Should I Buy A Single Phase Or Three Phase Ice Cream Machine?

Posted on May 11, 2016

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Deciding between buying a single or three phase ice cream machine is a common, yet important, question customers ask. With anything you buy, you always need to weigh out the pros and cons of each. Each option is better suited for  a specific situation. Some ice cream machine models are only available in one option. In this post we explore all of the above concerns.

What Is The Difference Between A Single Phase & a Three Phase? 

	Single Phase: Single phase can be compared to a highway that is single lane. The highway provides a very limited wattage to run in parallel (about a total of 7.5 kW). This limits the amount of appliances you can run in parrallel.
	Three Phase: Three phase can be compared to a highway that has multiple lanes. This allows a very high amount of wattage to be used in parallel, so you can run multiple appliances in parallel with each other.

When is Three phase better?

A three phase ice cream machine is more energy efficient, for that reason it is the desired option when available. Three phase actually is three hot power legs in your breaker panel. If you currently only have single phase in your building the cost of bringing three phase in can be overwhelming. What is required to add three phase to your panel is pulling another wire from the nearest three phase power line and the replacement of your electric meter and breaker panel to accommodate the third hot leg.

Three phase machines generally have less problems as they do not need capacitors to start either motors or the compressor. When installing a three phase machine it’s vital to verify correct polarity since there’s a 50/50 chance of being incorrect. To do this you check the direction of the ice cream machine auger (the beater that goes into a machine that churns the product) to make sure it goes in the direction recommended by the machines manufacturer. 

When is Single phase better?

Single phase electrical outlets are found in every building. Therefore everyone can run a single phase machine. The costs of bringing three phase into a building are generally in the thousands of dollars. Single phase is a great solution if you do not yet have a building leased out or will be using the machine at various locations.

Capacitors, used in single phase machines, can fail from power surges, or being exposed to overheating temperatures. Capacitors are easy to change and are relatively cheap, however it may involve calling your technician to check if the capacitor is bad and to replace it.

What Can I do If I Want To Use a Three Phase Machine But Only Have A Single Phase Outlet?

Since some machines are only available in three phase, you can use inverters to plug them into single phase outlets. Inverters are not the most efficient, plus they can be expensive, but they’re much cheaper than bringing in a three phase line.

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