What happens when the neutral conductor is open circuited
This occurs due to either of the two reasons i.e. firstly due to poor contact at a jumper connection, Secondly, the supply being resumed to an installation without taking care to put the neutral link back normal. Under such conditions, the neutral will assume a potential determine by the load in each of the phase because it is free to move anywhere within the triangle formed by the 3 phase potential ABC,and is no longer tied to the earthed star of the transformer. (Star point of star winding of distribution transformer is solidly connection to keep the potential zero at the star point. The neutral conductor of 3 phase 4 wire distribution line is connected to star point of star winding of the distribution transformer). Such a neutral is called ' floating'. Fig. A & B provide balanced load on the three phase i.e.230 volt between each phase and neutral. Fig. C there are two equal load between line A & B. The floating neutral will now be at poi