Subject:  Re EMF-L HARMONICS--TECH AND NONTECH
Date:     Fri, 18 Jul 1997 001740 -0500 (CDT)
From:     kriley3@ix.netcom.com
To:       Multiple recipients of list <emf-l@mail.llion.org>
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Dear Clas,
I have been away and so am late responding to this tenacious question.
I realize the conceptual difficulty in understanding how harmonics
cancel by way of the neutral, which is why I have reverted to saying,
clamp an ammeter around a circuit with harmonics, whether one phase or
three, and you will find that the harmonics have indeed cancelled.
Your circuit must have a neutral, or course. Each harmonic frequency
produced by each phase conductor produces an identical wave on the
neutral at 180 degrees phase difference, which is why you will not see
a resultant magnetic field. The confusion lies in that these triplens
harmonics are not cancelled between the phases as they are with the
fundamental 50/60 Hz. It is the neutral which overworks to cancel the
fields.This leads to a buildup of current on the neutral, which may
overheat.But the neutral is indeed cancelling the magnetic fields.
This is all very clear and simple to see once one has understood it.
But use an ammeter to prove it to yourself. Regards to all, Karl Riley


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