On Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:22:51 -0700 (PDT), Limp Arbor
wrote:

On Mar 30, 11:15Â*am, jamesgangnc wrote:
On Mar 30, 10:30Â*am, "
wrote:





On Mar 29, 7:07Â*pm, "Ralph Mowery" wrote:

"Limp Arbor" wrote in message

...
Question: (fixed type font picture)
L1 Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*N Â* Â* Â* Â* Â*L2
| Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* | Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* |
|____@@_____|____@@_____|
Â* Â*Outlet 1 Â* Â*Outlet 2

Are these statements correct using the above simple MW circuit?
If you lose the neutral and have a lamp plugged into Outlet 1 and
nothing in Outlet 2 the lamp wont work.
If you lose the neutral and have a lamp plugged into Outlet 1 you will
have the potential of 220V at Outlet 2.

1. Â*If you loose the neutral and a lamp in outlet 1, it will not work if
nothing is in outlet 2. Â*Neither will one in outlet 2 if nothing is in
outlet 1.

2. Â*If anything is connected to outlet one and two at the same time, the
voltage will split depending on the load. Â*The higher the resistance of the
load at one outlet compaired to outlet 2, the higher resistance will have
the most voltage across it. Â*If the loads are exectally equal, they will
both have half the supply voltage across them. Â* That is in your example, if
you put in a 60 watt lamp in each outlet and they both come up to the same,
they will appear normal with 110 volts across each one. Â*If you just put one
lamp in one of the outlets, you will measuer 220 volts ( more like 219.99999
or so) Â*on the other one that does not have a load. Â*As you put a load on
that outlet , the voltage will start dropping. Â*It may reach almost but not
exectally 0 volts, while the other outlets voltage will rise toward 220
volts.

And if you put any lamp in outlet one, and nothing in outlet two, the
potential
across the terminals of outlet two will be 240V. Â*I believe that was
the
question.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

And there in lies the fundamental flaw in these circuits. Â*If the
neutral in a regular circuit breaks nothing works. Â*If the neutral in
an edison circuit breaks you have a mess.

Exactly!

Is the minimal savings in wire really worth it?

Yeah I know there is also additional labor also but why do this? To
me the potential problems outweigh the savings.
In my opinion, and the opinion of my dad, an electrician, the ONLY
time an "edison circuit" makes sense is for a "split receptacle", as
required on countertops in Canada. You have 2 separate 15 or 20 amp
circuits that are not shared anywhere else - and the "tied" breakers
make sure there is NEVER power on only one side.
Each half of the duplex can handle it's full rated current, without
dependency on any other outlet. It's code in Canada.
NO legitimate load will EVER trip the breaker, so the breaker is there
to do it's primary job - protect against "fault" currents.