{"id":21781,"date":"2026-01-15T23:35:54","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T23:35:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/?page_id=21781"},"modified":"2026-02-19T21:27:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T21:27:58","slug":"what-are-harmonics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/what-are-harmonics\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Harmonics?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"21781\" class=\"elementor elementor-21781\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-429d873 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"429d873\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-104a495\" data-id=\"104a495\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7e8134 elementor-invisible elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f7e8134\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_animation&quot;:&quot;fadeInUp&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-819x1024.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-21785\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-819x1024.webp 819w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-240x300.webp 240w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-768x960.webp 768w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-440x550.webp 440w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-1060x1325.webp 1060w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-550x688.webp 550w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-400x500.webp 400w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14-864x1080.webp 864w, https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/14.webp 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d45979 elementor-widget elementor-widget-qi_addons_for_elementor_animated_text\" data-id=\"2d45979\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"qi_addons_for_elementor_animated_text.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"qodef-shortcode qodef-m qodef-qi-animated-text qodef--animated-by-letter qodef--alignment-left qodef-qi--has-appear qodef--appear-from-right\" >\n\t\t<h1 class=\"qodef-m-title\">\n\t\t<span class=\"qodef-e-word-holder\">What<\/span> <span class=\"qodef-e-word-holder\">is<\/span> <span class=\"qodef-e-word-holder\">inside<\/span>\t<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6c027b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c6c027b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"model-response-message-contentr_b4153df61c1a1b20\" class=\"markdown markdown-main-panel stronger enable-updated-hr-color\" dir=\"ltr\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-busy=\"false\"><p data-path-to-node=\"1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"1,1\"><span class=\"citation-452\">This engineering guide from <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"1,1\" data-index-in-node=\"28\"><span class=\"citation-452\">Circuit Energy<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-452\"> explains the fundamental nature of harmonics in modern electrical networks. <\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"1,5\"><span class=\"citation-451\">As low-voltage networks increasingly power non-linear loads, understanding these frequency distortions is essential for preventing equipment failure and maintaining power quality<\/span><\/span><\/p><h3 data-path-to-node=\"2\">What are Harmonics?<\/h3><p data-path-to-node=\"3\"><span data-path-to-node=\"3,1\"><span class=\"citation-450\">Harmonics are electrical signals with frequencies that are integral multiples of the basic supply frequency<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"3,3\">. <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"3,5\"><span class=\"citation-449\">For a standard <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"3,5\" data-index-in-node=\"15\"><span class=\"citation-449\">60 Hz<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-449\"> supply, the <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"3,5\" data-index-in-node=\"33\"><span class=\"citation-449\">5th harmonic<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-449\"> vibrates at <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"3,5\" data-index-in-node=\"58\"><span class=\"citation-449\">300 Hz<\/span><\/b><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"3,7\">. <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"3,9\"><span class=\"citation-448\">Every periodic signal is the sum of its fundamental component and various harmonics<\/span><\/span><\/p><h3 data-path-to-node=\"4\">Common Sources of Distortion<\/h3><p data-path-to-node=\"5\">Electrical loads are categorized into two types based on how they draw current:<\/p><ul><li data-path-to-node=\"6,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"6,0,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-447\">Linear Loads<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-447\">: These draw sinusoidal current and include ohmic resistances like light bulbs and heaters, as well as three-phase motors without drives<\/span><\/li><li><b data-path-to-node=\"6,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-446\">Non-Linear Loads (Harmonic Generators)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-446\">: These distort the original supply voltage and include UPS systems, computers, rectifiers, and variable-speed induction motor<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h3 data-path-to-node=\"7\">Why Different Harmonics Matter<\/h3><ul><li data-path-to-node=\"8,0,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"8,0,1,0\"><span class=\"citation-445\">These occur due to asymmetrical loads or single-phase sources and can cause major problems as currents in the neutral conductor are cumulative<\/span><\/span><\/li><li><span data-path-to-node=\"8,1,1,0\"><span class=\"citation-444\">Generated by three-phase sources or pulse converters, these harmonics are capable of being transmitted via the transformer<\/span><\/span><\/li><li><p data-path-to-node=\"8,2,0\"><span class=\"citation-443\">These typically only occur due to sudden load variations or converter fault<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p data-path-to-node=\"9\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-path-to-node=\"10\"><span data-path-to-node=\"10,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-442\">Harmonics can lead to cumulative neutral current issues and transformer overheating.<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-442\"> Download the full technical document to learn how to calculate <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0\" data-index-in-node=\"148\"><span class=\"citation-442\">Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-442\"> and protect your facility from hidden defects<\/span><\/span><\/p><div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\">\u00a0<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9187d6c\" data-id=\"9187d6c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d499eb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"d499eb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<script src=\"https:\/\/js.hsforms.net\/forms\/embed\/5149836.js\" defer><\/script>\n<div class=\"hs-form-frame\" data-region=\"na1\" data-form-id=\"89078830-5bfb-424a-8188-156338279cdf\" data-portal-id=\"5149836\"><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is inside This engineering guide from Circuit Energy explains the fundamental nature of harmonics in modern electrical networks. As low-voltage networks increasingly power [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-custom.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21781","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"choi\u0441e_menu_page":false,"full_width":false,"header_transparent":false,"header_white":false,"menu_align_page":"default","menu_style":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21781"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21781\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21932,"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21781\/revisions\/21932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/circuitenergy.ca\/staging\/8539\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}