Wiring for 230V boiler

Status
Not open for further replies.

Loretta C

Member
Location
Alameda CA
We are preparing to install a 230V, single phase boiler in a commercial building in San Francisco. We have a 208Y/120 panel; do we need a special transformer for 230 or will 2 hots and a neutral work? Thanks.
 

Besoeker3

Senior Member
Location
UK
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
We are preparing to install a 230V, single phase boiler in a commercial building in San Francisco. We have a 208Y/120 panel; do we need a special transformer for 230 or will 2 hots and a neutral work? Thanks.
You could use a 208V input, 230V output auto transformer.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Do you understand the implication of running a 230 resistance element @208 volt? Is it really 230 volt or 240 volt. Does it call for 120/240 or 240 volt. There is a difference. Are you trained electrician?
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
We are preparing to install a 230V, single phase boiler in a commercial building in San Francisco. We have a 208Y/120 panel; do we need a special transformer for 230 or will 2 hots and a neutral work? Thanks.

For the boiler in question there should be an installation manual. With a manufacturers model number you can normally look these up on-line.

I just looked up a cheap residential boiler that operates on 240V and the say it can be wired at 208V and that the control transformer has a 208V tap. They say that it will have reduced capacity and maybe performance issues (obviously).

Check the installation manual for the boiler that you have. See what the manufacturer says.

The best thing to do is to get the right boiler in the first place. It may cost a little more but gets rid of all the confusion and it's easier to install.
 

Loretta C

Member
Location
Alameda CA
Thanks guys. First off, don't panic, I'm not doing any of this myself. And no I'm not an electrician, nor do I claim to be one. I'm a chief engineer in a high rise building...
Boiler contractor is installing the boilers, which state clearly 230 volt single phase. They do not do the electrical, so I'm waiting to hear back from the electrical contractor. We rarely if ever come across 230v equipment in any building I've worked in so I'm not very familiar with it and most of the engineers I've talked to aren't either so I thought I'd see what the options were.
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
I would contact the boiler contractor and instruct them to provide equipment that operates at 208 volts. They are responsible for being compatible with your building; the building is not responsible for being compatible with their equipment.
 

Julius Right

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrical Engineer Power Station Physical Design Retired
Let's say the boiler rating is 6 kW/230 V [Europian 400/√3=231V] single phase.
At 208 V the power will be only 6*208^2/230^2=4.9 kW.
If the boiler capacity is 300 l[=300/3.7854=79.25 gallons] and
neglecting heat losses to ambient [ water from 20oC to 100oC -water heat capacity 4 kJ/liter/oK] the water in this boiler will reach 100oC in 4.45 h for 230 V but for 208 V it will take 5.45h.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
You are going to have less output, so if units are marginally sized to begin with performance will be even worse with the lower overall watt output.

Controls may or may not work depends on what there is for controls, though I'd guess most cases it will still work.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top