120/208v 3phase mwbc

[jeremysterling]

so whats the difference between nonlinear and linear loads ?and why when dealing with nonlinear loads you must count the nuetrals as ccc

Those are great questions for the scientific community.

For field electrical work, I would say:

1. The difference is that linear is easy to calculate and understand and non-linear is mysterious and misunderstood.

2. Neutral conductor insulation is damaged from overloading due to additional currents developed by additive harmonic currents.

What I would rather know is how to determine if a load is "major portion" non-linear. With that specific knowledge, I could easily convince an inspector, customer, or supervisor that the neutral in a circuit should definitely be counted or not. Right now, it seems like a hunch.

Can nameplates for equipment be required to show what portion of the equipment power usage is non-linear?