MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Disconnect that phase to neutral paths at the neutral and watch the no-current blue flash?
Up -and- down amplitudes of the sine wave are now filled.
But that isn't the point of meters. Meters are to verify and to alert.
And with twin pathways of 120vac the only way to do it...
Phase to neutral voltage and Phase to neutral current
On each phase.
With 240vac phase to phase no neutral the second set of meters is not necessary.
Diagnosing a center tap transformer is similar
"Theory" in a "perfect world".
The problem with "Theory" is we are not in a "perfect world".
IF you had a home that EXCLUSIVELY uses 240V ONLY appliances (Like European homes) then your "Theory" would hold true and correct.
The problem is we are not in Europe and we do not have 240 only homes.
in our homes we have a MIX of 240V and 120V devices, MOSTLY 120V items too boot.
This causes an imbalance between L1 and L2, the imbalance current then shows up on the Neutral line.
So, in reality the only TRUE way to "monitor" the current is to monitor BOTH L1 and L2.
For that reason I used two separate Ammeters on my home Generator emergency transfer panel to monitor both L1 and L2. This way I can shed some loads or move some loads to balance the generator load.
I must say, those are nice looking small Ammeters you found and could be fit into pretty much any small electrical box with ease..
Mine, I mounted in a 4x4 work box with a blank plate that I cut out openings for the meters.
