wrote in message
...
Small correction to my previous post, where I left out a couple of
zeros in the text.... Here'e the corrected version.


Here's a circuit diagram of a fully loaded, balanced 200 amp service:


-------------- 240 volt source-----------
I I
a I I b
I I
I------------------2.4 ohmRes-----------I
I I
I-----1.2 ohmR-----1.2 ohmR--------I


How much current is flowing in the "service", which is through the
voltage source? 200 amps. It supporting one 240Volt 100 amp load
and two 120volt 100 amp loads. By every circuit concept I've ever
heard of there is but 200 amps flowing in the service cable here.
Yet,
some would have you believe it 300 amps.


If we want to include the neutral then it looks like this:


+ -- + --
I------------120V----I-------120V---------
I I I
I I I
I I I
I-----1.2ohms------I--------1.2ohms---I
I I
I-------------------2.4 ohms---------------I


The service now consists of 3 wires. In this case, because it's
balanced no current is flowing in the neutral. You can unbalance it,
do anything you like and still with a 200 amp service there is only
200 amps flowing in, 200 amps flowing out. And it;s not a "parallel "
circuit either as Doug has claimed.



With balanced loads that's true. But what about the following with with
a 0.6 ohm load across L1 and the neutral, and NO load across L2 and the
neutral (an open).

L1 side L2 side
I000000000000000000000000000000000I The 00000s
represent trans. windings
I------120V----------I-------120V---------I
I I I
MB1= 200A main breaker Line 1 side
I I I
MB2= 200A main breaker Line 2 side
MB1 I MB2
I I I
I I I
I-----0.6ohms--------I------ ------I

There will be 200Amps down thru MB1 and thru the load and back up thru the
secondary winding using
one half of the transformer secondary winding.to form a circular loop..
There will be NO current thru MB2
because there is no current path.