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Date:         Fri, 16 May 2014 19:04:51 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Off topic Friday question on switches...
Comments: To: Gnarlodious <gnarlodious@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CANp2e0gF4GJ2SZX0Ng_ChAOdUu_4r2ZWxLAGF=QU1ZTVgRvTgQ@mail.g
              mail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 06:43 PM 5/16/2014, Gnarlodious wrote: >Modern homes have 2-phase service to run resistive loads like clothes >dryers or water heaters, which use a special huge socket. The service box >is 2-phase but wired for single-phase loads. Except for the dryer and oven, >which tap across 2 phases. You won't find any large inductive loads in >residential homes

Ok, we're talking about the same thing but disagreeing about what to call it. I really don't see how it's legitimate to call the output of a single transformer winding "two-phase" if you're not using the center tap, as you are not when you hook up 220V loads in US domestic service. Suppose that instead of grounding the neutral wire you grounded one of the hot wires. Now it would stay at earth potential and you'd have a 110V hot from the center tap and a 220V hot from the other end of the winding -- both exactly in phase. But leaving aside the practicalities of safety making this arrangement undesirable, you haven't actually changed anything.

I think "split-phase" is a useful way to describe how we wire houses in the US, and "two phase" is not; especially when there are actual two-phase systems still in use in this country.

Yours, David


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