Electrical Phase/Pole Power Question

Jul 12, 2003 4 Replies

OK, I know what a phase is (roughly). What I am trying to understand is how power is distributed to a house.



I see a single wire on top of the pole outside my house that runs to the transformer. The transformer is grounded. Two wires, we got a circuit ! It appears that the transformer takes whatever is on the hot wire and supplies a tree wire feed for my house. I assume these are 120hot, 120hot, and a neutral ?



Are these two phases of 120v power ? Is the transformer just a center tap type of situation ? Is the neutral that feeds my house bonded to the ground wire at the transformer ?



Thanks for any insight. FWIW, I am not trying to do my own tap off the power line, just curious.



Bob


formatting link
may answer some of your questions.

-- Jack Gavin

Yes.

Yes. 180 degrees out of phase.

Yes.

Yes. And also to an earth ground at your service entry.

jim ___ Have a home upkeep question? Try my help page. It's sort of an alt.home.repair FAQ.

formatting link

Close explanation, the nominal 13kv is phase to phase and ~7kv to ground. The distribution transformers you describe each see ~7kv on the primary side.

very sorry about the 3 phase volts to grnd error.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required