Holy cow, this is badass. I'm glad someone went and made this video with actual energized transformers and explained everything PERFECTLY. I wish I had come across this video sooner as I had many questions about how the service transformers are wired and how the current flows and why one side of the primary winding being bonded directly to ground potential doesn't result in a dead short. I also like how you dabble into broken neutral connections. I was hoping you'd disconnect the neutral from the primary side of the transformer...naw just joking! Superb video man!
Cool set up. Good thing the charger is rated for 120/240 volts. Otherwise it would have fried. Nice demonstration on the open neutral. A lot of people dont know just how important the neutral wire is, especially when its being shared by two separate 120 volt phases.
Variac Maniac :)! The other day I emailed Solomon electric to get a quote on a 5kVA 34,500V transformer. Understandably they said 34.5kV isn’t really used for xrmrs under 50kVA but they could make a 19,920/34,500YV transformer but only 10kVA because they are phasing out the 5kVA transformers! I guess they are too electrically small for utility companies to use. But now the 10’s are $595+ shipping D:
That's actually not too bad of a price, just need to work out more money. At least it will allow you to put more power through it, but even 5's are reasonably powerful.
metersocket00 Hi! I have a question, why i found 240VAC hot to neutral or ground in a three phase service? Phase 1 and 3 are reading 120VAC as should, if I install a circuit will probably cause problems in any 120 VAC devices
I have worked (compently) with electricity since I was a kid, but still had a main sphincter clench with that arc. That's a good thing - means I still have a healthy respect.
Love the vid. I got here researching the current carrying neutral argument. Here's the story in brief. My neighborhood is zoned C1 (commercial/residential) and the street recently got new, single-bushing xformers. My neighbor marveled that the new xformers were powered from a, "single wire". I agreed that only one high tension wire is connected but, "that the ground wire" must be, "the second wire" to the primary. He said, "no" because he and two linemen already discussed that voltage comes in on just one wire!! Fast forward two days later when the two linemen returned. All three laughed at my insistence that the ground has to be carrying current, that it has to be connected to the primary. Then I asked the linemen, "would that transformer work if you were to cut that (pointing up) copper wire going to the can?" They replied that secondary voltage would change but they didn't know how much. Are linemen taught, "current carrying neutral" and just how important the can ground is?? Are residential electricians suppose to be aware of what might be at stake if the linemen didn't properly ground the, "single-bushing" xfmers?
I was an electrician, I am retired. I worked on many projects with utility guys and I can tell you without reservation that they and most guys on construction sites are better comedians than most guys on stages. And one thing for sure is they all like to screw with people that are not of their trades. For example, when we worked in offices we would tell the ladies, and some of the guys, that we may have left some loose volts on the loor and they should be careful until the floor absorbs them. How many other little jokes do any of you know of?
In the US, at least NY, USA, we have 240V to ground in high leg 3 phase delta systems; this is probably the most popular 3 phase layout for light commercial locations as it allows the use of standard 120V/240V appliances as well as 240V to ground being able to be run with single pole switches, which can save quite a bit over needing dual pole switches.
Thank you very infomative video. So 8 amp going mostly going back to utility company though nutro to transfomar line to primary line back to utility company ? After some amp used by heater ? Only heater will use some for induce to heat all excess going back to utility company sir ?
Coming back three (3) years later with another observation/question. With the Lost Neutral, the L1 and L2 loads would now be in series? Looking for voltage drop on series circuits, the leg with the HIGHEST resistance would have the LARGEST voltage (drop) over it? Thank you.
Since I'm not an electrician not to ask cool neutral or not Main important straight Question Will we get Free electricity once our own transformer install properly I'm sure many asking same question.
I like to make sure I understand your wiring on your socket. In the transformer, we have two hot wires ( I will call them L-1 and L-2), and one neutral in the middle that is also hooked up to ground as well. You have hooked up the top plug into one side of the panel column hot wire ( L-1 black wire) and the bottom plug to the other column ( L-2 black wire). Is this correct? If that is correct, I am also wondering what would your tester read at the transformer if you had both plugs hooked up to the same side ( L-1) but each in different breaker switch? Oh I should also ask if residential power transformers are the additive type you are working with? Also what would have happened if you unplugged your cell phone, would your heater been running properly or not? I am assuming your phone and heater was working a little because each was hooked up to different legs, if they were in the same legs they would have turn off with the neutral being removed...??? Thanks.
So many questions: WHyyyy do you have these in your living room, on carpet? And how did you get 7600v to power it... in your living room, on carpet??? I dunno, looks scary to me and every time you pointed at it, I cringed just waiting for a spark to jump.
Excellent presentation. I do have a question though. It is common knowledge that a live neutral supplying a return from a device that is under load can be more dangerous than the hot wire because it is carrying current and it is the current that kills. So overthe years I have seen many of the ground wires that come down the pole from a transformer broken and not connected to the ground rod. But I have never seen or heard of anyone fried by this conducter. Is that because the grouinds from transformers are connected together through the cables on the poles?? Once again, this is probably the best visual demo of how this system works.
It's not common knowledge. It's not more dangerous than the hot in that situation. It carries the difference between the two phases. If nothing is on one phase, the other phase has the exact same current as the neutral. Regardless the resistance of your body will determine how much current goes though your body if you touch a live wire. I=V/R. Lower resistance = More current.
only one phase in a single phase step down transformer. The L-1 and L-2 are at opposite polarity. Plus or minus at any given point in time. CONSTANTLY switching polarity. 60 cycles per second common in North America. Thank you.
josé flores in 3phase 4 wire system, single phase transformer mostly single bushing. For example, this transformer utilize 7,6kV line to ground voltage on Y system for single bushing application or 13.2kV line to line connection.
Does utility line from pole carry nutro line ? are they all hot no nutro? please let me know. I heard only hot line is on untility company side on poles most of time sir.
Wonderful demonstration showing the OPEN NEUTRAL becomes hot because of the space heater on that side (L-2) is unable to balance the CURRENT (measured in Amps) back to the transformer. What is NOT MENTIONED is why the neutral becomes hot!!, ANSWER BEING:. We now have two loads in SERIES. The space heater is one load and the open neutral is now seen as another load. Comment on this please. Thank you.
The netural completes the circuit on both loads. If its disconnected no current should flow unless the load is connected to the end of both windings which would be 220volts.
It does not. Only one phase service BUT it is split. Hence the term Split Phase service. If all of the loads on this transformer were 240 volts only ( No 120 volt loads) we would NOT NEED the neutral. The load would balance out perfectly all day long. You can see this on SOME 240 volt appliance outlets that do not require any 120 volt application. Two Hot conductors and a Safety Ground conductor at the outlet.
Awesome video brother..... could I ask you why the transformer in by block tripes often.... Could it be an old transformer that can't keep up with more energy consumption been used.... thanks in advance...
That's just terrible. It could very well be overloaded but if you've not already done so, I'd definitely get the utility's attention ASAP. That sounds like a huge annoyance. Hope the utility isn't just sitting with their thumbs in their butts while being aware.
Novice question, when locking out the service main breaker (200 amp main in my case) and then runing a backup generator how is it that the neutral will not back feed to the incoming power?
If the switch were on the off position, disconnecting the two 120 volt legs, the neutral would have reference to the generator. But downstream of the switch their would be nothing to reference the neutral to in the circuit.
Oh jeez, definitely HUMBLED by this vid. So does the rectifier (capacitive) in the IPhone charger put the current out of phase with the resistive heater? Therefore causing the imbalance in the neutral. That is to say, would resistive heaters on both legs cause the neutral current to go to zero?
Yes, two identical resistance loads one on each side L-1 and L-2 would balance (the current) by themselves. Same thing happens with ONE 240 volt load of any amperage, it also balances itself (amps) . no need for the neutral. BUT this is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that you would see a balanced load as described.
TxMeterBoy J Yes and no, the 240V LV is single phase vectored. You can apply 120V from X2 to X3; however, the transformer would be then only good for half its power rating. It will still output its primary voltage, but on the LV winding there are 2 windings rated for the current of the highest possible voltage. When power companies want 120V out of the LV side they put the windings in parallel to double the current rating. For example a 15kVA transformer is rated for ~70 amps indefinitely on 240V, applying 120V to one side would be rated at 70 amps at 120V. The 2 windings can be put in parallel for 140A at 120.
Where in hell did you get those transformer? How could you bring in those dangerous platforms and make a video, could you please explain! How did you get 7 thousand volts into your house. Isnt that a health risk!
Dre The transformer is Dual rated. Switch pos. 1 would be for 7.2 while switch pos. 2 would be for 14.4. The t.c. Switch puts the 7200V primary coils in either series or parallel.
You should connect a space heater to the leg the iphone is connected to and show how the neutral carries no amperage when the load is balanced to prove to the disbelievers.
![Natanael Cano - Amor Eterno [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EO4prCs6WpM/mqdefault.jpg)
Great demo, you scarred the crap out of me half the time. I was an electrician on a sub and got shocked way too many times. Thanks
THIS guy collects utility equipment. I saved a few bell insulators and others over the years from when I was little, but damn this stuff is nice.
Holy cow, this is badass. I'm glad someone went and made this video with actual energized transformers and explained everything PERFECTLY. I wish I had come across this video sooner as I had many questions about how the service transformers are wired and how the current flows and why one side of the primary winding being bonded directly to ground potential doesn't result in a dead short. I also like how you dabble into broken neutral connections. I was hoping you'd disconnect the neutral from the primary side of the transformer...naw just joking! Superb video man!
Cool set up. Good thing the charger is rated for 120/240 volts. Otherwise it would have fried. Nice demonstration on the open neutral. A lot of people dont know just how important the neutral wire is, especially when its being shared by two separate 120 volt phases.
Thank you for the demonstration, very well informed!
Variac Maniac Thank you!
Just happy to see the pigs run again;)
Variac Maniac :)! The other day I emailed Solomon electric to get a quote on a 5kVA 34,500V transformer. Understandably they said 34.5kV isn’t really used for xrmrs under 50kVA but they could make a 19,920/34,500YV transformer but only 10kVA because they are phasing out the 5kVA transformers! I guess they are too electrically small for utility companies to use. But now the 10’s are $595+ shipping D:
That's actually not too bad of a price, just need to work out more money. At least it will allow you to put more power through it, but even 5's are reasonably powerful.
metersocket00 Hi! I have a question, why i found 240VAC hot to neutral or ground in a three phase service? Phase 1 and 3 are reading 120VAC as should, if I install a circuit will probably cause problems in any 120 VAC devices
I'm both excited and terrified that someone on youtube is fucking with distribution voltage inside their own home. Great video!
I have worked (compently) with electricity since I was a kid, but still had a main sphincter clench with that arc.
That's a good thing - means I still have a healthy respect.
Love the vid. I got here researching the current carrying neutral argument. Here's the story in brief.
My neighborhood is zoned C1 (commercial/residential) and the street recently got new, single-bushing xformers. My neighbor marveled that the new xformers were powered from a, "single wire". I agreed that only one high tension wire is connected but, "that the ground wire" must be, "the second wire" to the primary. He said, "no" because he and two linemen already discussed that voltage comes in on just one wire!!
Fast forward two days later when the two linemen returned. All three laughed at my insistence that the ground has to be carrying current, that it has to be connected to the primary. Then I asked the linemen, "would that transformer work if you were to cut that (pointing up) copper wire going to the can?" They replied that secondary voltage would change but they didn't know how much.
Are linemen taught, "current carrying neutral" and just how important the can ground is?? Are residential electricians suppose to be aware of what might be at stake if the linemen didn't properly ground the, "single-bushing" xfmers?
No ground on single bushing primary would cause no current. Takes 2 to tango
I was an electrician, I am retired. I worked on many projects with utility guys and I can tell you without reservation that they and most guys on construction sites are better comedians than most guys on stages. And one thing for sure is they all like to screw with people that are not of their trades. For example, when we worked in offices we would tell the ladies, and some of the guys, that we may have left some loose volts on the loor and they should be careful until the floor absorbs them.
How many other little jokes do any of you know of?
@@waltmezynski8493 lol!!!!!!
In the US, at least NY, USA, we have 240V to ground in high leg 3 phase delta systems; this is probably the most popular 3 phase layout for light commercial locations as it allows the use of standard 120V/240V appliances as well as 240V to ground being able to be run with single pole switches, which can save quite a bit over needing dual pole switches.
Wut
You'll definitely find it in industrial situations. We had it at a mill I worked at in NH. You won't find it at any residential services though.
That's cool I've always wanted a transformer like that
Excellent video very well explained
Man thats a good video . You know your trade
More than meets the eye.
Thank you very infomative video.
So 8 amp going mostly going back to utility company though nutro to transfomar line to primary line back to utility company ? After some amp used by heater ?
Only heater will use some for induce to heat all excess going back to utility company sir ?
Excellent demo!
Milepost 105 Productions Thank You!
cool video, great demo, thanks for sharing
Why are there a bunch of burn marks on the board the plug is mounted to at @14:10 ? LOL
Great video.
Ground is used as a path back to the source. See Mike Holt videos. Ground and neutral ARE NOT THE SAME. Thanks for this video, very well done!
Coming back three (3) years later with another observation/question.
With the Lost Neutral, the L1 and L2 loads would now be in series?
Looking for voltage drop on series circuits, the leg with the HIGHEST
resistance would have the LARGEST voltage (drop) over it?
Thank you.
Have u seen Lawrence rayburn patent? 10kw free energy antenna? Barbosa and leal patent? Secondary pulls power from ground?
Very, very, very cool.
Since I'm not an electrician not to ask cool neutral or not
Main important straight Question
Will we get Free electricity once our own transformer install properly
I'm sure many asking same question.
I like to make sure I understand your wiring on your socket.
In the transformer, we have two hot wires ( I will call them L-1 and L-2), and one neutral in the middle that is also hooked up to ground as well.
You have hooked up the top plug into one side of the panel column hot wire ( L-1 black wire) and the bottom plug to the other column ( L-2 black wire). Is this correct?
If that is correct, I am also wondering what would your tester read at the transformer if you had both plugs hooked up to the same side ( L-1) but each in different breaker switch?
Oh I should also ask if residential power transformers are the additive type you are working with?
Also what would have happened if you unplugged your cell phone, would your heater been running properly or not?
I am assuming your phone and heater was working a little because each was hooked up to different legs, if they were in the same legs they would have turn off with the neutral being removed...???
Thanks.
Blue Ocean Yes the 2 sockets are out of phase 180°. 240 between them.
I thought taking out neutral would burn out charger because it would have 24p volts
So many questions: WHyyyy do you have these in your living room, on carpet? And how did you get 7600v to power it... in your living room, on carpet??? I dunno, looks scary to me and every time you pointed at it, I cringed just waiting for a spark to jump.
Excellent presentation. I do have a question though. It is common knowledge that a live neutral supplying a return from a device that is under load can be more dangerous than the hot wire because it is carrying current and it is the current that kills. So overthe years I have seen many of the ground wires that come down the pole from a transformer broken and not connected to the ground rod. But I have never seen or heard of anyone fried by this conducter. Is that because the grouinds from transformers are connected together through the cables on the poles?? Once again, this is probably the best visual demo of how this system works.
It's not common knowledge. It's not more dangerous than the hot in that situation. It carries the difference between the two phases. If nothing is on one phase, the other phase has the exact same current as the neutral. Regardless the resistance of your body will determine how much current goes though your body if you touch a live wire. I=V/R. Lower resistance = More current.
I(short circuit) =240/1.07 =224 amps(for secondary side short circuit current)?
So you need second transformer to get 380V?
Why not build one that already have 3 phases like Europe ones have inastead of build many smaller ones.
You sound appropriately nervous and uncomfortable throughout the video. Thank you for being quite a bit crazier than I am!
I also would like to know how a transformer puts each leg out of phase
only one phase in a single phase step down transformer. The L-1 and L-2
are at opposite polarity. Plus or minus at any given point in time. CONSTANTLY
switching polarity. 60 cycles per second common in North America.
Thank you.
Very interesting, then the transformer closes the circuit on the ground to avoid having to place a second medium voltage line?
josé flores in 3phase 4 wire system, single phase transformer mostly single bushing. For example, this transformer utilize 7,6kV line to ground voltage on Y system for single bushing application or 13.2kV line to line connection.
@@imadewn We should be telling people that don’t understand that we connected to neutral not ground. Ground should never carry normal current.
Do they sell them at lowes????????
Does utility line from pole carry nutro line ? are they all hot no nutro? please let me know. I heard only hot line is on untility company side on poles most of time sir.
Wonderful demonstration showing the OPEN NEUTRAL becomes hot
because of the space heater on that side (L-2) is unable to balance the
CURRENT (measured in Amps) back to the transformer. What is NOT MENTIONED is why the neutral becomes hot!!, ANSWER BEING:. We now
have two loads in SERIES. The space heater is one load and the open neutral
is now seen as another load. Comment on this please. Thank you.
Ted Lahm Thank you for the kind words.
The netural completes the circuit on both loads. If its disconnected no current should flow unless the load is connected to the end of both windings which would be 220volts.
Neat how did you get the transformers
How does the transformer put one leg out of phase
That's what I want to know
It does not. Only one phase service BUT it is split. Hence the term Split Phase
service. If all of the loads on this transformer were 240 volts only ( No 120 volt loads) we would NOT NEED the neutral. The load would balance out perfectly
all day long. You can see this on SOME 240 volt appliance outlets that do not
require any 120 volt application. Two Hot conductors and a Safety Ground conductor at the outlet.
It is taken halfway trough the coil is the explaination i received. Idk if that's why.
Great Video...
Awesome video brother..... could I ask you why the transformer in by block tripes often.... Could it be an old transformer that can't keep up with more energy consumption been used.... thanks in advance...
That's just terrible. It could very well be overloaded but if you've not already done so, I'd definitely get the utility's attention ASAP. That sounds like a huge annoyance. Hope the utility isn't just sitting with their thumbs in their butts while being aware.
On the distribution side the ground doesn’t carry the current the neutral does. The question now, is the neutral grounded or is it floated.
The neutral is grounded, yes.
@@MmeHyraelle most of the time the neutral is grounded. There’s rare cases where the neutral is floated (not grounded)
You didn't answer why the primary does not need a return bushing....Ground is terrible conductor.
Is that thing about the size of a water heater?
Where is Solomon and Duncan made in?
Novice question, when locking out the service main breaker (200 amp main in my case) and then runing a backup generator how is it that the neutral will not back feed to the incoming power?
If the switch were on the off position, disconnecting the two 120 volt legs, the neutral would have reference to the generator. But downstream of the switch their would be nothing to reference the neutral to in the circuit.
Oh jeez, definitely HUMBLED by this vid. So does the rectifier (capacitive) in the IPhone charger put the current out of phase with the resistive heater? Therefore causing the imbalance in the neutral. That is to say, would resistive heaters on both legs cause the neutral current to go to zero?
Yes, two identical resistance loads one on each side L-1 and L-2 would
balance (the current) by themselves. Same thing happens with ONE 240 volt
load of any amperage, it also balances itself (amps) . no need for the neutral.
BUT this is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that you would see a balanced load as described.
LIKE👍💪✌⚡⚡
DAVI SENA Thanks!
So can I reverse feed a transformer with single phase input by hooking up the center and only one of the outer ones
TxMeterBoy J Yes and no, the 240V LV is single phase vectored. You can apply 120V from X2 to X3; however, the transformer would be then only good for half its power rating. It will still output its primary voltage, but on the LV winding there are 2 windings rated for the current of the highest possible voltage. When power companies want 120V out of the LV side they put the windings in parallel to double the current rating. For example a 15kVA transformer is rated for ~70 amps indefinitely on 240V, applying 120V to one side would be rated at 70 amps at 120V. The 2 windings can be put in parallel for 140A at 120.
Ok so I can do it then but with only half the power rating?
All I need is primary voltage
TxMeterBoy J Yes, for example if you had a 50kVA transformer it would then only be rated for 25kVA but it would generate the same primary voltage.
Damn thing still got that toxic oil in them or are they different nowadays
allen cupsie No more PCB’s since I ordered those ones new from the manufacturer they use some sort of mineral oil with silicon dielectric inside.
Thank you for your reply when did they stop using pcbs oil
allen cupsie No problem! According to Wikipedia PCB’s were put out to pasture in 1978 which isn’t that long ago transformer wise.
Today's transformers filled with mineral oil, no more PCB
Yes they are
Where in hell did you get those transformer? How could you bring in those dangerous platforms and make a video, could you please explain! How did you get 7 thousand volts into your house. Isnt that a health risk!
Wow
So would the H1 be connected to 7200 or 14400??
Dre The transformer is Dual rated. Switch pos. 1 would be for 7.2 while switch pos. 2 would be for 14.4. The t.c. Switch puts the 7200V primary coils in either series or parallel.
@@metersocket00 Ahh, so there is no way to tell from looking at the transformer what the H voltage is?
Say looking up at one from the ground
Dre Usually not, sometimes the xfmr mfg. will put 2 decals on different sides of the switch, such as a 2.4&7.2 or 7.6&19.9. But it is not always done.
@@metersocket00 thanks!
Continue to confuse me
Wha a danger ⚠️ you got into because of trying to explain us about transformers 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂🐺🐺🐺🐺⚠️⚠️⚠️
0
You should connect a space heater to the leg the iphone is connected to and show how the neutral carries no amperage when the load is balanced to prove to the disbelievers.
How would the average person acquire a transformer?
Cupid I go to www.solomoncorp.com and put in a quote. For a 5 it’s around $350 w/ standard mineral oil and $450 for FR3 (which I’d recommend).