Help with Load center

bus in a single

Depends on the voltage of the load center...you can buy whatever you need. from 240 vac to 600vac but not usually higher unless its very heavy industrial.

Most homes require 240 single phase (line 1 and Line 2 and a neutral.

most light commercial 240 3 phase some 480vac 3 phase. that adds line 3 to the mix.

Phil Scott

The OEM I used to work for, rated load centers at 300 volts. Panelboards could go up to 600 volts. I do not remember seeing a load center rated for

480 volts. Mostly because the breakers are a lot larger.

Your question is a little vague. I do hope your definition and mine of a load center are the same.

300v or 600v depending your application and specs. on the print.

Basically NO.

The circuit breakers you would buy in the USA for a load center rated at 120/240V would be rated only to break 120 volts per pole. For 240-volt loads, a 2-pole circuit breaker is used.

Most European circuit breakers I have seen are rated for

300 volts per pole and are larger as a result. Bill Kaszeta Photovoltaic Resources Int'l Tempe Arizona USA snipped-for-privacy@pvri-removethis.biz

If by "foreign" you mean Europe or the countries that follow the European 220-230 V. 50 Hz standard, be aware that the systems are very different as is the equipment that is designed for them.

The North American "Edison" system is typically 120/240 V. 60 Hz single phase with a center tapped neutral at the secondary of the service transformer. This transformer is typically pole or pad mounted.

The advantages of this system are as follows:

1. Safety - No voltage over the nominal 120 V. to ground appears on any conductor entering the house.

1. Versatility - Dual voltages 120/240 are available. 120 for lighting and small appliance loads. 240 V. for the heaver appliances, water heaters, dryers, range, air handler, etc.

2. Efficiency - The neutral carries only the difference current between the two hot legs, thus giving less voltage drop (that of a 240 V. circuit) on the 120 volt circuits.

1. Economical (for the power company) - Only one hot primary and one neutral are needed to serve distant house and remote farms. It is not necessary to run 3 phase conductors as is the common practice in Europe and other lands although in North America, 3-phase power is readily available for farms and businesses that need it.

In England, for example, you have the "other" system where you have one hot wire running at 230 Volts or so, one neutral, and one ground wire. The panel boxes are designed differently to accommodate this type of configuration with one large hot buss instead of two.

If a typical 120/240 USA cb panel were used on the European system, for example, it would have to be fed by two (in phase hot wires). The neutral buss would carry double the current (instead of just the difference current) All the breakers would have to be rated for 240 and would have to be single pole- non ganged and operable safely on 50 Hz. Not sure that all these parts exist and if it would pass local codes. I don't think so.

Beachcomber

Bill how do you confuse "bus" with "circuit breakers"?!?

Basically NO.

The circuit breakers you would buy in the USA for a load center rated at 120/240V would be rated only to break 120 volts per pole. For 240-volt loads, a 2-pole circuit breaker is used.

Most European circuit breakers I have seen are rated for

300 volts per pole and are larger as a result. Bill Kaszeta Photovoltaic Resources Int'l Tempe Arizona USA snipped-for-privacy@pvri-removethis.biz