Eli5: What’s the difference between a single phase electric current versus a 3 phased one?

Question

Eli5: What’s the difference between a single phase electric current versus a 3 phased one?

In: 18

Answer 1

Single Phase AC circuits swing up and down creating a consistent wave which helps push energy into things.

3 phase AC has 3 identically sized Single Phase AC waves pushing energy into things, but each phase’s wave is staggered so the top of each wave hits one after another in perfect timing.

Thus works kind of like pushing a pedal on your bicycle, each Phase is like pushing down on your pedal, you need the first phase to push the pedal all the way down on the right so the next phase can push the pedal all the way down on the left.

This is why 3 phase electricity is more efficient than single phase for powering motors (and bicycles would also be more efficient if we had 3 legs to push 3 pedals…), as each phase helps rotate the motor just enough for the next phase to take it further.