[ARC5] [BoatAnchors] 125 VAC Line? Make Your BA's Happy, Cheap.

[Glen Zook]

The distribution lines, the power lines that provide electricity to homes and businesses, normally run at a voltage of 7200 VAC to 7800 VAC or 14,400 VAC to 15,600 VAC.  In a relatively few areas, primarily in the older sections of major cities on the east coast, the distribution lines run from 4200 VAC to 4800 VAC.  The 14,400 VAC to 15,600 VAC lines are generally in newer built areas like those built since around the year 2000.  This distribution voltage is reduced to the line voltage supplied to the end user by transformers ("pole pigs") located near the desired location.

For quite some time, most major electric providers have had a target voltage of 250 VAC +/- 4-volts with a center tap voltage of 125 VAC +/- 2-volts.  During times when more power is needed (such as during warmer weather with air conditioning loads), the companies run at the higher end of the voltage.  As such, 254 VAC / 127 VAC is what the input voltage is to the end user.  In this area, Dallas, Texas, area, the line voltage has been running at the 254 / 127 VAC range since around 1970.

During the 10-years that I was employed, as an in house telecommunications consultant, by Texas Utilities (TXU), which became Energy Futures Holding / ONCOR, the electric company for almost half the State of Texas, I was a member of the TXU Speakers Board from which speakers, on all sorts of topics, were made available, at no charge, to clubs, organizations, and so forth.  Although my usual presentations were on the subjects of lightning protection and r.f. grounding, at every presentation someone would ask why their light bulbs did not last very long.

The explanation was simple:  The light bulbs sold at grocery stores, home improvement centers, and other retail outlets were designed for an average voltage not to exceed 120 VAC.  However, there were 130 VAC bulbs available at most home improvement centers and at lighting specialties stores.  Since these bulbs lasted considerably longer, the light bulb sales dropped considerably when the end user bought the 130 VAC bulbs, most home improvement centers, and other stores that did carry the 130 VAC bulbs, basically hid the bulbs among a large quantity of 120 VAC bulbs.  Most consumers went for the 120 VAC bulbs which did not last very long with the higher voltage and the consumer had to purchase more bulbs in a relatively short time period.

There are all sorts of ways to reduce the voltage applied to "boat anchor" equipment.  However, at least in my situation, I have had absolutely no problems with any of my equipment even though the ambient line voltage has been at least 125 VAC and often 127 VAC.  I definitely do have a "bit" of "boat anchor" equipment.

http://nebula.wsimg.com/4298c6e0cf22eac24332ea19c7d81f98?AccessKeyId=5DDC3F25F0398F58962E&disposition=0&alloworigin=1


 Glen, K9STH 
Website: http://k9sth.net
 

      From: Brian Clarke <brianclarke01 at optusnet.com.au>
 To: Robert <w4rl at bellsouth.net>; Brian <brianclarke01 at optusnet.com.au>; Boatanchors List <boatanchors at theporch.com>; ARC-5 List <arc5 at mailman.qth.net> 
 Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2016 11:37 PM
 Subject: Re: [ARC5] [BoatAnchors] 125 VAC Line? Make Your BA's Happy, Cheap.
   
Hello Robert,
There are over 50 different mains pressure and frequency standards around the world. My suspicion is that countries of the old British Commonwealth of Nations (Australia, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa to name a few) all got lumbered with 240 Vac, because that was the standard in the UK; it also made economic sense to the Brits to be able to offload their electrical household goods to a larger buying public without having to offer country-specific modifications. For instance, a tapped transformer is ALWAYS more expensive to manufacture than an untapped one.
While 50 Hz was an almost universal frequency standard in most parts of Eastern and Western Europe, the standard pressure was 220 Vac; Japan was the stop-out with 100 Vac. With the move toward harmonisation that started with birth of the European Economic Community (early 1970s), after many years of negotiations, 230 Vac got adopted throughout most of Europe and the ex-British Commonwealth dependencies. Because this represents a market about 28 times that of the USA, it makes economic sense to stay with the higher Voltage. Also, only about half the copper is required for distribution and then reticulation per household for its fixed wiring compared with the USA and its dependencies. 
Just as a point of interest, the number of electrocutions through 'playing with' 230 Vac is almost negligible. It is virtually impossible even for idiots to get across the mains - modern connectors make touching live circuitry extremely difficult. This is not the case in the USA.
  
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