phase imbalance causing resistance heater problems

[junkhound]

Someone tried to tell me a phase imbalance would cause resistance heaters to 'not work'!

Can understand a slight change in wattage due to voltage change for line to line loads, but ??

Anyone ever heard of phase imbalance causing a heater to 'not work'?

 

[GoldDigger]

Not on the resistance heating side. But a fan motor connected to three phase can be damaged (even burned out) by sufficiently large voltage imbalance. And a large commercial unit might well have a phase loss/imbalance detector built in to protect the motor.

 

[LarryFine]

Start by measuring the line-to-line voltage, as well as each line-to-neutral voltage, while under load.

 

[GoldDigger]

Start by measuring the line-to-line voltage, as well as each line-to-neutral voltage, while under load.

Thumbsup! What looks like a large imbalance unloaded can actually be a lost phase.

 

[retirede]

Thumbsup! What looks like a large imbalance unloaded can actually be a lost phase.

I was just about to say that a 100% voltage imbalance will definitely have an effect!