In the former USSR just 2 wires and the voltage is 190-240 V
UT7CT, Anton Koval
tony@uch.net ICQ#19487420
0472 455518
----- Original Message -----
From: David Kirkby <drkirkby@ntlworld.com>
To: <amps@contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 7:27 PM
Subject: [AMPS] Re: AC Mains in Europe
>
> Steve Powlishen wrote:
> >
> > Quick question on how the AC mains in Europe
> > are set up.
> >
> There are 3 wires - live neutral and earth. Neutral and earth are joined
> at the substation, so there at least there is 0 V between them. By the
> time it reaches your house, there can be a small voltage between them,
> but it will be small ( 1 V or so). You should take power between live
> and neutral, which has 230 V between them. Hence live to earth will be
> close to 230 V too, not 115 V as you might be thinking.
>
> Neutral and earth can have a small voltage difference, due to the
> non-zero neutral current. In a fully balanced 3 phase system, neutral
> current would be zero and so neutral-earth voltage zero. In practise
> this is not quite so.
>
> Here is an interesting story. The electricity meter, which charges by kW
> hr, does not use the neutral to measure current. (It does use it to
> measure voltage, and hence power) Someone once told me of a friend who
> used the small voltage between neutral and earth to generate sufficient
> power to heat his greenhouse. This is free electricity, as the meter
> does not record it.
>
> I measured the voltage and current once between N and E and while I
> found it was possible to extract some power, it would not have been
> sufficient to heat a dolls house. Trying this will also trip any earth
> leakage circuit breakers, so it is not a good idea, but I thought it
> might interest someone.
>
> --
> Dr. David Kirkby Ph.D,
> email: drkirkby@ntlwold.com (formally davek@medphys.ucl.ac.uk)
> web page: http://www.david-kirkby.co.uk
> Amateur radio callsign: G8WRB
>
> --
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