Over the years I have had many EE's ask me to see pic's of the real thing for the same reason. Let me know if there is something in particular you would like to see and perhaps I could do a video about it!
I have a commercial building and it has 3 phase. We had one of the phases go out. I had to learn that its possible for that to happen. 1/3 of our power was on in the building. A real learning experience. Thanks for the video!
Thank u for the video. It is the most succinct explanation of a 3PH panel I have seen. Being a female apprentice I am hesitant to ask for more explanation if I dont initially understand something bc the belittling I get from the instructors is just not worth it. I have learned more from TH-cam than I have in 3 years of classroom theory. I really appreciate ur knowledge & the fact that u share it so freely. Be safe & thanks again!
You are so welcome. It really helps me to know that people can learn from videos like these. All too often I forget to mention something or misspeak in a video and I become a hack or whatever else the youtube trolls feeling like calling me that day. NOBODY needs or should be belittled. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with!!
Thank u - appreciate the response. What I can say is that what helped the most is that u broke down the panel into its most basic components thereby making the info that follows much easier to absorb. All to often senior mechanics tell u WHAT to do, but rarely tell u WHY ur doing it (I realize that time constraints do not permit explanation of every little thing but really, panel installation instruction HAS to be concise . . . its basically the heart of ur electrical system) Even when a mechanic is actively trying to impart knowledge they inevitably omit something because it is so rote, or ingrained in them and their personal experience is so far beyond that initial step, they automatically gloss over it. I love the detail in ur videos. And when u think about it, WHO are u trying to reach . . . the people who want/need to learn the trade or the trolls who think they already know everything? As for "anything else" . . . If u have a video on Fluke testers please let me know. As much as I hate to admit it this far in, I have basically no experience with it (we are treated as assembly-line monkeys) so we just do commercial installations before anything is energized.
Thanks, I know over the years I've heard "your not ready for it" or "I don't have time to explain, we need to get this done" Another thing is they don't know how to explain it they just know how to do it. I haven't made any videos specific to a Fluke,you didn't say what type but maybe it's time I make one. I have a couple different Flukes designed for different purposes. Thanks again for commenting and watching my videos.
as a female apprentice, it is your job to learn as it theirs to teach you. electricians and shops will come and go, but the knowledge needs to stick. the best revenge is success.
I'm a journey man in Texas and I will be the first to tell u that that's a beautiful looking panel and people don't understand that's it's not easy to make them look that good it takes finesse lol but u did a great job
Congrats on the job, designed in America! Tell your boss they need to up their game on the QO/HLINE breaker terminals. Those basically flat plates that can take two wires are a real weak spot, and pain to tighten down square. Whoever wired that panel in this video knows what I'm talking about. www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-verizon&tbm=isch&q=square+d+qo+breaker+wire+terminal&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_lOz6ydjZAhUo5IMKHZ_IBtEQBQhLKAA&biw=360&bih=612&dpr=2#imgrc=JOBubWs_jkqu-M:
That really is a good question! For years I thought that I didn't need to know about Ohm's Law.But as I moved into a different direction in my career I realized how important it is to understand it. I started doing a lot of remodels and service calls about 15 years ago and found out quick that I need to know more. I think if a person really wants to succeed in the Electrical Ind. they must understand all aspects of this industry.My advise--Learn as much as you can about all aspects of electrical
Great explanation on how a 3 phase panel works.. one of the only video's i have found that is simple, short and that you feel like you have come away educated.
great explanation! I've been so confused in the 3 phase panels in school. I mainly do residential electric work so i never get to see these panels. This cleared it right up for me!
I really find your videos useful. I like Fritz have a degree that has gone unused because I went in a different direction but find myself returning to old skill sets to make a living. You videos are a wonderful refresher to those of us that are a little behind in the actual application of the trade and as you said to some goof down ing the postings, we all have to start somewhere. Thanks and keep up the great work.
I'm studying three phase from an electrical engineering book for my Master's License. (plus a challenge from my company) Although we use it and know how to use it, the principles behind it is intriguing. Keep up the good work.
Brother thanks a lot for the video. I never comment on you tube but I had to on this one. I'm an apprentice and just joined the union and this really helped me have a better field understanding of phasing. Thanks again bro.
Thank you for this video, now I understand how the neighbors were able to hide how they were stealing power without causing overloads. Time to call the city inspector and the power company.
Absolutely.You would need 1-single or double pole breaker installed. Wiring to your device would be hot,neutral and ground for a single pole and depending on your requirements you could run two hots to a motor,light or whatever. Always check your spec's before running any power.
my father had installed a GFCI outlet in the kitchen. He wired it up, turned the power on, and plugged in the coffee maker, the bottom outlet worked fine, the top when plugged in tripped the GFCI breaker. So he broke out the manual, and found the wiring was backwards. turned power off, removed outlet, and wired it the right way. Works great now. Still goes to show. Even AC power doesnt have poles, (like DC) correct wiring is a MUST to prevent faults. I believe hot and ground was switched?
There are many varieties of breakers and panels. 3 phase panels are built both plug on and bolt on styles. There are 3 phase load centers(plug on) and 3 pahsepanelboards(bolt On).You need to use the specified style breaker to match the type of panel your using.
this is awesome, apprentice here who mostly gets put in the suites I don't get to work in electrical rooms too often since the work is defaulted to Licensed workers
Wonderful explanation. Only small change, On a single phase step down transformer ( Panel not shown) used for most households, only one phase. "which is split phase" Thank you, of great information, although most of us will never deal with this much power, which is 1.5 times more power than single phase.
Awesome video. We're farmers that now have need for 3 Phase panel fed by a Phase Perfect Converter. Your detail was perfect - thank you. If you have video on phase converters I'd live the link.
We are a third of our lives at work! How little we store memories from this period? In fact, I have tried to record some of the events on film and video! Use every opportunity and record the people on the job, working methods, in order to leave some memories to future generations. The time it takes an amazingly fast!
Great video,a questioncreated while watching this video is,if the busbars are not connected between each other,doesn’t every phase in that case work as a single phase?
Yes, but they are 120 degrees out of phase. In single pole breakers this is not important, but in double pole and triple pole this becomes important. You use a double pole for 208V, not 240 in this system due to that phase difference. And the same rules apply to the three pole breakers. The breakers and the phase allow them to work together as if they were one continuous source of power to the devices on the line.
Thank you for keeping it simple understand perfectly
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It's quite different than European electrical installation. We have everywhere three phase (black, brown and gray), neutral (fair blue) and groun (green or green-yelow). There are one some phase (in left hole), neutral (in right hole) and ground in 1phase (230V) power outlet. There are three phases, neutral and ground in 3phase (230/400V) power outlet. Every diferent circuits are bad. It is interesting your wiring in America. Sorry for my English :)
I find these useful and my degree is in EE. They are a good, quick sanity check after not using my degrees in decades and of course for EE I was concentrating on integrated circuits and signals and systems, not power engineering. Keep up the good work and ignore the criticisms that are out of wack.
Also, I'm asking mostly from a theoretical standpoint, not necessarily whether unbalancing the phases will cause specific problems like burning your house down (I know it won't). And I know that the overwhelming number of boxes I've worked on had circuits both originally placed, and later added, without any sort of real forethought, so I know it is common to just pop breakers in wherever. Does it make a difference?
@davec3487 Most of the installations I run across the motor starters are located near the motor. All of the car wash's I work on have a MCC,Motor Control Center, located some where in the equipment rooms. So really it depends on the application.
I would first test power at your service. Check fuses,turn off all breakers at your panel then test again. Sounds like it could be the main fuses or incoming power. R U using a quality tester? Let me know more.
If you have a (stinger lead) say one lead is 208 and other two are 110 each. How do you lay out your breakers? Say I don’t need that much draw off of “C” bar do I just skip loading onto that bar? Additionally what could you run off of the stinger lead? If you had an oven you’d still need two leads of 110 right, can’t just have one breaker onto the 208 lead? Tks great video
Really like these videos, there isnt a whole lot out there that explains in detail on three phase panels / wiring.... Do you run into a lot of three phase with a high leg, or are most 3 phase 208 / 480 systems?
Could you add a 3 phase breaker for an AC unit within the panel used in your video? Say in apartments that take single and two pole breakers. We want to add a 3 phase breaker to each panel for the AC unit?
Excellent video, but is this part of a series videos that tell the viewer there are two common types of 3-phases electrical panels the electrician may come across.
Thanks for the explanation,. how 3 phase wires color code are connected to any 3 phase input equipment, if 1 or 2 color are different ? ... thank you . Tito
During a power failure, is it possible for just one phase to go out while the remaining two are on, or would all three phases go out during a power failure?
What are the breaker configurations 1p vs 2p?Have you taken amp draws on all breakers or just the main? Balancing is done by relocating breakers to another phase depending on 1p vs 2p breakers. Balancing a single phase panel vs 3phase panel are 2 different animals. How did this panel get to having a load difference? 200+ on line 1? What size is that panel? THere is a little more to it but these are the basics.
So is there a need to try to make sure that the individual breakers for each circuit are balanced out between phases, as best as you can, or could one put all 30 amp breakers on one phase, all 15 amps on another, etc. My understanding is that drawing more amps off of one phase would unbalance the phases, even if it doesn't have any practical effects in terms of causing problems, whereas my father says it doesn't matter which breakers go on which phase because it will all even out in the end.
Can you show the actual putting a breaker in... a video, as opposed to still shots. I want to see the breaker installed or is there a seperate breaker for for each of the 3 phases? I don't understand?
I am trying to create a 3 phase panel, to run 4 electrical machine off of. Originally there is a single three phase coming in, and I want to split that off to 4 separate machines. I saw how you showed the 3 phase panel box, and this design looks similar to something that I need. Each machine needs to have at least 240 vdc coming off the breaker so that I can tie them into a transformer for each and which will step that 240 up to 480 that the machine requires. However, I have never made a spliter box before, and I need to know how this entire process is done CORRECTLY so that I will not destroy anything.
Great explanation of the subject, but I do have a question specifically about the MCB panel. I have a Siemens panel that looks identical to the MCB panel in your video, maybe a little smaller. However it didn't come with the white switch at the bottom, nor is there room or a location to mount one. How do I go about getting my power into the panel? Any help is appreciated thanks.
I've got a question ? When testing a 3 phase panel I got a reading of 24v 120v 24v can you explain the circumstances this would happen? This is what I get from the Electrical room to my service panel?
Sparky, if I have a 3 phase service panel and want to put in a 2 pole breaker won't the phasing be wrong for 220 appliance to work? Three phase is 120 degrees, single phase is 180 degrees out of phase.
Great video. I have many questions about neatness in a 3 phase panel. When landing grounds, and commons, is it preferred to land them in the same order as the breakers? Do you prefer solid, or stranded wire? Can you go into detail regarding a "stinger" leg?
I think you meant grounds & neutrals? Then no. It makes no difference. As long as they are screwed to the correct bus (bar), and the connection is secure, their order is of no consequence. Wire type is determined by application. Stranded is needed when pulling wire through conduit (commercial & industrial applications). Solid is used for residential applications, unless you're pulling wire underground (like from a house to a garage). It's really not a "preference" issue. High-leg delta (also known as wild-leg, stinger leg, bastard leg, high-leg, orange-leg, or red-leg delta) is a type of electrical service connection for three-phase electric power installations. ... The three-phase power is connected in the delta configuration, and the center point of one phase is grounded.
So do I. I do the hots last. First the grounds, then the neutrals, then I tie in the breakers. As I said previously... Stranded is needed when pulling wire through conduit (usually when doing commercial & industrial applications). Stranded wire is flexible, which is why it's suited for pulling any distances through conduit. In your home, where pulling wire is not the norm, you'd use Romex. Easy stuff.
Thank you . Some phases A B or C can be a high leg 220 . so i learn that the hard way in my younger years has a electrician. Test ur phases and breakers and circuits at all times before you plug or connect something. Doenst have to be just commercial. On high legs
i would like to learn more about motor and motor controls for instance delta? wye ? how do you connect them can you help with the type of questions that the nec gives?
After watching your video it seems to me as if you know your stuff. I am a do it yourself kind of guy, I haven't always been over the last 5 years I have started. I run a Restaurant and therefore i have many opportunities of fixing various things. I have an electrical issue in my parking lot, I will add a second comment for the rest.
Awesome video, keep them coming. Can you explain a splitter panel setup? I just went through intermediate for my apprenticeship. We did a lot of splitter calculations but nothing practical.
With 220/ 277 etc. you are pulling less amperage as opposed to a 120 volt circut. For example a circut on 120 volt may require 7.0 amps but on 220 volt circut the same device only requires 3.5 amps.
I opened up 3 phase panel and found a 3 pole 30a breaker attached to the B-C-A and the top of the breaker (B) was fried I replaced it and moved it up one spot so that it's now attached to the A-B-C position. My question is why it would be hooked up the way I found it and did I fix it by moving it the way I did?
There are a variety of reasons that it was hooked up BCA. Maybe there was a single pole breaker on the A at one time,Someone just wasn't paying attention? Or maybe that is how they changed rotation on a motor. So did you fix it,I don't know. Is it running a motor? It could be running backwards. All depends on what it feeds. Why did it burn up?
Electrical Industry Network I don't know why it burned up. The recep said 220 written in sharpie, any 220 I've ever seen or set up used a 2 pole breaker not a 3 pole, that seemed odd to me and I'm assuming that's why it was cooked. The current tennants don't know what it was used for... previous tennant's improvement I guess. It's now powering a 3 phrase forklift charger, I basically matched the set up they have already with 3 other chargers. The charger was throwing an error code so we called the manufacturer, they came out and said it wasn't getting 440v. I'm not an electrician, although I do a lot of electrical work (just not 3ph) I'm 98% sure the hook up is correct, and maybe that burnt lug on the bus is at cause? My first comment is me just checking if my hook up is correct, from there I can troubleshoot the 440v question. I should get 208v testing any combination of A-B-C phases and 120v from any one phase and neutral correct? Please advise. Thank you.
Ok I'm not going to disregard American electrical standards but please tell me that their is secondary protection from the exposed 'Live parts' in your Distribution boards? Does the first board have a main isolator? To isolate the entire board? Maybe I'm mollycoddled to what I'm used too.
just want to ask how do you do load balancing... Our supervisor sad that during Maintenance, Line 1 was reading to about 200+ amps while Line 2 was around 120+ amps... how do you do the balancing?? thanks
Sparky, Hi, so I'm hooking up a baler that's 480 3 Phase, now i have 2 panels, one is a MLO to a MCB and it looks like they took 4 wires from a breaker inside the MLO that goes down to a transformer and from the transformer it goes into the MLO that has all the breakers for everything. Now can i hook a 3 pole breaker for my baler off the panel or should go to the MLO (The MLO doesn't look like i should hook anything to it directly.
If I have 3 existing 220 single phase 4 wire outlets each with it's own breaker, is it safe to assume that all of those wires from each outlet come back to the main panel? In other words, would any of those wires coming off the outlet be tied to anything somewhere in the wall, other than at the breaker box, assuming it is to code? I am wondering if I can add a 3 phase subpanel, that would work off a digital phase converter that could use the existing single phase wiring to create a three phase outlet or connection? I obviously would have to find the appropriate neutral and ground wire for each outlet. Can you comment?
What is the standard when it comes to the distance between each leg of AC on the feeder? They look evenly spaced there at the top. Can you refer me to the standard or provide it? Thank you.
I was hoping you would have shown the voltage across the lugs via the breakers. Also there is some confusion that I am reading regarding the nuetral. I know that some loads require that you have a nuetral that panel was done very cleanly I appreciate clean work morew so than speed. JMO
Jack I have a 3 phase panel that I'll be using in future videos that will show voltages.It will be a video somewhere along the lines of my control panel video. th-cam.com/video/eHd9EUuMzlU/w-d-xo.html 3 phase equipment may or may not require a neutral,interior lighting most always requires a neutral. I have seen some 208/240volt lighting used as interior lighting but it has been very rare. Thanks for watching & your comment.
Can you elaborate on the voltage of the MIDDLE phase. Most of the circuits shown seem to be ALL three phase indicated by the three color wires.... A couple of circuits at the bottom seem to be 120V (one black wire)... Did they purposely avoid the Middle Phase i.e. 208 Volts? Another question.. On the the right bank of circuits there are two sets of black red blue... Two OPEN circuits then a blue? Any Idea what was the intent?
I was having a discussion on 3-phase commercial wiring with my father today and we ran into a disagreement that we could not bring to conclusion because I don't think either of us fully understood what the other was saying. Maybe you can help? It is my understanding that in a 3-phase system, each of the three legs, or phases, has to be balanced according to draw. My father agreed, but said that all of the balancing was handled by the box itself, as a result of the jumpers between phases.
It would have been really cool if you had also detailed the wiring on this breaker by doing mock install of the wires into the terminals as you explained the panel. All n' all, great video.
( as in removing the power, testing with a voltmeter, etc). I usually blow up hard drives with 110v by running a cord to the power connector (molex). but when i am wiring it up, or switching hdd's to burn up, always make sure the power is off by switch and by unplugging the cord. A few extra minutes of safety will make sure you don't end up crispy. Remaining isolated from mains current is a very safe idea. Mains current WILL kill ('ive gotten accidently shocked by it a few times)
Considering this was uploaded many many many years ago means video quality is always going to be an issue. Regardless, love this video. As a licensed electrical engineer, most of my work evolves around drawings and getting to see how the actually detailed mechanism and wiring works great. This also allows me to understand how the breaker is actually mounted. Thank you!
Thank you! Over the years I have had many EE's ask me to see pic's of the real thing for the same reason. Let me know if there is something in particular you would like to see and perhaps I could do a video about it!
I have a commercial building and it has 3 phase. We had one of the phases go out. I had to learn that its possible for that to happen. 1/3 of our power was on in the building. A real learning experience. Thanks for the video!
Thank you!
Thank u for the video. It is the most succinct explanation of a 3PH panel I have seen. Being a female apprentice I am hesitant to ask for more explanation if I dont initially understand something bc the belittling I get from the instructors is just not worth it. I have learned more from TH-cam than I have in 3 years of classroom theory. I really appreciate ur knowledge & the fact that u share it so freely. Be safe & thanks again!
You are so welcome. It really helps me to know that people can learn from videos like these. All too often I forget to mention something or misspeak in a video and I become a hack or whatever else the youtube trolls feeling like calling me that day. NOBODY needs or should be belittled.
Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with!!
Thank u - appreciate the response. What I can say is that what helped the most is that u broke down the panel into its most basic components thereby making the info that follows much easier to absorb. All to often senior mechanics tell u WHAT to do, but rarely tell u WHY ur doing it (I realize that time constraints do not permit explanation of every little thing but really, panel installation instruction HAS to be concise . . . its basically the heart of ur electrical system) Even when a mechanic is actively trying to impart knowledge they inevitably omit something because it is so rote, or ingrained in them and their personal experience is so far beyond that initial step, they automatically gloss over it. I love the detail in ur videos. And when u think about it, WHO are u trying to reach . . . the people who want/need to learn the trade or the trolls who think they already know everything? As for "anything else" . . . If u have a video on Fluke testers please let me know. As much as I hate to admit it this far in, I have basically no experience with it (we are treated as assembly-line monkeys) so we just do commercial installations before anything is energized.
Thanks, I know over the years I've heard "your not ready for it" or "I don't have time to explain, we need to get this done" Another thing is they don't know how to explain it they just know how to do it.
I haven't made any videos specific to a Fluke,you didn't say what type but maybe it's time I make one.
I have a couple different Flukes designed for different purposes.
Thanks again for commenting and watching my videos.
2018!! I like his videos 🙄 Good job man.. SPREAD LOVE ❤💚💛
as a female apprentice, it is your job to learn as it theirs to teach you. electricians and shops will come and go, but the knowledge needs to stick. the best revenge is success.
I'm a journey man in Texas and I will be the first to tell u that that's a beautiful looking panel and people don't understand that's it's not easy to make them look that good it takes finesse lol but u did a great job
It takes BIG balls to do that.
Is that strande wire or solid????
@@georgeswindolljr1980 hype!!
New mechanical engineer at Schneider Electric here. You helped out a lot sir. Thanks.
Good luck in your career and thank you for the kind comment!!
Congrats on the job, designed in America! Tell your boss they need to up their game on the QO/HLINE breaker terminals. Those basically flat plates that can take two wires are a real weak spot, and pain to tighten down square. Whoever wired that panel in this video knows what I'm talking about.
www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-verizon&tbm=isch&q=square+d+qo+breaker+wire+terminal&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_lOz6ydjZAhUo5IMKHZ_IBtEQBQhLKAA&biw=360&bih=612&dpr=2#imgrc=JOBubWs_jkqu-M:
Thank you! Sign guy here buried in learning the NEC code book, and this video helped me with visualizing this!
That really is a good question! For years I thought that I didn't need to know about Ohm's Law.But as I moved into a different direction in my career I realized how important it is to understand it. I started doing a lot of remodels and service calls about 15 years ago and found out quick that I need to know more.
I think if a person really wants to succeed in the Electrical Ind. they must understand all aspects of this industry.My advise--Learn as much as you can about all aspects of electrical
Great explanation on how a 3 phase panel works.. one of the only video's i have found that is simple, short and that you feel like you have come away educated.
Awesome! Thanks so much for your comment!
great explanation! I've been so confused in the 3 phase panels in school. I mainly do residential electric work so i never get to see these panels. This cleared it right up for me!
Thank you,I'm glad it helped!
Excellent introduction for those of us who have worked only with single phase. Thank you.
Thank you and happy to hear it helps!
I really find your videos useful. I like Fritz have a degree that has gone unused because I went in a different direction but find myself returning to old skill sets to make a living. You videos are a wonderful refresher to those of us that are a little behind in the actual application of the trade and as you said to some goof down ing the postings, we all have to start somewhere. Thanks and keep up the great work.
I'm studying three phase from an electrical engineering book for my Master's License. (plus a challenge from my company) Although we use it and know how to use it, the principles behind it is intriguing. Keep up the good work.
Thank you and good luck in your studies!
Brother thanks a lot for the video. I never comment on you tube but I had to on this one. I'm an apprentice and just joined the union and this really helped me have a better field understanding of phasing. Thanks again bro.
Nice presentation explaining the panel! Appreciate your time and trouble, and answered most of my questions too.
Very nice panel. I’m glad to see people take pride in there work
Thank you,I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
Nothing new to myself but good and clear explantion of a 3PH panel.
Thanks!
Halo bro
Thank you for this video, now I understand how the neighbors were able to hide how they were stealing power without causing overloads. Time to call the city inspector and the power company.
Awesome video, you literally broke it down so simple and easy to understand.
Absolutely.You would need 1-single or double pole breaker installed.
Wiring to your device would be hot,neutral and ground for a single pole and depending on your requirements you could run two hots to a motor,light or whatever. Always check your spec's before running any power.
my father had installed a GFCI outlet in the kitchen. He wired it up, turned the power on, and plugged in the coffee maker, the bottom outlet worked fine, the top when plugged in tripped the GFCI breaker. So he broke out the manual, and found the wiring was backwards. turned power off, removed outlet, and wired it the right way. Works great now. Still goes to show. Even AC power doesnt have poles, (like DC) correct wiring is a MUST to prevent faults. I believe hot and ground was switched?
Great video, very thankfull for people like you that takes time to teach alot of people like me in 6 minutes, is awesome thanks alot sir !!!
What a video been looking for this for years. Thanks a bunch.
There are many varieties of breakers and panels. 3 phase panels are built both plug on and bolt on styles. There are 3 phase load centers(plug on) and 3 pahsepanelboards(bolt On).You need to use the specified style breaker to match the type of panel your using.
Absolutely the Best 3 phase video, great !
Excellent. I'm a 1st year apprentice. This helped a lot. Thanks
I'm glad it helped,thanks for the comment!
This was helpful. Best vid I’ve seen so far from you. Sharing info vids are best.
Excellent video that simplifies 3 phase into laymen's understanding!
this is awesome, apprentice here who mostly gets put in the suites I don't get to work in electrical rooms too often since the work is defaulted to Licensed workers
Wonderful explanation. Only small change, On a single phase step down
transformer ( Panel not shown) used for most households, only one phase.
"which is split phase" Thank you, of great information, although most of
us will never deal with this much power, which is 1.5 times more power
than single phase.
Awesome video. We're farmers that now have need for 3 Phase panel fed by a Phase Perfect Converter. Your detail was perfect - thank you. If you have video on phase converters I'd live the link.
Honestly you did amazing. Best explanation.
I appreciate that!
Thank you so much for making this video. You made my job easy! Thanks, Christina
I believe you broke it down to where it is very understandable, thumbs up Sparky. Thanks!
We are a third of our lives at work! How little we store memories from this period? In fact, I have tried to record some of the events on film and video! Use every opportunity and record the people on the job, working methods, in order to leave some memories to future generations. The time it takes an amazingly fast!
Great video,a questioncreated while watching this video is,if the busbars are not connected between each other,doesn’t every phase in that case work as a single phase?
Yes, but they are 120 degrees out of phase. In single pole breakers this is not important, but in double pole and triple pole this becomes important. You use a double pole for 208V, not 240 in this system due to that phase difference. And the same rules apply to the three pole breakers.
The breakers and the phase allow them to work together as if they were one continuous source of power to the devices on the line.
I knew about abc this video taught me where to land each one thank you
@MyKamiloo Thanks for the explanation,it's cool to learn how the other country's outside the US wire their equipment!
Great explanation well done is there any difference if i want to put the red then black and blue .thanked you
100% THANKS!
Would there be a certain color code, say on the high side, coming from a delta feed?
Thank you for keeping it simple understand perfectly
It's quite different than European electrical installation. We have everywhere three phase (black, brown and gray), neutral (fair blue) and groun (green or green-yelow). There are one some phase (in left hole), neutral (in right hole) and ground in 1phase (230V) power outlet. There are three phases, neutral and ground in 3phase (230/400V) power outlet. Every diferent circuits are bad. It is interesting your wiring in America. Sorry for my English :)
Would really like to know more about the neutral and grounding and any special safety requirements. Maybe even a source to read about.Thank you
I find these useful and my degree is in EE. They are a good, quick sanity check after not using my degrees in decades and of course for EE I was concentrating on integrated circuits and signals and systems, not power engineering. Keep up the good work and ignore the criticisms that are out of wack.
Also, I'm asking mostly from a theoretical standpoint, not necessarily whether unbalancing the phases will cause specific problems like burning your house down (I know it won't). And I know that the overwhelming number of boxes I've worked on had circuits both originally placed, and later added, without any sort of real forethought, so I know it is common to just pop breakers in wherever. Does it make a difference?
@davec3487 Most of the installations I run across the motor starters are located near the motor.
All of the car wash's I work on have a MCC,Motor Control Center, located some where in the equipment rooms.
So really it depends on the application.
What's the purpose for the additional isolated ground bar in the upper left of the panel?
I would first test power at your service. Check fuses,turn off all breakers at your panel then test again. Sounds like it could be the main fuses or incoming power. R U using a quality tester? Let me know more.
If you have a (stinger lead) say one lead is 208 and other two are 110 each. How do you lay out your breakers? Say I don’t need that much draw off of “C” bar do I just skip loading onto that bar? Additionally what could you run off of the stinger lead? If you had an oven you’d still need two leads of 110 right, can’t just have one breaker onto the 208 lead? Tks great video
Really like these videos, there isnt a whole lot out there that explains in detail on three phase panels / wiring.... Do you run into a lot of three phase with a high leg, or are most 3 phase 208 / 480 systems?
Could you add a 3 phase breaker for an AC unit within the panel used in your video? Say in apartments that take single and two pole breakers. We want to add a 3 phase breaker to each panel for the AC unit?
Excellent video, but is this part of a series videos that tell the viewer there are two common types of 3-phases electrical panels the electrician may come across.
Thanks for the explanation,. how 3 phase wires color code are connected to any 3 phase input equipment, if 1 or 2 color are different ? ... thank you . Tito
During a power failure, is it possible for just one phase to go out while the remaining two are on, or would all three phases go out during a power failure?
Great information. Looking forward for more.
What are the breaker configurations 1p vs 2p?Have you taken amp draws on all breakers or just the main? Balancing is done by relocating breakers to another phase depending on 1p vs 2p breakers. Balancing a single phase panel vs 3phase panel are 2 different animals.
How did this panel get to having a load difference?
200+ on line 1? What size is that panel?
THere is a little more to it but these are the basics.
So is there a need to try to make sure that the individual breakers for each circuit are balanced out between phases, as best as you can, or could one put all 30 amp breakers on one phase, all 15 amps on another, etc. My understanding is that drawing more amps off of one phase would unbalance the phases, even if it doesn't have any practical effects in terms of causing problems, whereas my father says it doesn't matter which breakers go on which phase because it will all even out in the end.
Can you show the actual putting a breaker in... a video, as opposed to still shots. I want to see the breaker installed or is there a seperate breaker for for each of the 3 phases? I don't understand?
I am trying to create a 3 phase panel, to run 4 electrical machine off of. Originally there is a single three phase coming in, and I want to split that off to 4 separate machines. I saw how you showed the 3 phase panel box, and this design looks similar to something that I need. Each machine needs to have at least 240 vdc coming off the breaker so that I can tie them into a transformer for each and which will step that 240 up to 480 that the machine requires. However, I have never made a spliter box before, and I need to know how this entire process is done CORRECTLY so that I will not destroy anything.
Great explanation of the subject, but I do have a question specifically about the MCB panel. I have a Siemens panel that looks identical to the MCB panel in your video, maybe a little smaller. However it didn't come with the white switch at the bottom, nor is there room or a location to mount one. How do I go about getting my power into the panel?
Any help is appreciated thanks.
Where would the motor starters be located? Is it in a panel next to the electrical distribution panel, or by the motor itself.
I've got a question ? When testing a 3 phase panel I got a reading of 24v 120v 24v can you explain the circumstances this would happen? This is what I get from the Electrical room to my service panel?
Thanks for you comment I appreciate it! Pipe bending vidoe is on the list of videos to produce.
Sparky, if I have a 3 phase service panel and want to put in a 2 pole breaker won't the phasing be wrong for 220 appliance to work? Three phase is 120 degrees, single phase is 180 degrees out of phase.
Great video. I have many questions about neatness in a 3 phase panel.
When landing grounds, and commons, is it preferred to land them in the same order as the breakers?
Do you prefer solid, or stranded wire?
Can you go into detail regarding a "stinger" leg?
I think you meant grounds & neutrals? Then no. It makes no difference. As long as they are screwed to the correct bus (bar), and the connection is secure,
their order is of no consequence.
Wire type is determined by application. Stranded is needed when pulling wire through conduit (commercial & industrial applications). Solid is used for
residential applications, unless you're pulling wire underground (like from a house to a garage). It's really not a "preference" issue.
High-leg delta (also known as wild-leg, stinger leg, bastard leg, high-leg, orange-leg, or red-leg delta) is a type of electrical service connection for three-phase electric power installations. ... The three-phase power is connected in the delta configuration, and the center point of one phase is grounded.
I’d like to know about the stranded/solid also. Personally I land all my grounds then neutrals and do hots last.
So do I. I do the hots last. First the grounds, then the neutrals, then I tie in the breakers.
As I said previously... Stranded is needed when pulling wire through conduit (usually when doing commercial & industrial applications).
Stranded wire is flexible, which is why it's suited for pulling any distances through conduit. In your home, where pulling wire is not the norm,
you'd use Romex. Easy stuff.
Thank you . Some phases A B or C can be a high leg 220 . so i learn that the hard way in my younger years has a electrician. Test ur phases and breakers and circuits at all times before you plug or connect something. Doenst have to be just commercial. On high legs
i would like to learn more about motor and motor controls for instance delta? wye ? how do you connect them can you help with the type of questions that the nec gives?
After watching your video it seems to me as if you know your stuff. I am a do it yourself kind of guy, I haven't always been over the last 5 years I have started. I run a Restaurant and therefore i have many opportunities of fixing various things. I have an electrical issue in my parking lot, I will add a second comment for the rest.
Awesome video, keep them coming. Can you explain a splitter panel setup? I just went through intermediate for my apprenticeship. We did a lot of splitter calculations but nothing practical.
Is it most common for a (e.g 480Y/277) panel to start from left to right with the phase order of A-B-C.
I am a new subscriber. If the 3 phase circuit breaker has a 380-400 volts. How about the 1 hot and 1 neutral?
Amazing how you explain everything. Thank u sr.!!!
Does the neutral wire have to be insulated in a 4 wire delta configuration? 120/240 3 phase service
With 220/ 277 etc. you are pulling less amperage as opposed to a 120 volt circut. For example a circut on 120 volt may require 7.0 amps but on 220 volt circut the same device only requires 3.5 amps.
I opened up 3 phase panel and found a 3 pole 30a breaker attached to the B-C-A and the top of the breaker (B) was fried I replaced it and moved it up one spot so that it's now attached to the A-B-C position.
My question is why it would be hooked up the way I found it and did I fix it by moving it the way I did?
There are a variety of reasons that it was hooked up BCA. Maybe there was a single pole breaker on the A at one time,Someone just wasn't paying attention? Or maybe that is how they changed rotation on a motor. So did you fix it,I don't know. Is it running a motor? It could be running backwards. All depends on what it feeds. Why did it burn up?
Electrical Industry Network
I don't know why it burned up. The recep said 220 written in sharpie, any 220 I've ever seen or set up used a 2 pole breaker not a 3 pole, that seemed odd to me and I'm assuming that's why it was cooked. The current tennants don't know what it was used for... previous tennant's improvement I guess.
It's now powering a 3 phrase forklift charger, I basically matched the set up they have already with 3 other chargers.
The charger was throwing an error code so we called the manufacturer, they came out and said it wasn't getting 440v.
I'm not an electrician, although I do a lot of electrical work (just not 3ph) I'm 98% sure the hook up is correct, and maybe that burnt lug on the bus is at cause?
My first comment is me just checking if my hook up is correct, from there I can troubleshoot the 440v question.
I should get 208v testing any combination of A-B-C phases and 120v from any one phase and neutral correct?
Please advise. Thank you.
"I should get 208v testing any combination of A-B-C phases and 120v from any one phase and neutral correct? " Correct.
What kinda machine is it? what is the amperage?Do you have a disconnect for it?Where is it located,inside or out?
Ok I'm not going to disregard American electrical standards but please tell me that their is secondary protection from the exposed 'Live parts' in your Distribution boards? Does the first board have a main isolator? To isolate the entire board? Maybe I'm mollycoddled to what I'm used too.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Glad it was helpful!
Well done. Thank you for thst. Answered all my questions. And thsts an impressive panel tie in
Great videos SparkyU. You think you can do some conduit bending videos too.
Amazing you explain it completely and very clear thanks for this information !! Good job
Thank you!
just want to ask how do you do load balancing... Our supervisor sad that during Maintenance, Line 1 was reading to about 200+ amps while Line 2 was around 120+ amps... how do you do the balancing?? thanks
Sparky, Hi, so I'm hooking up a baler that's 480 3 Phase, now i have 2 panels, one is a MLO to a MCB and it looks like they took 4 wires from a breaker inside the MLO that goes down to a transformer and from the transformer it goes into the MLO that has all the breakers for everything.
Now can i hook a 3 pole breaker for my baler off the panel or should go to the MLO (The MLO doesn't look like i should hook anything to it directly.
If I have 3 existing 220 single phase 4 wire outlets each with it's own breaker, is it safe to assume that all of those wires from each outlet come back to the main panel? In other words, would any of those wires coming off the outlet be tied to anything somewhere in the wall, other than at the breaker box, assuming it is to code? I am wondering if I can add a 3 phase subpanel, that would work off a digital phase converter that could use the existing single phase wiring to create a three phase outlet or connection? I obviously would have to find the appropriate neutral and ground wire for each outlet. Can you comment?
What’s the point in an isolated ground if both ground bars are mounted on the same part of the panel?
What is the standard when it comes to the distance between each leg of AC on the feeder? They look evenly spaced there at the top. Can you refer me to the standard or provide it? Thank you.
I was hoping you would have shown the voltage across the lugs via the breakers.
Also there is some confusion that I am reading regarding the nuetral.
I know that some loads require that you have a nuetral that panel was done very cleanly I appreciate clean work morew so than speed. JMO
Jack I have a 3 phase panel that I'll be using in future videos that will show voltages.It will be a video somewhere along the lines of my control panel video.
th-cam.com/video/eHd9EUuMzlU/w-d-xo.html
3 phase equipment may or may not require a neutral,interior lighting most always requires a neutral. I have seen some 208/240volt lighting used as interior lighting but it has been very rare.
Thanks for watching & your comment.
No I am not trying to be critical I hope that you don't take it that way.
Video was great breaking down the busbars.
Makes sense to me now. Nice job breaking things down. Thanks!
Could you do a video on how 3 phase, branch cct work?
Much thanks for your comment.
Can you elaborate on the voltage of the MIDDLE phase. Most of the circuits shown seem to be ALL three phase indicated by the three color wires.... A couple of circuits at the bottom seem to be 120V (one black wire)... Did they purposely avoid the Middle Phase i.e. 208 Volts?
Another question.. On the the right bank of circuits there are two sets of black red blue... Two OPEN circuits then a blue? Any Idea what was the intent?
If I understand it right have between one phase and neutral 120 Volt, between phase A and B or A and C or B and C 208 Volt.
So if there is a 480v main three phase breaker, would I get 480v if I use a three pole breaker to supply power to a motor?
Hey how do I transfer measurements from floor to a sloped ceiling if I don't have a laser? For like island lites need sometimes
Can a 3 phase breaker be installed on circuit 5,7,9. That would be c,b,a.. or does it have to be a,b,c
I was having a discussion on 3-phase commercial wiring with my father today and we ran into a disagreement that we could not bring to conclusion because I don't think either of us fully understood what the other was saying. Maybe you can help? It is my understanding that in a 3-phase system, each of the three legs, or phases, has to be balanced according to draw. My father agreed, but said that all of the balancing was handled by the box itself, as a result of the jumpers between phases.
Finally a decent looking panel button-up on youtube! :)
Hello sparky, if hooking up hi-bay lighting that requires 208V from a 120V/208V 3 phase panel do I take both circuits off one phase?
Whoever done that panel.....👌👍.
It would have been really cool if you had also detailed the wiring on this breaker by doing mock install of the wires into the terminals as you explained the panel. All n' all, great video.
( as in removing the power, testing with a voltmeter, etc). I usually blow up hard drives with 110v by running a cord to the power connector (molex). but when i am wiring it up, or switching hdd's to burn up, always make sure the power is off by switch and by unplugging the cord. A few extra minutes of safety will make sure you don't end up crispy. Remaining isolated from mains current is a very safe idea. Mains current WILL kill ('ive gotten accidently shocked by it a few times)
So let's say you have a 3 phase motor somewhere in the building, would all 3 phases be connected to the one breaker for that motor circuit?
+The. If the " one breaker " you're talking about is a 3 pole 1 throw breaker then yes.