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

[Scott Robinson]

In the San Francisco, California area where I live and work I find 
120-122V consistently.

/scott

On 1/17/16 11:03 AM, Glen Zook via ARC5 wrote:
> 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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