OT Voltages

[Kimmo Koli]

On Mon, 21 Sep 1998, J. Larry Hendry wrote:

> > OT: How the heck did Europe end up with 235V/50Hz anyway? 
> 
> Well, as someone who has worked for a US power utility for 22 years, I am
> somewhat confused by the discussion of "why" different voltage levels.  I
> might more often ask why the different "frequencies."  And, today, the
> normal distribution voltage for a US residence is 240 anyhow not 120.  The
> difference is that the 240 volt secondary winding is center tapped
> providing two legs of 120 volts 180 degrees out of phase.  So the US system
> is set up for 120 volt and 240 volt loads with 240 generally reserved for
> the larger loads such as electric heating, cooking and clothes drying.  I

In Europe we have 3x230V with phases 0, 120 and 240 degrees for that.
So we have three times the 230V plus a 400V (approximately, rough
calculation) for the heavy use.

Who says everything is bigger in America :-)
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   Kimmo Koli                         Helsinki University of Technology 
   kimmo at ecdl.hut.fi                  Electronic Circuit Design Laboratory
   http://www.ecdl.hut.fi/~kimmo      P.O.Box 3000
   Tel:  +358 9 451 2273              FIN-02015 HUT
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