You typically connect 1/3 of lamps on one phase, one third on another and so on.
In the UK we use a 230V single phase system for most things (industrial/commercial often use 400V) (if all three phases are in use it's 400V - you may see it as 415V but we harmonised with Europe to 400V) so lighting expects that 230V anyway, you still have a common ground, you just run the live for each phase to the lamp/light.
Power delivery to homes is in effect a single phase out of a three phase supply with each house (often but not always) wired in sequence, so house 1 is Phase 1, house 2 is Phase 2, house 3 is Phase 3, house 4 is phase 1 and repeat.
We have standard colors for this as well (as do most jurisdictions), neutral is always blue but the phases are Brown, Black and Grey
When I trained as an industrial electrician they where different colors, they changed in 2006 so that just makes me feel old (used to be Red, Yellow, Blue with Black for Neutral).
> We have standard colors for this as well (as do most jurisdictions), neutral is always blue but the phases are Brown, Black and Grey
Never even thought about the fact that different regions may have different colour standards. This explains some of the power cables I've torn apart over the years and the strange colours I found inside!
> When I trained as an industrial electrician they where different colors, they changed in 2006 so that just makes me feel old (used to be Red, Yellow, Blue with Black for Neutral).
Making a mental note of that one... a black neutral would be a nasty surprise coming from North America.
Indeed, half my house is blue/brown, the other half is black/red since reg changes where grandfathered in and the wiring has been added to (some places clearly by a knowledgeable individual others..not so much).
I spent the first day after we bought it and moved in going around with a screw driver, side cutters a notepad and enough swearing to make a pirate with Tourette’s blush.
It’ll need a full rewire at some point, while I can do it myself to a commercial standard our regs require a currently qualified electrician sign off (mine expired many years ago) so I’ll just pay someone to do the lot.
It’s annoying but I’ve seen enough horror shows to see why it’s nescessary.
You typically connect 1/3 of lamps on one phase, one third on another and so on.
In the UK we use a 230V single phase system for most things (industrial/commercial often use 400V) (if all three phases are in use it's 400V - you may see it as 415V but we harmonised with Europe to 400V) so lighting expects that 230V anyway, you still have a common ground, you just run the live for each phase to the lamp/light.
Power delivery to homes is in effect a single phase out of a three phase supply with each house (often but not always) wired in sequence, so house 1 is Phase 1, house 2 is Phase 2, house 3 is Phase 3, house 4 is phase 1 and repeat.
We have standard colors for this as well (as do most jurisdictions), neutral is always blue but the phases are Brown, Black and Grey
When I trained as an industrial electrician they where different colors, they changed in 2006 so that just makes me feel old (used to be Red, Yellow, Blue with Black for Neutral).