I've seen this question pop up a few times, but I still can't find a solid answer. I'm looking at a small shop for mining with a 150kw power draw. Talking to the electrician and utility, but they're not super helpful. They just want me to tell them what I need. The shop has a 1-phase 200 amp panel but they’re open to upgrades.
1-Phase vs 3-Phase Power for Mining: What's Best?
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Why suggest 3-phase for mining? In my view, it doesn’t really matter since you’ll be using PSUs that only need a single phase. By the end of the day, you’re just running 3 single-phase wires. Focus on the total power and cost instead.
150kw is a bit much for single phase but still doable. It really depends on the cost of the panel and if the power company needs to change anything on their end. Like someone said, just go with the cheaper option.
Is pulling 150kw on single phase a problem for the utility? It seems super unbalanced on their lines.
I’m guessing "TDU" means your power supplier? Yes and no. Sure, it’s a load on one phase, but they should manage the load across all customers. In North America, their ‘3-phase’ might not even be true 3-phase, just created with a wild leg. Voltage should be the same across lines.
So you’re saying they can balance the load easier than I think? Also, are you talking about "high-leg delta"? I’m thinking about asking for 240 3-phase in delta.
You’re overthinking it... Unless you’re pulling mega-watts, balancing isn’t your concern. With 3-phase power, you just balance from your panel. With single-phase, it’s still on the utility. Assuming you’re in a developed area with a stable grid.
I’m in the US. Do miners like Antminers run better on higher voltage? That’s why I was aiming for 240v. I keep hearing that a 415/240 volt transformer is ideal, so figured 240 delta was similar.
That wild leg can be a safety issue. If you add new circuits, you need to know which panel slots are powered by it. Usually, it’s every third slot.
I’m scaling up to 400kW, still on the phase decision. Why was 150kW considered "3-phase territory"? Should I go for 3-phase for 400kW?
Let me explain. Industrial users usually need 3-phase for motors, which are more efficient than single-phase ones. With the third wire, you can handle more load without upsizing everything. Get 3-phase if you have big HVAC or fans.
I’m not an electrician, but I deal with these issues often. What country are you in? What are the voltage levels? I think of 220-240VAC as two single-phase legs. My shop has 3-phase for non-mining equipment like compressors.
In North America, it’s not 2-phase. It’s called "Split Phase" since one single phase is split into two legs using a center-tap transformer. Both legs are in-phase, unlike true polyphase setups with a phase shift.