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[AMPS] Re: AC Mains in Europe

To: <amps@contesting.com>
Subject: [AMPS] Re: AC Mains in Europe
From: apollo_six@btinternet.com (paul)
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 2001 18:55:02 +0000
>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. 
>
Dave,

If you "extract" this after the incoming fused switch and before the
elcb it won't trip the elcb (and you use a local earth too).

This small voltage  (normal condx) can become a big voltage under fault
condx. See previous postings by me and others on this subject.

Paul
-- 

To try and not succeed is better than not to try at all (Anon)

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