OT -- switching heating elements

of

I think you will find that this is in the USA, They have 2 x 120v 180 out of phase, and if you go across the 2 actives you get 240v. This is used on appliances like this and air cons that suck a lot of power, in order to reduce the currents involved.

It would be like 3 phase here, but we have 3 actives and 120 separation. Same rule, ALL 3 phases must be turned off or the appliance is still "live"

he

d.

hat

he

Believe it or not, I have seen in the past, appliances where the neutral was switched I was told that this was a tactic to allow a lower rated switch to be used.

Same with old Ferguson fluorescent ballasts in common use in the `1960-70s The diagram on them showed them wired into the neutral supply with the live coming through the tube. Probably again to lower rate the thing ?