Basic circuit theory - neutral

[RMAK]

thankyou to all who have replied, as its helping me to understand what happens in an electrical circuit.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

using arithmetic the lowest number is zero

Is your name really Tina Farrell?

 

[Steve]

Of course, it gets even more confusing when you start getting into earthing, and the fact that neutral is tied to the earth at various points back to the substation.

Earth is basically a return path for the electrons. Tall metal electricity pylons carry three phases. Nothing else.

 

[RF Lighting]

What about all them birds I see sat on them?

 

[ColJack]

The size of the voltage will vary from 0 to its maximum (325v) for half a second and 0 to the second maximum (-325v) for the second half of the second

not strictly true..

the voltage goes from 0, through 325 and back to 0 in the first half second, and then from 0, through -325 and back to 0 in the second half second ( based on the 1Hz frequency you were explaining on.. )

this is roughly what happens at the star point of a 3 phase transformer..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power

 

[jujubean]

The size of the voltage will vary from 0 to its maximum (325v) for half a second and 0 to the second maximum (-325v) for the second half of the second

not strictly true..

the voltage goes from 0, through 325 and back to 0 in the first half second, and then from 0, through -325 and back to 0 in the second half second ( based on the 1Hz frequency you were explaining on.. )

this is roughly what happens at the star point of a 3 phase transformer..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power

Yes quite right What I actually wrote was for a quarter of a one second cycle...I did mean 0 to 0 which is the half second
Appologies

 

[Softus]

Nothing to say, but it was such a nice diagram that I thought I'd join the club and quote it too.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, it is very good.

Curious choice of colours though...

 

[empip]

You may find these useful, if not now, then at some point...

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_10/2.html
( http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/pdf/AC.pdf )

http://www.roymech.co.uk/Related/Electrics/Electrics_Index.html
..... http://www.roymech.co.uk/Related/Electrics/Electrics_alternating_Current.html#Star

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You've lost me there...

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Softus]

I think the earth was white

Presumably that's just the chalk.

 

[ColJack]

Nothing to say, but it was such a nice diagram that I thought I'd join the club and quote it too.

not my drawing, borrowed it from the wiki page i linked to..

 

[Softus]

Nothing to say, but it was such a nice diagram that I thought I'd join the club and quote it too.

not my drawing, borrowed it from the wiki page i linked to..

I knew that, but it's such a good representation of 3P that it's worth having a few copies on the same topic.