Hi, our house is currently supplied with 3 phase mains from EDF, we only have a 9Kw supply as currently that is sufficient for our needs. We have an electric hob in the kitchen, and electric water heater and generally things run smoothly. The hob is a 3 phase compatable one and is wired in appropriately. We have a wood burning stove with a back boiler for the heating in winter but occasionally need a top up with an electric heater.
The difficulty i am having though is that there is always something that will clash with another item, i.e. kettle and hob phase 1, or washing machine (heating cold water) and hot water tank, so always at some point the master trip goes. Of course being 3 phase each phase trips at a low power consumption (12 amps) than the individual circuit breaker (16 Amps)for that feed. So although I can use 9Kw I can only effectively use 3kw per phase, or this is how it seems to work for me.
I don't need to raise my supply to 12Kw, although that would be the easy way out, so I am thinking of getting my supply changed to a single phase and was wondering if anyone else has gone through this. Was it easy to manage and get done or complicated and expensive.
Greetings, if this thread is still live, I also have an interest in 3 re 1 phase.
Our house is wired to 3 phase with the loadings split in the fuse box from each of the phases, which seemed to suit the previous owner for 37 years, although I suspect his usage was low. We have ben paying EDF 60 euros a month for whatever supply that is. However we want more than we can get off of one phase (4KW ?) as we have now brought a large number of our belongings over from the UK.
The suggestion from two electricians who have looked at the wiring is that we ask EDF for a single phase supply together with an upgraded supply cable, as the current 3 phase looks like it uses 6mm max per cable. They say that nowadays we can get a high enough supply off of single phase for want we need.
My only concern is that for years in the UK I would have given my right arm for a 3 phase supply (try buying a single phase lathe that will turn anything other than wood !!!) but now I think I'm past my machinging days and converting to single phase shouldn't be any loss to me.
But am I missing any tricks ?
Is this thread still running? I am having lots of trouble in my house. I have contacted the previous owner, who says that he had the wiring in the fuse box changed from tri-phase to mono-phase by the local electrician. I note, Ben, that you say this could be a problem with equipment. Could it also be a problem with EJP?
Best way to go is to call your local EDF and have it done by them you'll need a new "disjoncteur from them anyway). Normally your subscription costs will go down when you're on monophase. But you have to be sure that all your electric equipment can be changed from triphase to monophase. If you bought the house from a previous owner pay special attention to electric equipment that came with the house (for example the hot-water tank); these are most likely equipped for triphase and will not work on monophase. Some equipments can be rewired to run on monophase though when you know your way around electricity.
If it's any comfort your abonnement will be a lot cheaper if you convert to 2 phase.
Do you have three phase to the house and use three phase or just one - our place has all three phases to it but then just one is used which seems quite common...
Hi Paul - at a guess, you would need to get a rewire of the house and bring it up to current regs. Being three phase, you probably don't have an earth?
Good luck.