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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 20:54:22 +0000
With aluminium (aluminum) conductors Anton?

Paul

In message <008001c08190$477fb780$242928d4@Oll>, CT HRD <tony@uch.net>
writes
>
>        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
>> 
>> --
>> FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/amps
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>> Problems:                 owner-amps@contesting.com
>> 
>
>
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>

-- 

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

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