It's single phase.
You are right!
I just assumed they were 3 phase since the faceplate said 480v.
Umm. I’m not to familiar with 480v single phase? The control panel service is 480v 3 phase
Any 2 legs will be 480 single phase. You have 3 phases to choose from.
Technically true, but to be clear, you cannot use the ground as a current carrying conductor like that, you would have to have a separate neutral (even though it is grounded at the source) AND a ground conductor. So this is definitely a single phase 480V line-to-line circuit for those heaters, which means that if you have 2 or 3 heater elements, the only way to connect them would be in series. That may not get you the desired effect here...Any leg to ground 277v and from leg to leg 480v!
Technically true, but to be clear, you cannot use the ground as a current carrying conductor like that, you would have to have a separate neutral (even though it is grounded at the source) AND a ground conductor. So this is definitely a single phase 480V line-to-line circuit for those heaters, which means that if you have 2 or 3 heater elements, the only way to connect them would be in series. That may not get you the desired effect here...
Any leg to ground 277v and from leg to leg 480v!
Huh?Any two phases and ground.
Ah, context is everything... sorry, I misinterpreted.I'm not suggesting that ground be used as a current carrying conductor. That would be illegal, immoral, and unsafe.
To power that heater the original poster is holding in his hand, each black line goes to one phase of a 480Y circuit and the green and yellow goes to chassis ground. What's wrong with that?