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From: hrs@houxb.UUCP (H.SILBIGER)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Not 120 V at 60 Hz
Message-ID: <321@houxb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Jul-84 16:35:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxb.321
Posted: Thu Jul 12 16:35:18 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Jul-84 04:44:49 EDT
References: dciem.972
Lines: 30


The actual line voltage in your house is 117 volts 60 Hz single phase
to ground.
The voltage coming into your house is 220 V ungrounded. If you have
a central airconditioner or electric range it runs on 220 V.
If you take one of the conductors and measure it to ground you get 117 V.


Some parts of NYC (lower Manhattan)were DC until about 20 years ago. These
were remnants of the Edison power system.

The 50 Hz systems were generally of European origin, and the 60Hz
systems of US origin. If the first power company in a country
was financed or built by US interests, it has 60 Hz, otherwise
50 Hz. This is very noticeable in South America, were for
example Venezuela is 60 Hz and Argentina 50 Hz.
On St Maarten, a tiny 17 sq mi island in the Caribbean,
which is hal French and half Dutch, the dutch side is 117 V
and the French side is 22o V, but bothe are  60 Hz!
Japan is part 50 Hz and part 60 Hz. The 60 Hz part is 100 V.

Many AC rail systems run at low frequencies, in Europe 16.67 Hz.

The NY IRT subway had generators that were 30 Hz I think, which
was rectified beause the trains ran on DC. The lights in the
stations were run on AC and flickered visibly.

I don't think there will ever be a worldwide standard.

Herman SDilbiger