General > General Technical Chat
The real reason why North America uses 120v instead of 240v.
mcovington:
--- Quote from: themadhippy on November 25, 2022, 04:28:52 pm ---
--- Quote ---it seems to be mandated when a long extension cord is required from the wall to a power tool.
--- End quote ---
nope,its just to reduce the risk of a fatal shock on damp building sites
--- Quote ---The connectors used are quite different from normal UK or US plugs.
--- End quote ---
compared to domestic stuff yes,but fairly common else were and come in a wide variety of voltage and current ratings
--- End quote ---
Where can I see a picture of one?
IanB:
--- Quote from: mcovington on November 25, 2022, 05:14:12 pm ---
--- Quote from: themadhippy on November 25, 2022, 04:28:52 pm ---
--- Quote ---it seems to be mandated when a long extension cord is required from the wall to a power tool.
--- End quote ---
nope,its just to reduce the risk of a fatal shock on damp building sites
--- Quote ---The connectors used are quite different from normal UK or US plugs.
--- End quote ---
compared to domestic stuff yes,but fairly common else were and come in a wide variety of voltage and current ratings
--- End quote ---
Where can I see a picture of one?
--- End quote ---
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60309
Zero999:
--- Quote from: Kleinstein on November 24, 2022, 07:15:00 pm ---
--- Quote from: MikeK on November 24, 2022, 06:55:04 pm ---Do countries that use 240V have two out-of-phase 120V lines (like the US actually has), or do they just have a single 240V line?
--- End quote ---
Europe to a large part has 3 phase 230 V. So 3x230 V to ground and ~400 from phase to phase. Some smaller private installations only get 1 phase.
--- End quote ---
Then that would be 400V three phase. 230V three phase would be 133V to neutral, which is uncommon.
JPortici:
--- Quote from: Zero999 on November 25, 2022, 06:44:05 pm ---
--- Quote from: Kleinstein on November 24, 2022, 07:15:00 pm ---
--- Quote from: MikeK on November 24, 2022, 06:55:04 pm ---Do countries that use 240V have two out-of-phase 120V lines (like the US actually has), or do they just have a single 240V line?
--- End quote ---
Europe to a large part has 3 phase 230 V. So 3x230 V to ground and ~400 from phase to phase. Some smaller private installations only get 1 phase.
--- End quote ---
Then that would be 400V three phase. 230V three phase would be 163V to neutral, which is uncommon.
--- End quote ---
In italy there should still be some areas in Turin and Rome with three phase 230V, no neutral (residential utilities are connected between two phases)
however the last i heard of it is that they started converting to the current 400V 3phase + neutral
Nusa:
--- Quote from: Tangent_Tracker on November 25, 2022, 11:55:28 am ---
--- Quote from: IanB on November 24, 2022, 07:57:18 pm ---
--- Quote from: MikeK on November 24, 2022, 06:55:04 pm ---Do countries that use 240V have two out-of-phase 120V lines (like the US actually has), or do they just have a single 240V line?
--- End quote ---
It is single phase 240 V, but wiring and appliances are supposed to assume that both line and neutral conductors are live, and each has to be equally insulated from any exposed parts that could be touched.
--- End quote ---
We certainly have the safest plug and socket system in the world I think. That is our saving grace.
--- End quote ---
"we" and "our" have no meaning when you don't identify where you are. You don't have the country code set on your identity, so we don't even have an assumption to go with.
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