XPost: rec.arts.comics.strips   
   From: lynnmcguire5@gmail.com   
      
   On 1/1/2026 10:04 AM, Thomas Koenig wrote:   
   > Scott Dorsey  schrieb:   
   >> Thomas Koenig   wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>> What is 220 V used for in the US (assuming that this took place   
   >>> there)?  I assume it would be 220 V/60 Hz?   
   >>   
   >> A 120V 20A outlet is limited to producing 2400W, and you're only supposed   
   >> to run loads at 80% of capacity, so that means continuous loads of 1920W.   
   >> So anything larger than that (stoves, clothes dryers, air conditioners,   
   >> film projectors, etc.) get put onto 220V or 208V lines.   
   >>   
   >> Yes, this means that American electric kettles are limited to 1750W so   
   >> they can go onto typical 120V 15W circuits, and yes, this means that   
   >> American electric kettles are slow and frustrating.   
   >>   
   >> 240V in the US consists of two hot legs, each of which is 120V from the   
   >> neutral.  Many appliances have a neutral connection as well as the two   
   >> hots, so a clothes dryer may use 240V for the heating elements but 120V   
   >> for the light bulb and the control circuits.  It's fairly ingenious and   
   >> I thing it's another thing we can thank Karl Steinmetz for.   
   >   
   > Interesting.   
   >   
   > In Europe, every household has three phases (plus a neutral   
   > conductor), so 400 V between any two phases. They are distributed   
   > more or less equally between different rooms, but high-power   
   > appliances like ovens or stoves use all three.   
      
   Europe has more wiring.  Expensive.   
      
   Here in Texas, three phase wired homes cost another 1.0 cents / kwh on   
   the monthly electric bill.  So do buildings and homes with electric   
   service over 200 amps.   
      
   Lynn   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)