Characterization of Current Harmonics in End Use Loads of Residential Installations

Abstract

Technological advances in recent years have given rise to the insertion of new electrical and electronic devices in residential homes. The use of computers, televisions, rectifiers, fluorescent lamps, microwaves, etc. have caused undesired effects in the electrical networks. These loads cause a harmonic distortion of the alternating current wave by having a non-linear impedance, this leads to unwanted effects such as overheating of the conductors, increased electrical losses, resonance, interference, etc. of energy in order to analyze the impact of these non-linear loads on a residential home and with the measurements obtained, the following parameters were analyzed: Current harmonic distortion rate, Power factor, magnitudes and phase angles of the harmonic currents. Where the results obtained verified the effects produced by non-linear loads in the electrical installation.