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how to upgrade electricity supply to Phase 3

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  1. #1

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    how to upgrade electricity supply to Phase 3

    Hello,
    My friend has bought a new property on HK Island. She then found that the electricity supply is Phase 1. She would like to upgrade to phase 3. Upon enquiry the management informed her that all the electricity available for uprage to phase 3 has already been allocated.
    Is there anyone else she can contact for the upgrade? Like, for example, HK electric? Is it possible for her to carry out the upgrade privately, and not through the buildings management?


  2. #2

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    I suspect that something is being lost in translation here.

    What does she need three phase power for?

    Most sockets will be single phase, 220V.

    Three phase power is used for very high power applications- you'll get much higher voltage and available amperage. I'm not aware of anything in a HK residential setting that would require it. Maybe something like the motors that drive the building elevators (at a guess).

    shri likes this.

  3. #3

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    Was about to post this thread and got distracted: https://geoexpat.com/forum/53/thread340718.html

    No clue why you'd need this in a regular apartment...


  4. #4

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    Usually HK buildings are supplied with 3 phase power (3 active wires and 1 neutral wire), which is used for elevators and other high power applications in the common areas of the building, but then each individual apartment will be just 1 phase (1 active wire and 1 neutral wire) that is split from one of the 3 phases. There is generally not a need for 3 phase power in HK apartments.

    In Australia I have 3 phase power at my place because I have a ducted A/C system (one A/C unit that powers whole home), 6.6KW solar panels on the roof that feed electricity back into the grid during day time, a 3 phase inverter in the garage to convert the 600V DC produced by the solar panels into 220V AC spread evenly across all 3 phases of the home.

    Skyhook likes this.

  5. #5

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    She thinks she needs more to run ACs and oven simultaneosly, as her apartment is about 2K sq ft.
    But seems like others are manageing with 1 Phase. Thanks for your reply.


  6. #6

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    Thank you all for clarifying.


  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by hongkonggirl:
    She thinks she needs more to run ACs and oven simultaneosly, as her apartment is about 2K sq ft.
    But seems like others are manageing with 1 Phase. Thanks for your reply.
    Try better insulation?

    Double coated Low-E coated windows?

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    Wooden flooring

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    Thermally insulated plasterboard on ceilings and external walls

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    etc

    A lot can be done to lower the load on the Aircon with minimal expense.
    Last edited by East_coast; 16-08-2021 at 04:01 PM.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by jgl:
    I suspect that something is being lost in translation here.

    What does she need three phase power for?

    Most sockets will be single phase, 220V.

    Three phase power is used for very high power applications- you'll get much higher voltage and available amperage. I'm not aware of anything in a HK residential setting that would require it. Maybe something like the motors that drive the building elevators (at a guess).
    so much wrong in this thread.......
    instantaneous electric water heaters, very common and use 3 phase.
    emx, UK/HKboy and Sage like this.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    Was about to post this thread and got distracted: https://geoexpat.com/forum/53/thread340718.html

    No clue why you'd need this in a regular apartment...
    instantaneous electric water heaters, very common and use 3 phase.

    typically, a new flat condo type, within the last ten years or so is provided with three phase supply (for many reasons) old flats have single phase.
    shri and Sage like this.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    Usually HK buildings are supplied with 3 phase power (3 active wires and 1 neutral wire), which is used for elevators and other high power applications in the common areas of the building, but then each individual apartment will be just 1 phase (1 active wire and 1 neutral wire) that is split from one of the 3 phases. There is generally not a need for 3 phase power in HK apartments.
    typically, a new flat condo type, within the last ten years or so is provided with three phase supply (for many reasons) old flats have single phase.

    the primary use is the instantaneous electric water heater, very common, and it needs 3 phase supply.
    East_coast likes this.

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