Balancing Line Load in a Three Phase Multi-Circuit Control Cabinet

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Here is what I'm dealing with: from the main breaker are the three lines in (three phase power) terminating at distribution blocks. From the distribution block to the power out supply breakers, would loads be balanced when a cabinet has a number of circuits not divisible by the number of lines in? If not, what are the adverse effects to the unbalanced circuits?

So for example, I'm building a cabinet to power 5 components with 5 separate breakers. I want to make sure that I'm not going to damage any of the 5 components I'm trying to feed with my three phase power.
 

just the cowboy

Inactive, Email Never Verified
Location
newburgh,ny
Do the best you can

Do the best you can

If you have 5 single pole breakers and they all draw the same there is nothing you can do to change that. But if the load is differant for each breaker you would try to balance them the best you can. You can only do so much with what you have.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Are the 5 load circuits three phase loads (equal draw from each line), line to line single phase loads, line to neutral single phase loads or combinations of any of these?

Next comes what differences in current levels do you have for each circuti if dealing with anything besides three phase loads that draw equal current from each phase?

You could have a situation where you have say an individual balanced three phase load, maybe a couple line to line single phase loads that have significant amp draw, and a couple line to neutral loads that have significant amp draw - that scenario is where you need to look at total loading of each input conductor and connect loads in a way to get best balance possible. You may also need to consider load characteristics, like you may have a high load that only runs for a short period that maybe you allow to be unbalanced just so you can keep a moderate load balanced just because it runs nearly all the time.
 
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