convert 3 phase to single phase?

[m_c]

3 phase is nearly always better when it's an option, however power companies will screw* you over to get it, but once you get past the installation cost things get cheaper.
3 phase isn't really high voltage, it's only referred to 415V because that's the maximum possible voltage difference you can get at any one time. 3 phase is just three 240V phases with 120degree seperation, and you get the 415V by taking power from two of the phases as when one is at 240V, the others will be at -175V (because you can never have two peaks directly opposing, you never get a 240 and -240 peak at the same time). To get 240V, you just pick a phase and use neutral.


*power companies will screw you every way possible when it comes to them doing anything on their side. I know somebody who got charged £1500 for them to just come and move a cable from one hole into another hole (had to move the cable to clear a house extension), with all the digging already done!