Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!rochester!crowl
From: crowl@rochester.UUCP (Lawrence Crowl)
Newsgroups: net.sci
Subject: Re: Choice of voltage?
Message-ID: <15766@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 2-Mar-86 15:25:31 EST
Article-I.D.: rocheste.15766
Posted: Sun Mar  2 15:25:31 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Mar-86 03:16:20 EST
References: <107@drutx.UUCP>
Reply-To: crowl@rochester.UUCP (Lawrence Crowl)
Organization: U of Rochester, CS Dept, Rochester, NY
Lines: 15

In article <107@drutx.UUCP> slb@drutx.UUCP (Sue Brezden) writes:
>>	Does anyone know why 60hz was chosen as the standard frequency
>>	for the AC power distribution system in North America??
>Along the same lines, why -48 volts for telephone lines.  I understand
>the negative voltage is to prevent loss of copper.  But 48?
I heard many years ago is that 48 volts was below the "high voltage" figure.
This allowed the phone company to avoid paying "hazardous duty" pay.  This is
unsubstantiated rumor dredged from memory.  More rumor is that the workers
(union?) then tried to lower the "high voltage" below 48.  The world is full
of selfless people. :-(
-- 

Lawrence Crowl             716-275-5766        University of Rochester
                                               Computer Science Department
...!{allegra,decvax,seismo}!rochester!crowl    Rochester, New York,  14627