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Three-Phase Systems

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Three-Phase System Setup In Berks County, PA & Nearby Counties

Improve Commercial Efficiency With Three-Phase Systems

Electricity is a complex resource, and it takes many moving parts for it to reach your home or business. At Longacre Company, our job is to ensure that once the electricity arrives at your property, it can be distributed safely.

One of the ways we do this is by offering services to connect your property to a three-phase system. Allow us to break down how this works and explain whether or not these systems are right for your needs!

How Does Electricity Power Your Property?

Electricity’s journey starts long before it arrives at your electrical panel. First, it has to be made. Then, it must often travel hundreds of miles before you can reap its benefits.

electrician using a clamp to perform repairs on colorful electrical wires in a electrical box

Below are some of the common resources used to create electricity:

  • Coal
  • Water
  • Wind
  • Natural gas
  • Solar power

Now, these resources alone won’t bring you electricity. Many are actually used at a power plant to power a generator or turbine, which creates mechanical energy. The introduction of magnets to this process allows the mechanical energy to become electric.

The result is something known as an AC, or alternating current. This means that the magnets are causing electrons in a wire to switch directions, briefly hitting the zero point as they move between positive and negative values.

What Is A Three-Phase Power System?

Three-phase power was born from the understanding of how alternating currents behave. Specifically, it’s meant to prevent appliances from reaching the point where their current hits zero.

As the magnets turn, electrons will be attracted or expelled. This is what creates the alternating current. A three-phase system acts as a workaround to this. By placing three wires at an equal distance around the magnet, there will always be a current that’s actively providing electricity.

Breaking Down How Three-Phase Systems Work

Think of the three-phase power system as a choir trio singing a round — meaning they’ll all sing the same song, starting at different times. The first person starts singing by themselves, belting a note loudly before they must eventually take a breath.

Before this first person needs to stop and breathe, the second will join. The third person will follow, and they all sing the same amount of the song before they have to pause for a breath. The song is the same, but it’s occurring at different points — meaning they’re stopping at different points as well.

This represents the way electricity behaves around the magnet. When the magnet is parallel to a power line, it’s like the choir member taking a breath — no sound is coming from the singer and no current is moving. Despite each person stopping their song briefly, the staggered start means there’s never a point where there’s no noise. In the case of a three-phase system, there won’t be a point where no power is flowing.

Who Needs A Three-Phase Supply System?

Three-phase systems are designed to support properties with significantly larger electrical loads, such as businesses that are constantly running heavy machinery. Remember, with these systems in place, a current will always be flowing. This can improve the efficiency of high-demand appliances.

Despite this added efficiency for commercial settings, three-phase systems aren’t common for residential use. This is because even though the current in a single-phase system is hitting zero, it happens so briefly that it goes unnoticed. Most homes function just fine using the standard, single-phase system.

Ensure A Proper Setup With The Experts In Berks County

Setting your property up to receive three-phase power isn’t as simple as a snap of the fingers or the flick of a switch. The wiring, outlet and panel requirements for this process are very different than standard electrical systems.

It takes an experienced electrician to ensure your property is ready to take on this higher load of electricity. At Longacre, our experts are here to provide the installations you need for these systems. We’ll make sure all connections are secure and that electricity will be able to flow efficiently and, most importantly, safely.

If you’d like to set your business up to receive power from a three-phase electrical system, reach out to our team. We can inspect your property and guide you through the process.

Power Your Property With Longacre Company

Our electrical team at Longacre Company understands how electricity works and what it takes to use this resource safely. With years of experience serving both homes and businesses in our community, you can feel confident that we can provide the service you need.

Reach out to our electricians today to schedule your three-phase electrical system service.