110 volts / 220 volts... Why?

[His Divine Shadow]

Why does the United States use 110v and Europe 220v(or 230, whats the diff? Seems 220v can run 230 or 240 and vice versa)?
I understand that by now it's mostly a matter of inertia but wouldn't there be merits to changing this to a common standard or is that too insurmountable a task? And which block ought to change?

Why did the two blocks chose different voltages, and which one is better? Or does each configuration have some kind of advantage over the other?

It just annoys me right now. If it wasn't for the 110/220v difference I could have bought a cheap yet high quality buffer from the US but thanks to being a 110volt device it would be useless here. Buying a 220v rated buffer of the same brand is 300 euros here in Finland. The Buffer in the US cost 170$, a Dewalt DW849.

Ahh different standards, a real obstacle for globalization.

[FireNexus]

They have adapters that can switch it over. Though I don't know how cost effective it would be.

[His Divine Shadow]

Not cost effective at all. Infact the adapters, called transformators, sucks as a solution as well. That solution is just so clumsy and expensive you might as well screw that option, especially if you are say in the market for something that does use alot of energy, like power tools.

[Aaron]

I was told in HS that the reason why North America uses 110V was for economic reasons. So Europe couldn't market certain devices over here. I have no idea how true that is, as I never bothered to look into it. But some of our stuff does work on 220V. Stoves for example.

[Braedley]

Europe also uses 50Hz instead of 60Hz.

Anyways, form my intro circuit analyis course:

Standards for ac
In North and South America the most commonly avail­able ac supply is 120 V at 60 Hz, while in Europe and the Eastern countries it is 220 V at 50 Hz. The choices of rms value and frequency were obviously made care­fully because they have such an important impact on the design and operation of so many systems.
The fact that the frequency difference is only 10 Hz reveals that there was agreement on the general fre­quency range that should be used for power generation and distribution. History suggests that the question of frequency selection was originally focused on that fre­quency that would not exhibit flicker in the incandescent lamps available in those days. Technically, however, there really wouldn't be a noticeable difference between 50 and 60 cycles per second based on this criterion.
Another important factor in the early design stages was the effect of frequency on the size of trans­formers, which play a major role in power distribution. Working through the fundamental equations for trans­former design, you will find that the size of a trans­
former is inversely proportional to frequency. The result is that transformers operating at 50 Hz must be larger (on a purely mathematical basis about 17% larger) than those operating at 60 Hz. You will there­fore find that transformers designed for the interna­tional market where they can operate on 50 Hz or 60 Hz are designed around the 50-Hz frequency. On the other side of the coin, however, higher frequencies result in increased concerns about arcing, increased losses in the transformer core due to eddy current and hysteresis losses (Chapter 19), and skin effect phe­nomena (Chapter 19). '\
Somewhere in the discussion we must consider the fact that 60 Hz is an exact multiple of 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour. Since accurate timing is such a critical part of our technological design, was this a significant motive in the final choice? There is also the question about whether the 50 Hz is a result of the close affinity of this value to the metric system. Keep in mind that powers of 10 are all powerful in the metric system, with 100 cm in a meter, 1O0DC the boiling point of water, and so on. Note that 50 Hz is exactly half of this special number. All in all, it would seem that both sides have an argu­ment that would be worth defending. However, in the final analysis, we must also wonder whether the differ­ence is simply political in nature.
difference in voltage between North America and Europe is a different matter entirely: the difference is close to 100%. Again, however, there are valid argu­ments for both sides. There is no question that larger voltages such as 220 V raise safety issues beyond those raised by voltages of 120 V. However, when higher voltges are supplied, there is less current in the wire for the same power demand, permitting the use of smaller conductors-a real money saver. In addition, motors, compressors, and so on, found in common home appliances and throughout the industrial com­munity can be smaller in size. Higher voltages, how­ever, also bring back the concern about arcing, insula­tion requirements, and, due to real safety concerns, higher installation costs.
In general, however, international travellers are prepared for most situations if they have a transformer that can convert from their home level to that of the country they plan to visit. Most equipment (not clocks, of course) can run quite well on 50 Hz or 60 Hz for most travel periods. For any unit not operating at its design frequency, it will simply have to "work a little harder" to perform the given task. The major problem for the traveller is not the transformer itself but the wide variety of plugs used from one country to another. Many countries have their own design for the socket in the wall. For a three-week tour, this could mean as many as 10 different plugs of the types shown below. For a 120- V, 60- Hz supply, the plug is quite standard in appearance with its two parallel blades (and possible ground connection).
In any event, both the 120 Vat 60 Hz and the 220 V at 50 Hz are obviously meeting the needs of the con­sumer. It is a debate that could go on at length without an ultimate victor.

Appologies for any errors in the text, it was scanned in.

[RedImperator]

I understand that by now it's mostly a matter of inertia but wouldn't there be merits to changing this to a common standard or is that too insurmountable a task?

You're talking about rewiring an entire hemisphere. Hell will freeze over first.

[Netko]

Heh, looking at my "Basics of Electrical Engeenering" textbook and comparing to Braedley's post, it states pretty much the same thing, except, curiously enough, the focus is on the better efficiency of the 220V, there is no mention of 50Hz transformers being larger, nor the discussion about 60Hz and 60sec. Nothing like a little cross-atlantic rivlary, eh?

[aerius]

North America is wired up for 240V, you just gotta change a few wires around at the breaker box. We have a (+), a (-), and a ground in the breaker box, hook up (+) to (-) and we get 240V, which is exactly what we do for the stove, dryer, and HVAC circuits. The rest of the home gets (+) to ground or (-) to ground, resulting in the nominal 120V.

As for why, I don't know, it just kinda happened that way. Westinghouse or whoever it was that first started the mass distribution of AC power decided that 120V/60Hz was the way to go and that's the way it's been ever since.

For even more fun, Japan uses 100V at I believe 50Hz.

[Darth Wong]

True, there are 240V lines for the "heavy duty appliances" in your house already. But the word "inertia" really understates the enormous costs that would be involved in modification of legacy equipment (quite literally in every single building in the continent) and/or the purchase of billions of adapter devices, in addition to rewiring all of those buildings.

It's also noteworthy that there would be massive losses of various kinds during the changeover period (which would take decades), because every time someone plugged a 110V device into a 220V line, he would destroy the device, possibly causing a fire in the process. This would not be a problem if Europe switched from 220V down to 110V.

[Batman]

Ah, but given the problems would be caused by you using 110V why should we be the ones to change? After all a 220V device plugged into a 110V socket will simply fail to work doing no damage whatsoever.

[LMSx]

Ah, but given the problems would be caused by you using 110V why should we be the ones to change? After all a 220V device plugged into a 110V socket will simply fail to work doing no damage whatsoever.

There will be billions of unusable devices no matter which hemisphere wins, but if the Europeans switch to 110 those old devices won't be fire hazards.

[Vendetta]

Not cost effective at all. Infact the adapters, called transformators, sucks as a solution as well. That solution is just so clumsy and expensive you might as well screw that option, especially if you are say in the market for something that does use alot of energy, like power tools.

I have a 240v/110v stepdown. It cost about twenty quid.

[Cao Cao]

Not cost effective at all. Infact the adapters, called transformators, sucks as a solution as well. That solution is just so clumsy and expensive you might as well screw that option, especially if you are say in the market for something that does use alot of energy, like power tools.

I have a 240v/110v stepdown. It cost about twenty quid.

I have one that cost £15 (a very robust and nice one too), and another that came free with my American PS2

[Darth Wong]

Not cost effective at all. Infact the adapters, called transformators, sucks as a solution as well. That solution is just so clumsy and expensive you might as well screw that option, especially if you are say in the market for something that does use alot of energy, like power tools.

I have a 240v/110v stepdown. It cost about twenty quid.

Now multiply that twenty quid by the number of electrical appliances on an entire continent.

[SCRawl]

Not cost effective at all. Infact the adapters, called transformators, sucks as a solution as well. That solution is just so clumsy and expensive you might as well screw that option, especially if you are say in the market for something that does use alot of energy, like power tools.

I have a 240v/110v stepdown. It cost about twenty quid.

Now multiply that twenty quid by the number of electrical appliances on an entire continent.

I think that Vendetta was referring to HDS' assertion that an adapter wasn't a feasible solution.

Unfortunately, I don't see how this power schism will ever be resolved. It's not as though it really needs fixing -- everything works the way it is. It's irritating on many levels, but the trains still run on time.

[Braedley]

The entire grid (either North American of European) would have to fail and cause everything connected to it (or the vast majority of devices connected to it that can't run long term on the other grid) to fail before either of the grids are changed. In other words, not in our lifetime.

[Cao Cao]

The entire grid (either North American of European) would have to fail and cause everything connected to it (or the vast majority of devices connected to it that can't run long term on the other grid) to fail before either of the grids are changed. In other words, not in our lifetime.

That or Britain could go and conquer America, forming a second glorious empire and making you all change voltage!!

... what? It could happen..

[Uraniun235]

The entire grid (either North American of European) would have to fail and cause everything connected to it (or the vast majority of devices connected to it that can't run long term on the other grid) to fail before either of the grids are changed. In other words, not in our lifetime.

A few orbital nuclear explosions could make it happen to some degree via EMP.

[Instant Sunrise]

Plus, then somebody is going to have to change the television standards. Since the framerate of television was determined BY the power cycling, to avoid flickering. And television standards are next to impossible to change.

[Vendetta]

But then TV standards are changing anyway. HDTV signals are common everywhere.

[Spyder]

Not cost effective at all. Infact the adapters, called transformators, sucks as a solution as well. That solution is just so clumsy and expensive you might as well screw that option, especially if you are say in the market for something that does use alot of energy, like power tools.

I have a 240v/110v stepdown. It cost about twenty quid.

Can it handle more then 50 watts?

[Vendetta]

That I don't know. And since it appears to be hidden, can't check.

It's designed for games consoles, so probably not.

[His Divine Shadow]

The power tool in question was rated at 1200 watts IIRC. Those kinds of devices are expensive here.

[Mobius]

That I don't know. And since it appears to be hidden, can't check.

It's designed for games consoles, so probably not.

the one i use for my PC-FX is rated up to 85watts.

[Instant Sunrise]

But then TV standards are changing anyway. HDTV signals are common everywhere.

Except that European HDTV is 50Hz/25 FPS. Wheras US HDTV is 60Hz/30FPS.

There are also 480V outlets for the US. (5 leads: 3 hot, 1 neutral) But those are for industrial uses, and lighting equipment.