Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark7
... those 2 legs are 180˚ out of phase with each other, which is why a 240 V load spans them... the A/C on one leg is high while the other is low (60 times a second). If separate loads span those 2 phases, then they are 180˚ out of phase with each other, therefore using the N at 180˚ intervals.
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Mark - you are very close. Current flows back and forth in alternating directions thru a neutral just as it does thru a hot. But in the case of two equal loads on opposite phases using a common neutral wire, one load is trying to flow current into the neutral while the other is trying to flow current out from the neutral. Those currents are always alternating direction, but are always opposite of each other in the direction of flow. Current cannot flow both directions in the same wire at the same time. The result is that the those currents simply redirect thru the opposite load.
Note that current does flow thru the neutral wiring as far back as the neutral buss bar. Just not thru the power cord neutral wire.
Make sense? Or just confuse it more?