And of course there is the old saw that if a woman can make a baby in nine months that doesn't mean that two of them can make one in four and a half.
Nothing, as far as I can see, but it's what we do.What does that have to do with what we are taking about?
Right. Is 200a 3ph equal to 600a? Nay, I say.
Depends on what you mean by "equal". If a customer tells me they have 30 widgets that draw 20 amps @ 120v then yes, I have 600 amps of 120 available!
True dat; I have seen the maximum output current for three phase PV inverters listed on data sheets as X amps per phase. It just confuses people. I guess they maybe think that if they don't express it that way some of their customers may think that they need to divide by three to determine fuse sizing, but IMO anyone that doesn't know that phase current equals line current in a balanced system should not be designing three phase PV systems.
I think that everyone is missing the point, I'm referring to only 120 volt loads. The question is can you add 200+200 and the answer is yes. It was stated earlier in this thread that you cannot add 200+200 when referring to a 200 amps,120/240, 1Ø service but you can if all of the loads are 120 volts.
You're probably right so I'll refrain from adding anything else.
Sort of. 200A line to neutral on line 1 and 200A line to neutral on line 2 is only 200A total on the service. The question you are referring to was whether a two pole 200A main breaker could supply 400A at 240V to a service because it is 200A per phase, and the answer to that is no.
Great job at being a devil's advocate, Rob!
And it's a great opportunity for the rest of us to sort out the puzzle to get things clearer in our heads.That many space heaters would still fit the calc even with 80% derating. But yes this is all hypothetical towards making the point.Great job at being a devil's advocate, Rob!
My turn. No you cannot do what you say as it would be a code violation. You have a panel that is expected to provide 100% load. It should only provide 80% of it's rated capacity.
But that is not what is really being hashed out here. This is not a parallel circuit where all the current flows are added. This is a series/parallel circuit where two sets of parallel loads are in series. It is also not a 120V circuit. It is a 240V circuit. The same current that flows through the first parallel circuit also flows through the second. No current goes through the neutral. That is a red herring. You can add the voltages across the two parallel circuits (120 + 120 = 240) but you cannot add the currents together any more than you could add the the currents in each turn of a coil.
Of course you know all this Bob.
So? i would also be in trouble i the air in the tires was too low, or there wasn't enough gas.
Technically it is watts, but I agree that is the important information, but we are quibbling over the OP question, so let us get back to it.
There is no such rule to use only 80% of a panels capacity.
Agrees, and I don't like it when people talk backwards. The load has to be calculated at 125% under many different conditions. I am not aware of anywhere that the code references 80% of anything.
Well, 0.8 is the math reciprocal of 1.25. You can multiply one number by 1.25 or the other by 0.8 and it will get you to the same answer.
But as I stated, it isn't in the code book. When discussing and especially when instructing, I am a firm believer in referencing the code and the code language. Say what you mean, mean what you say.
Never bought a transformer rated in wattsTechnically it is watts, but I agree that is the important information, but we are quibbling over the OP question, so let us get back to it.
