Linards Ticmanis wrote:
Michael J. Mahon wrote:No, it's not a 110-0-110 (balanced) system, with 220 line-to-line. It's unbalanced 220-0, so it's 220 volts only. (I expect that at least some 220v countries also support balanced 220-0-220 so that 440v loads can be bridged line-to-line.)Well, we do have three-phase sockets that provide 380V line-to-line, commonly used for electrical stoves, and in industrial settings; but I've never heard of 440V stuff.
In the US, the common residential power supply is a centertapped 230v (often called 220v ;-) feed, with the center tap designated as "neutral" (approximately ground). This allows half the circuits in the house to be wired on one 115v side and the other half to be wired on the other side. Large heating appliances, like clothes dryers, are fitted with 230v connectors, which provide both sides of the split phase and neutral, and operate their large loads line-to-line at 230v. Think of it as a "best of both worlds" scenario. ;-) (BTW, 3-phase power is available to industrial users, and there the line-to-line voltage is 208v.) -michael Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's! Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/ "The wastebasket is our most important design tool--and it is seriously underused."