https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring_in_North_America

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_wiring_in_North_America

The slang used is not very convincing without proper references. Wikipedia is not a valid reference, according to Jimbo Wales. If you used Wikipedia as a reference in an University report it would be rejected as nonsense.  I particularly like where Wikipedia tells us that energy can be created from nothing, complete with nonsense references.

I agree. Wikipedia is good for reference only. Wiki is only as good as the person who contributed to it which can be almost anyone. When ever we dealt with panels it was always line 1, line 2, ect. When ever we dealt with the circuits after panel it was legs and neutral. That comes from real world experience not wiki. I may not be a licensed electrician but I spent 2 years in the trade under an electrician before switching trades. I did many new installations which included panel installations.

 

 

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Edited January 19, 201510 yr by Cormacs

I did spend nearly a decade and a half as a Class A Journeyman electrician in NYC (Local 3, IBEW) which required four years of formal classroom training, so I write with real life experience.

 

Here's a couple more references to "legs"

http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/13105/are-both-legs-of-a-homes-power-supply-equally-used

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AwrT6VulbbxUaV4ATWclnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTEzcjc5ZW45BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDOQRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkA1lIUzAwMl8x?qid=20071213081747AAsIFdh

 

and a remark about "phases"

http://www.ccontrolsys.com/w/Two_Phase_Electrical_Service

I wish I could get another dual band device on the 40 amp leg before it leaves the house but insteon does not make any 40 amp device

 

???  Just because a secondary service circuit is protected by a 40amp breaker does not mean every device installed within must be capable of withstanding 40amps.  What is the service breaker for your house...200amps?  400amps?  Are all your electrical devices designed to handle this much current?  Very few outlets and switches can handle 40 amps.  I suspect most of the individual devices connected to your 40amp leg cannot individually handle 40amps.

 

Is that 40amp service further broken into smaller circuits, protected by smaller breakers? 

 

Am I missing something.

???  Just because a secondary service circuit is protected by a 40amp breaker does not mean every device installed within must be capable of withstanding 40amps.  What is the service breaker for your house...200amps?  400amps?  Are all your electrical devices designed to handle this much current?  Very few outlets and switches can handle 40 amps.  I suspect most of the individual devices connected to your 40amp leg cannot individually handle 40amps.

 

Is that 40amp service further broken into smaller circuits, protected by smaller breakers? 

 

Am I missing something.

If the device is hardwired into a circuit, the current rating  must be rated for the circuit breaker rating. Your main overcurrent protection on your panel at say.. 200  or 400 amperes only feeds the busbars in the panel, which have to be rated to carry that current, and the current level of a reasonable fault (usually 10,000 amperes) until the overcurrent device trips the circuit out. You cannot hook a lower rated conductor or device directly to those busbars without a lower rated overcurrent device, first. There are exceptions for short conductors, portable devices, and special circumstances.

 

He has a sub-panel connected to the 40 amp circuit which further protects the lower rated devices for their rated capacity.

Yes. The 40 amp circuit runs to an rv panel that has three breakers protected at lower amperages. All hard wired conduits and devices must be capable of carrying the load that the circuit protection above it may allow. Thats why yes your panel may be protected with a 200 amp breaker but there are lower rated breakers below it for the circuits that feed the house. This thread is starting to venture so far from the original topic.

 

 

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Larryllix beat me to it. Lol

 

 

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This thread is starting to venture so far from the original topic.

 

Sorry.  Just responding to one of your comments.  I will cease trying to help further.

Cormacs, larryflix; there is no place in Canada that has two-phase electric power.

 

http://www.canadatransformers.com/power-phase

I will go call my panel a liar. I'm don't arguing this topic you "think" you know so much about anymore.

 

 

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Edited January 19, 201510 yr by Cormacs

Call your power company! Or let me know who that is and I'll call

Edited January 19, 201510 yr by stusviews