Can i join 3 phases together?????

3517 Views 10 Replies 9 Participants Last post by hayewe farm, Apr 29, 2009

Motherhubbard

Discussion Starter · Apr 28, 2009

Hi, i have built a large waterwheel powering a 3 phase motor that is producing 60 volts AC per phase, can i join all phases together? The object is to produce 24o volts AC either through changing the AC to DC then to storage batteries then back to AC through a inverter or is there a way to join the phases together thus 180 Volts AC that some sort of boost to 240Volts Many thanks

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Stixx

· #2 · Apr 28, 2009

Wut chew tryin 2 do?

Let me see if I am reading this right: You are using water power to generate electricity. If the answer to that is yes, then that clarifies a lot.

Assuming the answer is yes, you have a 3-phase motor with a pulley hooked up to the pulley of the water-driven turning wheel- and the motor is working like a generator. Is that right?

If the answer to that is yes, then I'll jump right to your objective. You want to produce 240 volts AC from your water-driven wheel, correct?

What do you intend to do with the power? Having 240 volts AC is useless if you don't have adequate amperage.

If you can let me know what you plan to do with the 240v, I will be able to help you out. Sorry, it's not as cut and dried as it may have seemed.

I'll try to watch your post and reply accordingly.

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kbsparky

· #3 · Apr 28, 2009

... can i join all phases together?...

Not unless you want the 4th of July to arrive early .... :jester:

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gp_wa

· #4 · Apr 28, 2009

A three phase motor seems like about the last thing you'd want to use for a generator if your goal is single phase 240... Yes, you'd have to convert to DC, then use an inverter to get the 240 single phase.

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Daniel Holzman

· #5 · Apr 28, 2009

I admire your ability to produce three phase electricity from what sounds like a home made operation, despite the fact that you apparently know little or nothing about electrical power. Takes a lot of guts to do it.

That said, if you really need 240 volts, you could get a step up transformer (three phase) to step the voltage from 60 to 240. Though as previous posts alluded to, god only knows what you would do with three phase 240 volt power if you got it.

By the way, you might want to hook up with an electrical contractor who actually understands the intricacies of three phase power before you do this, else you might become an unfortunate statistic. Unless you are just jivin with us, and you really do know what you are doing.

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frenchelectrican

· #6 · Apr 28, 2009

Motherhubbard said:
Hi, i have built a large waterwheel powering a 3 phase motor that is producing 60 volts AC per phase, can i join all phases together? The object is to produce 24o volts AC either through changing the AC to DC then to storage batteries then back to AC through a inverter or is there a way to join the phases together thus 180 Volts AC that some sort of boost to 240Volts Many thanks

No you can not join triphase conductors together as one splice you will destory the motor/generator setup like that.{ beside that you can actally "lock" the unit like that }

Many inverter can change the voltage but it work the best if you follow the manfactor instruction setup.

Merci,Marc

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gp_wa

· #7 · Apr 28, 2009

Daniel Holzman said:
you could get a step up transformer (three phase) to step the voltage from 60 to 240.

Assuming of course that he's managed to produce a usable and stable AC frequency.

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frenchelectrican

· #8 · Apr 28, 2009

Daniel Holzman said:
That said, if you really need 240 volts, you could get a step up transformer (three phase) to step the voltage from 60 to 240. Though as previous posts alluded to, god only knows what you would do with three phase 240 volt power if you got it.

By the way, you might want to hook up with an electrical contractor who actually understands the intricacies of three phase power before you do this, else you might become an unfortunate statistic. Unless you are just jivin with us, and you really do know what you are doing.

One., C'est simple take common 480Y208/120 transfomer and boost it in reverse manner.

now for second part as you mention now that is wise advice not only deal with triphase supply from water generator and other regulations it will come up.

Merci,Marc

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WFO

· #9 · Apr 29, 2009 (Edited)

kbsparky said:
Not unless you want the 4th of July to arrive early .... :jester:

Best response yet. Tying the three together would be a direct short, causing considerable damage to your equipment if you do not have adequate protection.
.......it may cause considerable damage even if you do.....

On the other hand, what you're trying to do is intriguing. I would have to guess that if your homemade waterwheel is only producing 60 volts per phase, you are probably going to see frequency problems as well as voltage problems. If you want to make a go of this, you probably want to persue rectifying the voltage to feed a battery bank and investing in a 3 phase inverter to make it usable. I think in the long run, it will be cheaper to buy it from your POCO...

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Gigs

· #10 · Apr 29, 2009

gp_wa said:
A three phase motor seems like about the last thing you'd want to use for a generator if your goal is single phase 240... Yes, you'd have to convert to DC, then use an inverter to get the 240 single phase.

It's not an unreasonable thing to use. A car alternator is a three phase generator, even though the goal is to produce DC to charge a battery. It's more efficient to do three phase.

In a car alternator, the rotor has a variable amount of magnetism controlled by the regulator which controls the output voltage. In a motor you have no such way to control the voltage.

To answer the original poster's question, you can rectify the three phase power to produce DC, the problem is regulation. It would be very easy to overvolt or overcharge the batteries. You will need some kind of robust charge controller in order to keep things managed.

I recommend you talk to an alternative energy forum instead of here. They will more likely know what you need.

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hayewe farm

· #11 · Apr 29, 2009

One has to question not only the amperage output but also the frequency. A water wheel, unless the coupling is through a governor, will have varying speeds and as such produce varying frequencies. Direct hook to the AC loads would not be advisable.

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