On Oct 23, 2:24*am, Wayne Whitney wrote:
On 2009-10-23, Pete C. wrote:



JayTKR wrote:

That's what I thought -- that 200 amps at 240 volts is basically 400 amps
available at 120 volts. *

The difference is that you can't run a single 120V load at a full 400
amps. *But you could run two different 120V loads at 200 amps.

One other complicating factor is the 125A max branch circuit
limitation.

The only limitation here is in the breakers for your panel. *Larger
breakers may be available; they often take up more space than normal
in the panel, so as to have multiple connections to the same busbar.

Cheers, Wayne

People just playing with words!

Since: Power = voltage multiplied by amperage. For example if one has
individual 20 amp 115 volt circuits the maximum power each could carry
is 115 x 20 = 2,300 watts.

A 15 amp lighting circuit, 115 x 15 = 1725 watts.

Similarly (ignoring the 80% rule for the moment) the maximum power
that a 200 amp (Standard North American 115 - 0 - 115) domestic
service can carry is 200 x 230 = 46,000 watts.

It is not possible for all the power could be loaded 'all on one 115
volt leg/side', as 115 x 400 = 46,000 watts. This would be rather like
saying one could put the total weight of a ten ton truck ALL on one
set of wheels! Or hiring two taxis to carry ten passengers, but then
putting all ten passengers in one taxi, with none in the other!

That's also why domestic loads are 'supposed' to be balanced/
distributed' across both legs. In practice rarely operating in most
situations at anything close to maximum loading. So balance not often
an issue.

A domestic service double pole main circuit protects both legs of the
incoming service. Once the trip limit of the breaker (200 amps say)
exceeded, on either leg it would operate thus disconnecting both 115
volt legs.