How much of the single-phase 120/240 volt load does the lighter carry?

In a single-phase 120/240 volt system, the load can be distributed between two phases. The lighter typically refers to one phase of the circuit. When considering how load is typically balanced in a single-phase system, the load can be divided into different proportions depending on how many devices or loads are connected.

In a common three-wire single-phase system, the voltage is often taken between one of the hot wires and the neutral. When loads are connected across both hot wires, they are effectively using the whole circuit. However, if we consider a scenario where only one of the phases is utilized, it would carry a portion of the total load.

For the case indicating that the lighter carries two-thirds of the total load, this implies that the loads connected are such that they predominantly draw from one phase. This distribution can occur in cases where the majority of load is using that particular phase, leaving the other phase with a lighter load.

This understanding aligns with how electrical systems can be set up in a residential or commercial environment, where devices may not be evenly distributed across both phases. Therefore, stating that the lighter carries two-thirds of the load reflects a specific scenario in which one phase of the circuit is handling a significant portion of the overall demand,