How does current flow in a neutral wire?
Re: Neutral has 0 voltage, so how does current flow? Current flow just requires a voltage difference. As long as the “live” cable has a positive or negative voltage relative to to the neutral cable, current will flow.
Does neutral wire carry current in single-phase?
In any single phase circuit the neutral conductor will carry exactly the same current as the phase conductor (unless there is an earth leakage). If a balanced load (eg 3 phase motor) is connected to a multiphase system there will be no out of balance current so a neutral conductor is not required.
Will neutral wire carry current?
A neutral wire is used to complete the flow of electricity, it acts as a return path for the hot wire current. During normal operations, the neutral wire will carry current. We can see neutral in most of the electrical equipment, mostly in non-linear loads.
Why does the neutral wire carry current?
Since the neutral wire is a potential between all three phases, each phase along with the neutral wire can form an independent circuit e.g your house, hence live and neutral. It is the role of the neutral wire to carry any current as a result of the imbalance in impedance of each of the phases loads.
What would happen if a neutral wire is not balanced?
The difference in load will cause an out of balance current to flow through neutral wire. The impedance of three conductors will be the same and unequal current flowing through them will give rise to unequal voltage drops with the possibility of the voltages at the loads being unbalanced.
What happens when neutral wire is disconnected in 3 phase system?
When the neutral wire in a 3 – phase, 4 – wire system is disconnected, the loads which are connected between any two line conductors and the neutral are get connected in series and the potential difference across the combined load becomes equal to the line voltage.
What is neneutral or unbalance current?
Neutral or unbalance current which flows through neutral impedance raises the load side neutral potential with respect to source neutral point which is normally earthed and at zero potential. This means at load side there will be potential difference between neutral and earth. This can be unacceptable for certain equipment
What happens when three conductors are placed in a neutral circuit?
The impedance of three conductors will be the same and unequal current flowing through them will give rise to unequal voltage drops with the possibility of the voltages at the loads being unbalanced. However to attain absolutely equal distribution in such cases is not possible and as a result a small current in the neutral may exist.