3 phase 3 pin to commando single phase

[4rchibald]

I'm going abroad for some time and there will be a 3 phase socket (4 pins, 16A as per the attached photo).

My car charger is fitted with a 3 pin 32A commando (single phase PCE in blue).

The charged is rated 16A so my question is if there are any adapters that will link the 3 phase with the charger?

I found the standard 3 phase but not the one without earth.

 

[plugwash]

What colour is the socket? (I know you posted a picture, but it's clearly a picture from a catalogue not a picture of the actual socket)

A red 4 pin socket supplies only 400V. So to supply regular 230V equipment from it would require a transformer which at the power levels required to charge an electric car will likely be hard to find and expensive.

A blue 4 pin socket supplies 230V but it's 230V phase to phase, most equipment won't care but it's possible some EV chargers will consider it a "fault" if the "neutral" is not close to earth potential.

 

[plugwash]

I found the standard 3 phase but not the one without earth.

All connectors of that style have an earth, some of them lack a neutral.

 

[4rchibald]

The red socket has a 400v red plug, but with only 4 pins (not sure if it lacks earth or neutral), but I've seen these adaptors so I'm wondering if there is something similar for the 4 pin 400v plug

16A 400v Plug to 16A 230v Socket

16A 400V to 16A 230V 3 Core 2.5mm H07

www.essentialsupplies.co.uk

 

[plugwash]

No.

The colour represents the highest voltage present. All sockets have a protective earth conductor.

A blue 3 pin socket has two current carrying conductors plus a protective earth conductor. The voltage between the current carrying conductors is 230V (or thereabouts). One of those conductors may be a neutral conductor (and there is a convention for which one if it is) but it does not have to be.

A red 5 pin socket is a three phase with neutral supply and normally* has 400V (or therabouts) from phase to phase and 230V from phase to neutral. So you can build an adapter cord with a red 5 pin plug and a blue 3 pin socket by connecting the blue three pin socket to the Neutral, Earth and one of the phases of the 5 pin plug.

A blue 4 pin socket is a three phase supply without a neutral and normally has 230V (or thereabouts) from phase to phase. So you can build an adapter cord with a blue 4 pin plug and a blue 3 pin socket by connecting the blue three pin socket to the Earth and two of the phases of the 4 pin plug.

A red 4 pin socket is a three phase supply without a neutral and normally has 400V (or thereabouts) from phase to phase. So you cannot supply a 230V load from it without using a transformer.


* I'm simplifying slightly here, as well as the regular red connectors there are also special variants used on ships and for supplies to refridgerated shipping containers. You aren't likely to encounter those though.

 

[ericmark]

No, you can only do it 5 pin to three pin, the plug you show has no neutral, also even with 5 pin have found it where still no neutral.

 

[Robin0577]

You cannot do this with a simple cable adapter. As everyone else has pointed out, you have no neutral available.

In theory, it can be done with a transformer but that would be very impractical due to the size, weight and cost of such a thing. Out of interest, I looked one up, it was about 50kg in weight and cost 900 Euros.

 

[FrodoOne]

You are going abroad to a particular single location with only the 3-phase (4-pin) socket illustrated "available".
How do you know this?

If this in Europe, surely there will be other standard 230 V, 16 A sockets available for you to use, possibly via an "adaptor" lead.

 

[4rchibald]

Thanks for your answers.
There is an adaptor from 3 phase to 240V, but due to age of the install (40 years +) and the fact that my device can pull 32A through commando which will be incompatible with the 16A socket and I don't want to damage the wiring.

I will be using a standard 3 pin 13A adapter