3 Phase

[Bob Ezra]

The building that our theatre is in, is switching from single phase to 3 phase elecric service.
They will be replacing the downstairs main panel ( which feeds a sub panel in the booth) to comply with code.

We have a Barco DP2k-12C with Showvault.

I'm wondering if there are any potential issues I should be aware of to be discussed with the electrtician?

[Harold Hallikainen]

I'm guessing the projector operates at 240 VAC single phase. Three phase is available as either delta or wye. With delta, a standard 120/240 single phase is available. With Wye, there are three 120 VAC circuits available, but line to line is 208 V instead of 240. So, it would be good to determine what voltage range the projector will accept and determine whether you are getting delta or wye service. If you need to convert 208 to 240, boost transformers are available.

[Jim Cassedy]

I would recommend disconnecting/unplugging as much equipment as possible (especially
the expensive stuff!) on the day the actual switch-over is done. Many years ago, when I
worked for a video production & editing company, the owners of the building were switching
out an ancient and out-of-code main panel in the basement and while they were doing so,
the electricians accidentally made a brief mistake which sent a momentary surge of 220/3ϕ
current up into our editing room sub-panel, causing damage to several 1in videotape machines
and TBC's, and our PBX system. Sure, their insurance paid for it, but it severely affected our
operations until everything got fixed. Ever since then, I've always disconnected as much 'stuff'
as possible if I know major electrical work is being done. For example, last year, I turned off all
the circuit breakers in my apartment while the utility company was replacing the pole transformer
in front of my building, to avoid any potential surge damage when they turned the pole power
back on - - You know the old saying. . "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

[Bob Ezra]

Very good advice Jim

[Bob Ezra]

These might help

[John Eickhof]

the 120-208 is the more common and preferred system today, years ago 3 phase was for all practical purposes a source for high energy power circuits like motors, ac units etc. as well as brute force power supplies. like my theatre, i had 120-240 3ph service strictly dedicated for the power circuits in my building and a sperate 1 phase service for 'lighting' and the power rates were different for each, my bill had a total for power and one for lighting, I am in a rural farming area. When I decided to twin the theatre and install a larger service (from 200a to 400 a) Idaho power said I could combine loads but I am served w/ 120-240 thus my switchgear had to be rated for the voltage and except for my actual 3 phase loads i could power 120-240 single phase, but if you look in my panels, the single phase breakers are two and a blank, two and a blank...because 240v has the third phase leg at 180-190v to ground thus you cant run any 120v loads on that leg! That is why power companies prefer the 120-208 as all three legs are usable for single phase 120v loads yet they get to charge you the higher 'lighting' rate per kw/hr so! it's been 30+ years now and I am the only 3phase load downtown...and if it wasn't for the farming, they would love to make me convert to 120-208 but all my switchgear and loading would have to be changed! So far so good! the only other thing to worry about is rotation of electrical motors like fans or pumps, but a qualified. Electrician will make sure everything turns as it should, and today 99% of devices are multi-voltage, frequency, and phase rated, like your barfco, it will run fine and since they will probably install 3 phase panels, i would wire it in for 208/240 3 phase it will drop your load some! for example, my single phase rate is 6.82cents per kw/hr, but the 3 phase power rate is 4.12cents per kw/hr!

[Leo Enticknap]

If you need to convert 208 to 240, boost transformers are available.

The installation manual says that it needs 220...

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However, I've connected Barco DP2K-Cs to both single phase 208 and two legs of a three-phase delta before (you cannot connect all three phases: on the C series, there are only terminals for two conductors plus ground), and they've worked just fine. Might be worth checking with Barco/Cinionic that this is officially OK, but, as indicated on the data label in Bob's post above, it looks like both the SMPS and the lamp power supply modules are happy with anything from 200 to 240, for compatibility with all the possible locales that they may be used in.

[Juan Jose Garcia Calvo]

The building that our theatre is in, is switching from single phase to 3 phase elecric service.
They will be replacing the downstairs main panel ( which feeds a sub panel in the booth) to comply with code.

We have a Barco DP2k-12C with Showvault.

I'm wondering if there are any potential issues I should be aware of to be discussed with the electrtician?

When We installed our DP3000 in 2011, it came configured for three phase supply, but our booth had only single phase mains.

The BARCO power supply had three switching power supply inside it, each one connected to one one phase, and we changed this configuration of these power supply input to be feeded all of them from the same single phase. The DP3000 manual indicates how to do it and was easy.

Maybe you can do the same thing but in reverse (if yours have 3 separated power supply units). Our DP3000 is still working.

Regards,

JuanJo

[Gordon McLeod]

Make sure they put a TVSS on the panel for the booth equipment.
If it beases a UL or CSA label the unit must be able to run on a range of 200-248 volts. So it should have no issue.
I would at the same time ensure that the booth panel loads are balanced

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I second what Gord said!!! We even spec'd them back in the film days...