The detection of main harmonic sources is one of the important branches of harmonic analysis. On the basis of principles of the critical impedance method, applications of this method in the distribution systems are investigated. The relationship between the main harmonic source and the harmonic impedance properties and its value scopes are analyzed in detail. Considering the equivalent impedance angles at the two sides of the point of common coupling(PCC) are not always the same in the real power system, the Newton iteration method is used to correct the critical impedance. The simulation results show that the improved critical impedance method is able to detect the main harmonic source correctly in the actual applications.