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Power and Phase Monitoring

It is advisable in most cases to have power and phase monitoring built into a control system. This allows for a supervisory system (PLC, SCADA) to properly react to for example a failure of one phase in a 3-phase system. Power and phase monitoring protects motors from thermal overload, or reacting to brown-out voltage that could quickly and irreversibly damage lamps in a UV disinfection system.

There is still insufficient uniformity of electrical standards on a global scale. This is despite the fact that voltages and frequencies have now been agreed upon as listed in IEC 60038. In North America, it is permitted (and common) to connect equipment with higher power demand "single phase" between two phases of a 3-phase system (L1 and L2), which gives a voltage of 208 V/60 Hz.

3-phase configurations are more complex because the phase angle between the phases is 120° or 3 radians. There are two basic configurations: Δ (delta) and Y (wye or star). For details of configuration requirements, consult with your electrical engineer or contact Osorno. It is important to understand that one of the characteristics of the Y configuration is that the combination of L1, L2, and L3 generates a neutral point, that with perfect 3-phase symmetry, does not carry a current.

3-phase in Canada: Canada deviates from IEC 60038 by using  600 V/60 Hz for 3-phase systems.

3-phase in the USA: In the USA, the "high-leg delta" ("wild leg") system is often used. "High-leg delta" is where one winding of a delta connected transformer feeding the load is centre-tapped. That centre tap is both grounded and connected as a Neutral. This setup produces three different voltages. If the voltage between the centre tap (neutral) and each of the two adjacent phases is 120 V, then voltage across any two phases is 240 V and the neutral to "high leg" voltage is 208 V.

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Osorno Enterprises Inc.
976 Elgin Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3E 1B4
Canada

+1 204 488-1538 (Phone)
+1 204 488-1566 (Fax)
+1 204 294-1539 (Emergency)
Hours of Operation

We are closed on December 24 - 28, 2020 and
December 31, 2020 - January 4, 2021
Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 17:00
Saturday - Sunday:  CLOSED

Osorno will be closed for the holidays from December 25-27, and December 31 to January 1.
In case of EMERGENCY please call (204) 294-1539.

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