[conspire] Fade and open Neutrals

[Michael Paoli]

> From: Texx <texxgadget at gmail.com>
> Subject: [conspire] Fade and open Neutrals
> Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 20:12:43 -0700

> Primary feeds a step down transformer, so we take 4000 and step it down to
> 240 volt wire to wire.
>
> This secondary winding has a tap at the centre point.
> At the pole this "neutral" tap is bonded to earth.
> This is why you have 3 wires coming to your house.
>
> Im talking US single phase here.
>
> By the time the service line gets to your fuse box, the Neutral is probably
> about 15 volts above earth.

That can vary.  There are also different practices, including older,
and more modern, regarding bonding neutral to ground.  Notably when
it must/should/shouldn't/mustn't be done, and where.
I'll provide one teensy hint of some relevance: GFCI

> The 2 hot wires are 180 of of phase from each other.  They are opposites.
> When the first hot is at maximum + the other is at maximum - and vice versa.
> Do NOT call these 2 hots "phases"!  This is NOT TRUE!

Hmmm, I dunno, I've often heard it called 2-phase.  Now, whether one
calls it 1-phase, or 2-phase, I don't think it really makes a practical
difference.  1-phase, simple enough, 2-phase, when you go from 1 to 2, the
2nd "phase" is 180 degrees out-of-phase.  So, calling it 1 phase or 2
is sort'a a matter of perspective, and doesn't really make too
much difference.
3-phase and up, continues logical extension thereof.
So, N-phase, would be 360/N degree phase difference between legs.  N,
of course, being a positive integer.  So, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, all kind'a common.
Most others that exist are typically some integral multiplier of those,
but large numbers of phases are pretty rare ... don't think there's any
3-digit phases in practical common use anywhere - at least that I'm aware
of.  But sometimes huge generators can have large numbers of phases.
Often some large multiple of 3 - and those will be handed out to
distribution lines as sets of 3-phase each ... so something like a
12-phase multi-megawatt generator might service 4 large 3-phase circuits.