Re: Why Buy a Converter?

On 2 Jul 2008 12:53:23 GMT, phil-news-nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote:

>|  If you need 240 V, you have it in most houses.  Call your electrician.
>
>My point is the losses in the _wiring_ are less at 240V than at 120V. 
For
>the wiring going into the home, which is sized for the expected total
current,
>there's no issue since half the 120V loads being in series with the other
half.
Huh! The only time that happens is when there is something really WRONG
with
the Neutral conductor. Evidence: Bright lights in some places and dim ones
other places.
I have seen this effect 3 times in 30 years. In all cases, there was a
(BIG)
problem with the Neutral feeding the panel.

>120V loads makes it effectively 240V.  However, for individual branch
circuits
>using smaller (AWG #12 and #14) conductors, 240V would be less lossy than
120V
>is.
Actually the loss is almost EXACTLY the same for a 2000VA load .
We will assume that the countries that use 240 also use less copper to
deliver
it to the outlet, so halving the current does not gain much I squared R
efficiency. The USA uses 12Ga to deliver 20Amps of either voltage to the
appropriate outlet with an estimated 5% voltage drop at 100 feet at the
full
20 Amps. Note a 20 amp circuit must be "de rated" to 80% if the load is
present continuously for greater than 3 hours: "80% rule". I have seen
many
"server room" 20A rated (5-20R) Ivory outlets that did not follow the de
rating: Coffee colored and crumbling when plug removed. Since the load was
NOT
over the breaker rating, the breaker did not trip.
 
Using less copper sound$ good to me. 
Most of my larger electronics is voltage switchable (some needs a
jumper/switch move), Unfortunately, most of my "wall wart" powered stuff
is
only 120V.