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@alan 279 I believe main distribution networks now are all 3 phase, to deliver sufficient power to a neighbourhood. Back in the day, lots of houses used 3 phase, as a back up to one phase failing...! But it is more expensive, and not necessary today outside of commercial uses. To come to your house you will need 4 cables - 3 phases and a common or neutral... And, of course, you must have an earth or ground circuit everywhere, as each phase can typically deliver up to 110 amps... enough to kill you easily!!

@alan279

7 August 2025

If there are 3 lines, it is most likely a 2 phase (110V each) and a neutral.  The voltage difference between the 2 - 110V phases is what generates the single phase 220V.  If you want to get a 2 phase - 110V, you will have to use the neutral line.  One phase will be from one 110V live and the neutral and the second phase will be from the second 110V live and the neutral.   This is how the power is distributed in the US.

Of course, you should also provide a very reliable ground for safety as peter_itamaraca mentioned.

I would be more worried about the power supply amperage to the house.  An estimate of what 50kW charger would need is at least a 100A per phase supply.  This is also dependent on the Power Factor of the supply too...

I would definitely hire an expert who will handle the grounding, subpanel installation, circuit breakers, etc. and permits.

@Peter Itamaraca

I have a new green (color) transformer in front of my apartment from four years ago.

There are three overhead wires on the street. The transformer has three inputs and three outputs. I have 127v and 220v outlets in my apartment.

@Pablo888

We have 127v and 220v power to houses here.

@alan279

And I can't send you a photo on this platform.

@Pablo888

I have two engineering degrees and I never do DIY electrical work. 😀

Can I install a 50 kw DC fast charger that requires 3 phase power to charge my friends' electric cars? - @alan279

I conclusion, I think it it will be prohibitively expensive to install this into your domestic situation - both in terms of equipment required and cost to install, let alone the actual power costs to use it on a number of cars. It is only really suitable for commercial premises, where a charge may be levied, and multiple users are likely to be found.

@Peter Itamaraca

It would be a commercial venture (boondoggle?). A 50kw charger costs R$100.000.

@Peter Itamaraca

If electrical power distribution is Brazil is three phase as in my neighborhood, is 50kw available on every street in my neighborhood? The transformers all look the same, though they can be closer together for commercial buildings

@alan279

It is difficult to comment on one neighbourhood that I do not know, when there are so many variances all over Brazil...! I do not know what the rating is for your transformers, but it does make sense they will all be rated the same...

@alan279
It is difficult to comment on one neighbourhood that I do not know, when there are so many variances all over Brazil...! I do not know what the rating is for your transformers, but it does make sense they will all be rated the same... - @Peter Itamaraca

9 August 2025

@alan279, if the first name of your friend is Elon, I would say that yes, please invest in the charger and spend even more to solve all 3 phase power issues of Brasil.  If it is THE person, he has $Billions to spend...

@Peter Itamaraca

I saw three new 552KVA transformers near several 12 story residential buildings under construction on the beach. These transformers are twice as big as the usual neighborhood transformers.

@Peter Itamaraca
I saw three new 552KVA transformers near several 12 story residential buildings under construction on the beach. These transformers are twice as big as the usual neighborhood transformers. - @alan279

Unfortunately, I cannot comment from any experienced garnered in my location as, since 1995, we have had a 2-story limit on any construction. So we have none of those big transformers...

@Peter Itamaraca

Porto Seguro has a two-story limit, too. Any idea why?

@Pablo888

What are the 3 phase issues in Brazil?

@Peter Itamaraca
Porto Seguro has a two-story limit, too. Any idea why? - @alan279

Primarily to avoid becoming like Floripa, when the tall buildings fronting the beach cast a shadow all afternoon meaning the beaches get no sunshine in the pm, but also to allow breezes to pass to those living further from the beach...

And avoiding becoming a second Balneário  Camboriú, or yet another skyscraper city on a beach?

@Peter Itamaraca

Can you verify the cause of the Pirto Segeuro' height limiration?

@alan279

Only what I said before....

I asked for onformation on an eletroposto franchise in Brazil. I declined to view the PowerPoint marketing video presentation via WhatsApp. I thought PowerPoint was deprecated 20 years ago.

@Peter Itamaraca

I was told that Porto Seguro wanted to retain its colonial heritage by limiting construction to two floors.

All I saw was traffic congestion on the sole beach stroad.

A car dependent party town, forevermore.

What does Itamaraca's future look like?

@Peter Itamaraca

I lived in an oceanfront apartment for ten years. The inland street was hotter than the beach. No skyscrapers, just one and two story buildings.

@Pablo888
What are the 3 phase issues in Brazil? - @alan279

August 12, 2025

I am not sure that there is 3 phase supply in my place.  Who knows?  I know of some of the problems in British Columbia where I did some work... Nothing is ever perfect.  However, it will take money to start listing all the issues.

Not what I am interested in....

Check your meter head.  You'll have two hots and a ground, which is called "split phase" but is actually only considered single phase.  You'll only use one hot leg for 110 outlets, but 220v will make use of each.  As I have nothing here that runs on 220v, I just split my second hot leg off and run it to a secondary breaker box, using it to power my tools in my garage.

I wouldn't recommend installing anything unless you are 500% certain of absolutely everything concerning the electrical network in your home; in the past two years, I've had to rip out everything from my two homes and install new, as all the wiring was poorly done and extremely questionable.  Become familiar with DIN type breakers, etc., as anything north american (Square D, etc) is going to be difficult to find at a reasonable cost.

I'm now looking for a location for an eletroposto. Car chargers require 3 phase power. There are three wires on the power poles in my neighborhood. Does that mean that there is 3 phase power on the street?

Check your meter head. You'll have two hots and a ground, which is called "split phase" but is actually only considered single phase. - @Jesus H Chrysler

8 Sept 2025

Are you sure that it is not 2 hots and 1 neutral return?  I would never put 1 hot and 1 ground for a neutral return as you run the risk of shocking anyone using that ground.  I know that the neutral is eventually wired to the ground but the neutral is typically where most of the return current goes.

@Pablo888

Yeah, it's a neutral and not a ground.  I've got my ground connected about 25cm inside from the meter head.

@alan279

If there are three insulated wires and a neutral, it's a safe bet that 3 phase is available.  Consult with your provider to make certain, because it's also a safe bet that about 90% of the wires handing from the poles are useless either way.

@alan279

Brazil is strange about electricity.  I have a three phase panel in my house in Manaus, but two of the phases are jumpered together and I have only a single phase result--240V with a neutral.  I have 110V outlets throughout the house because I have a neutral  with a center tap.  But the water heater on my shower is 220V and so are my air conditioners.     But lo, and behold, I know there is three phase-power on the incoming lines because I had some workers come to flush my well, and they used a 3 phase pump, but they hard wired them to the wires coming in, bypassing the meter and my electrical panel.  If you look in my panel, you would freak out.  There is no color code.  Wires of every color you can imagine are hooked up in a random fashion 

As far as charging an electric car with three phase power, that depends on whether you have a high enough rated service.  Depending on the age of your house, you might or might not.  But Brazilians do some wierd things with electricity.  Be cautious.