Finding my MCB size with an unbalanced load in a 3 Phase 480V Delta system

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jakeparsons03

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I am having trouble making the final leap in my conceptual understanding of this problem.

I have a whole bunch of single phase 480V loads that I am feeding from a 3 Phase delta distribution panel. All of these single phase loads are different which causes the feed panel load to be wildly unbalanced. I moved things around and got the unbalance as low as I can go but now I am stuck. I need to size my panel and MCB to the size of the highest load (*1.25 of course) but I am having a hard time figuring out the calculations needed to get that number. So here is what I have

Phase A: 126.5kVA
Phase B: 127.75kVA
Phase C: 112.25kVA

Conceptually what I understand is that when phase b is peaking then that current is being returned on phase A and phase C. In a balanced system that wouldn't matter as Phase A and Phase C are at a combined point in their waveform which can even out the current from phase B. In this unbalanced system while phase B is peaking your other 2 waveforms are at a point where they are needing to return their current through phase b. So that being said your max peak current is Phase B peak + returned current from phases A and C. That total current is what I need to set my panel size and breaker value to.

My question for you is how do I go about calculating that absolute peak current for this system.
 
You are making this more complicated than you need to. You don't need to worry about current imbalance when sizing feeders and protective devices.
Basically you have a 128kVA three phase load, why can't you use that to determine your current?
 
You are making this more complicated than you need to. You don't need to worry about current imbalance when sizing feeders and protective devices.
Basically you have a 128kVA three phase load, why can't you use that to determine your current?
Effectively a loading of 128kVA per phase is equal to a three phase load of 378kVA.

This is about what topgone used in calculating his value.
 
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