Ping Clare: panel question

If you look inside the panel, you'll see that the two phases alternate down each side of the panel.

That's how a 240V breaker for a stove or clothes dryer

is actually two 120's side by side.

Hi Clare,

>
> I am presuming that the two columns of breakers on my panel
> represent the two phases of the 240VAC from the service. Am
> I correct? Or can the phases be mixed up between the columns
> depending on who did the original wiring?
>
> If each column represents one of the phases, I have noticed
> that two my air conditioners, my garage refrigerators, and
> my kitchen refrigerator are both on the right column.
> Does this cause an imbalance, or does it matter?
>
> Many thanks,
> -T

You know it just occurred to me that if the phases were divided up by the column, it would be pretty hard to wire a dual 230 breaker.

By change are the phases divided up by odd and even? If so, my two air conditioners, my garage refrigerators, and my kitchen refrigerator are all on even numbered breakers/

If it better to "balance" the load between the two phases?

The ole Pushmatic boxes were like that. A 220 breaker sat across the two poles. They have been out of business since the 1980s.

Actually it is a single phase center tapped circit.

If you have a 240 volt breaker it does not matter about the ballance of the circuit.

For the 120 volt devices it is best to ball ance them , not odd and even, but down each side put half the load on every other number. Such as a high current load on breaker 1 and the next high current load on breaker 3. Then do the same thing down the other side like high current load on 2, then 4.

If and only if the loads on each side are equal you could do away with the neutral wire comming into the house. The neutral wire only carries the unballanced current back to the transformer at the power pole. If only 240 volt loads in the house were used that same neutral wire would not be needed.

All this is for the USA . Oher countries could be different, especially the ones that only use 240 volt circuits.

Open her up and take a look-see ? What could possibly go wrong .. What makes you concerned about the " balance " across the 2 legs ? John T.

The 240V devices are the most balanced circuits in your house.

My electrician is going to be doing some work on my panel, so I thought I add "balancing" to the mix.

That makes total sense. Thank you for straightening me out.

I forgot that naming convention with electrical services. They call a center tapped transformer a single phase circuit. I presume the naming conversion is referring to what enters the primary of the transformer, not what goes out the secondary(ies) of the transformer.

When I was spec'ing out my whole house generator, if freaked me out that they referred to it as "single phase". It all made sense when I saw the circuit diagram.

I referred to the secondary legs as phase as one end of the transformer is 180 degree out of phase with the other end.

There is another one out there, whose name I can't remember, where the phase is 270 degrees out of phase with each other. Weird, but there is some justification for it, which I have also forgotten. (It is not three phase.)

Power company meters and service entrance panels are labeled by the manufacturer as single phase or three phase.

I checked AEP's website and they don't offer 2-phase service (or at least I couldn't find it).

If I am not mistaken, and I probably am, the term two phase from the power company is the 270 degree thing.

Two phase is 90 deg . There was some 2 phase systems in the country but just about all has been replaced. There may be a small amount around in older systems.

Three phase and single phase are the most common in the US Three phase mostly for industry and single phase with the center tap for the homes.