Re: leviton vizia RF switches (Z-wave)

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 23:58:38 GMT, "Jeff Volp" <JeffVolp@xxxxxxx> wrote in
message  <NaGKh.154467$5j1.82660@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>"Marc_F_Hult" <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:e6ulv2l80q9pgvgat647f5bqnnr2cn3npd@xxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> Physics and the US and Canadian electrical codes dictate that one
>> shouldn't move loads around willy-nilly in the AC power distribution
>> panel, but in my case, I could make significant improvements taking
>> care to keep the loads balanced and compliant with the NEC.
>
>While I agree that it is a good idea to balance loads across both phases,
>I  couldn't find anything in the NEC regarding that issue.  I may have
>missed  it.  Except for some slight variation in voltage due to line drop
>in the  neutral, the only component in the distribution network that
>might be effected by load balancing is the utility step-down transformer.
>

Agreed. Though my first house had 100-amp service and no 220v appliances,
and so had I put all lighting on one phase and all the window AC's and
multitude of high-wattage 110v kitchen-counter appliances of the day on
the other, I could have tripped the main breaker even when the total was
well below the total service capacity by overloading (relatively) one
phase and 'underloading' the other.

The entrance panel also had numerous breakers that supplied more than one
circuit which might have run afoul of NEC 210.11 (B) Load Evenly
Proportioned Among Branch Circuits.

My main point, not well expressed, was that not every homeowner is
knowledgeable enough to safely rearrange the wiring in their AC service
entrance panel.

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org