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Why power supplied to houses in America is 110v and 60hz?
1) Why the US (and most of the Americas) uses 60 Hz and Europe (and the rest of the world) uses 50 Hz? 2) Why does the US uses 110 V (now set at 120 V) and Europe uses 220 V (now set to 230 V)? It does seem to be a conglomeration of historical reasons, including state of the art back in 1890's, which company had a head start, and standardization. Some history: George Westinghouse did his original engineering using 133 1/3 Hz. Westinghouse had an steam engine driven alternator set running at 2000 rpm (By 1886 mechanical engineers liked to have steam engines in integral numbers of rpm) and with 8 poles the set produced 8000 cycles per minute or 133 1/3 Hz. This was good for lighting as there was no flicker but it turned out it was too high for motors later developed. The earliest experiments (1886 and 1887) used belt driven generators and tended toward high frequencies like 133 1/3 Hz. This suited illumination, which was practically all that alternating current was used for at that time. By 1889 and 1890 direct driven generators were coming on line. They were more robust but with lower rotation speeds they encouraged lower frequencies. In the early years of ac there were many frequencies: each engineering team seemed to pick their own. Early frequencies in the US were 133 1/3, 125, 83 1/3, 66 2/3, 60, 50, 40, 30, 25 Hz. When Tesla joined Westinghouse, it was using 133 1/3 Hz. Tesla insisted upon 60 Hz because his ac induction motor was designed for 60 Hz and apparently wouldn't work at 133 1/3 Hz. On the Westinghouse Museum website it says that G. Westinghouse assigned his engineers Stillwell, Shallenberger, Schmid, and Scott to find a good frequency. Practical considerations of connecting alternating generators to reciprocating engines then in use demanded a lower frequency than 133 Hz. Before the end of 1892 they chose 2 frequencies: 60 Hz for lighting and 30 Hz where power was to be converted to DC. Why did Tesla/ Westinghouse engineering team choose 60 Hz? If it was Tesla that was the driving force, various biographies of Tesla declare different theories ranging from Tesla "thought it was the fundamental frequency of the universe" to "… considered the natural earth had a frequency of 10 Hz and doing experiments with 8 to 20 Hz and 20 to 40 Hz and finally 40 to 100 Hz; he decided that 60 Hz was safe." It doesn't seem to have been a desire to do accurate clocks because Henry Warren didn't patent the synchronized clock until 1916 long after the frequency was chosen. Although Warren was diligent in getting utilities to have tight specs on frequency this didn't happen until into the 1920's. Back in the early 1890's Westinghouse was involved in bidding electrical equipment for the Niagara Falls power project. However the Cataract Company (in charge of the Niagara Falls project) had already selected hydraulic turbines running at 250 rpm. So if a 16-pole generator were chosen the frequency would be 33 1/3 Hz and if a 12-pole machine were chosen then the frequency would be 25 Hz. The project consultant proposed an 8-pole generator or 16 2/3 Hz. The compromise was 25 Hz. At the time lower frequencies were easier to handle on transmission lines. Another reason is that the Steel industry liked 25 Hz because of huge slow speed induction rollers, which had a low power factor for 60 Hz and worked better at 25 Hz. Niagara Falls generated 25 Hz way into the 20th century. The website says that the Westinghouse Company later wished it had forced through 30 Hz. By 1910 it looked there would be two frequencies in North America, 25Hz for transmission and heavy industry that needed dc or slow moving heavy machinery and 60 Hz for lighting (less flicker) and general use. There was an effort by GE to introduce 40 Hz as a compromise between 25 Hz and 60 Hz in the 1890's but it was too late to overtake the 60 Hz and 25 Hz infrastructures already in place although there were some 40 Hz installations. Even so most installations in the US were done in 60 Hz after Westinghouse and GE cross licensed their patents. Development of high-speed turbines instead of slow reciprocating machinery and later developments of the rotary converter that worked well at 60 Hz made it easy to shift everything to 60 Hz. By 1920 most of the problems associated with 60 Hz transmission had been solved so that there was no longer any advantage of transmitting 25 Hz over 60 Hz. That seems to be why the US is 60 Hz. Germany took the lead in Europe of developing electrical power (primarily Emil Rathenau of AEG) and AEG seems to have used 50 Hz from day one. In 1891 AEG had demonstrated power delivery over long distances using 50 Hz. I don't know why AEG chose 50 Hz. Did the penchant for integer rpm help influence AEG for 3000 rpm and 50 Hz as opposed to 3600 rpm and 60 Hz? Did the preference for preferred numbers influence the choice of 50 Hz over 60 Hz? Did Tesla's influence pull Westinghouse to choose 60 Hz and resultant 3600 rpm over 50 Hz and 3000 rpm? Europe was even more fragmented in the early days than the US. In 1918 in London alone there were 70 electric authorities with 50 different types of systems and 10 different frequencies and 24 different voltages. But by the 1920's and 1930's more and more of Europe was changing to or working with 50 Hz. As for voltages both Europe and the US seemed to have begun with about 100 to 110 Volts DC because of Edison's success with replacing gas lights with electric lamps. Although many inventors worked on electric lights, generators and electrical systems, Edison was one of the first and was successful in putting together whole systems not just the pieces. Edison picked 110 VDC because that was the voltage he needed to get enough light out of his bulbs to compete with common gas lamps of the time and yet not blow the filaments in his bulbs too soon. The Berlin Electric Works (utility owned by AEG) changed from 110 V to 220 V starting in about 1899 to enlarge the capacity of their distribution system since the city (Berlin) was already wired 2 wires. They were probably changing from dc to ac at the time also. They paid for their customers to change their lighting and motors to 220 V and saved on the cost of copper by avoiding having to add more wiring. This spread throughout Germany and later Europe but didn't take hold in the US. I wonder if the residue from the bitter conflict between Edison and Westinghouse about the safety of AC vs. DC spilled over into not going above 110 volts for residential users even after Edison's forces conceded the need for AC. A lot of this information comes from Thomas Hughes Networks of Power : Electrification in Western Society, 1880-1930 and Benjamin Lamme Technical Story of Frequencies IEEE transactions 37 (1918) 60. Benjamin Lamme was chief engineer for Westinghouse in the early 1900's.
How do you wire a 110 volt plug?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.The answer depends on what is meant by the word "plug"? A lot of people call an electrical receptacle a "plug". If that is what is meant in this question, the answer is:First make sure that you have the power turned off at the main breaker panel. One socket of the receptacle will needs a white wire and the other side needs a black wire. The center (ground) socket needs a green wire.However, if this question may be asking about the connector at the end of an electrical cord which has projecting prongs (also called blades or pins) that "plug into" a matching receptacle. In that case the answer is: people have been replacing electrical plugs for years. You don't need an expensive professional electrician just to replace a plug on your radio or a lamp! The power will be off if you just unplug it from the receptacle. One prong or blade of the plug will need a white wire and the one on the other side needs a black wire. The center (ground) prong or blade needs a green wire.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energizedIF YOU ARE NOT REALLY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Why are different household AC electrical service voltages and frequencies used in the various countries around the world?
Single-phase voltage and frequencyCountries in Europe and in many other areas of the world use a standard mains supply voltage for households and businesses of between 220 and 240 volts for lighting as well as for high-powered appliances. This is twice that of the voltage used for ordinary lighting and low-power appliances in US, Canada and most of the Americas, and also Japan. In those countries, and others using the same power distribution system, the standard mains supply voltage for low-power appliances is between 115 and 127 volts.Note that currently all new American buildings in fact get 240 volts split into two 120 volts "hot" wires (often called "legs") with a common neutral wire. Major appliances, such as virtually all drying machines and ovens, are now connected to 240 volts.The mains frequency in Europe and other 230 Volt areas is 50 Hz (Cycles per second) compared to 60 Hz in US, Canada and other 120/240 Volt areas. Some 60 Hz appliances will work fine but others with simple motors will run too slow on the lower frequency of 50 Hz. Similarly, some 50 Hz appliances will work fine but others with simple motors will run too fast on the higher frequency of 60 Hz.However the most important difference is how the Neutral wire is connected:240 volt 50 Hz serviceA 240 volt 50 Hz appliance can have up to 3 wires altogether:one single 240 volt "live" or "hot" wire;a neutral wire;a safety "earth" or "ground" wire but this is not required if the appliance is of the type known as "double insulated".The hot wire feeds alternating voltage from the power station to the load and, because the voltage is alternating, the load draws an alternating current. Then the neutral wire returns the current to the power station to complete the circuit.240 volts 60 Hz serviceAn appliance that is designed to be connected to strictly 240 volts 60 Hz is connected with only a two wire cable plus a safety ground wire. (For example 240 volt 60 Hz base board heaters use that.)The only time a cable with three wires plus safety ground is used is if 120/240 volts is needed in the equipment. (For example kitchen ranges or washing machines which have time clocks or programmers that require only a 120 volt feed.)Thus an appliance designed to run on a 240/120 volt 60 Hz supply can have up to 4 wires altogether:two 120 volt 60 Hz live "hot legs" which run in opposing phase to one another: when one hot leg goes "+" (120 volts positive) the other leg goes "-" (120 volts negative);a neutral wired as a "central" common current return conductor:a safety "ground" wire but this is not required if the appliance is of the type known as "double insulated".One of the two hot wires feeds a 120 volt alternating voltage from the power station to the 120 volt load - the clock or programmer - and, because the voltage is alternating, that load draws an alternating current. Then the neutral wire returns the current to the power station to complete the circuit.Important conclusionThere is a 240 volt voltage difference between the neutral and the hot conductor in the 50 Hz system and only a 120 volt voltage difference between the neutral and each of the hot conductors in the 60 Hz system.That is why an appliance designed to be connected onto the 50 Hz system cannot be used safely on the 60 Hz system without first having a proper technical inspection done, followed by any necessary modification work done to ensure that the appliance can be operated safely because, in the main breaker box, at the point where the 60 Hz "neutral" gets connected to the ground, this difference will cause serious problems!A licensed electrician or electrical engineer would be able to consider whether or not a particular large appliance, that was manufactured to work on 50 Hz-only, could be modified to run safely at the higher 60 Hz frequency. However it won't usually be worth the expense of doing the work because it would be more cost-effective to buy (new or secondhand) an equivalent large appliance designed to work on 60 Hz.The system of three-phase alternating current electrical generation and distribution was invented by a nineteenth century creative genius named Nicola Tesla. He made many careful calculations and measurements and found out that 60 Hz (Hertz, cycles per second) was the best frequency for alternating current (AC) power generating. He preferred 240 volts, which put him at odds with Thomas Edison, whose direct current (DC) systems were 110 volts. Perhaps Edison had a useful point in the safety factor of the lower voltage, but DC couldn't provide the power to a distance that AC could.When the German company AEG built the first European generating facility, its engineers decided to fix the frequency at 50 Hz, because the number 60 didn't fit the metric standard unit sequence (1,2,5). At that time, AEG had a virtual monopoly and their standard spread to the rest of the continent. In Britain, differing frequencies proliferated, and only after World War II was the 50-cycle standard established.However that might have been a mistake! Not only is 50 Hz 20% less effective in generation, it is 10 - 15% less efficient in transmission and requires up to 30% larger windings and magnetic core materials in transformer construction. Electric motors are much less efficient at the lower frequency, and must also be made more robust to handle the electrical losses and the extra heat generated. Today, only a handful of countries (Antigua, Guyana, Peru, the Philippines, South Korea and the Leeward Islands) follow Tesla's advice and use the 60 Hz frequency together with a voltage of 220 - 240 V.Originally Europe was 120 V too, just like Japan and the US today. It has been deemed necessary to increase voltage to get more power with less losses and voltage drop from the same copper wire diameter. At the time the US also wanted to change but because of the cost involved to replace all electric appliances, they decided not to. At the time (1950s-1960s) the average US household already had a fridge, a washing-machine, etc., but not in Europe.The end result is that now it may seem, to some people, that the US has not evolved from the 1950s and 1960s, and still copes with problems as light bulbs that burn out rather quickly when they are close to the transformer (too high a voltage), or just the other way round: not enough voltage at the end of the line. (115 to 127 volt spread!).For more information see the answers to the Related Questions shown below.If you are interested to know what what the different standard mains voltages and frequencies are around the world - and what the various plugs look like - the Related Link shown below has all the details.
When was AEG created?
AEG was created in 1883.
When was Eesti Aeg created?
Eesti Aeg was created in 1991.
When did Eesti Aeg end?
Eesti Aeg ended in 1996.
Where can AEG power tools be bought?
There are a number of option to buy AEG power tools. Local hardware shops should carry AEG power tools. Otherwise you can also buy AEG power tools directly from their webshop.
What is the market cap for Aegon NV AEG?
As of July 2014, the market cap for Aegon NV (AEG) is $20,954,512,914.22.
What is special about the AEG ovens?
AEG ovens are special because of the advance technology and the smart innovated design. AEG has this pyroluxe cleaning feature, this uses the latest technology so this oven can clean itself at the push of a button.
Where are AEG washing machines made?
The places to purchase an AEG washing machine are many and varied. The best place to start would be the official AEG website. Other options include Comet, Argos, Currys and Amazon.
What is the best aeg?
mak 11
What actors and actresses appeared in Aeg ei peatu - 2012?
The cast of Aeg ei peatu - 2012 includes: Feliks Kark
Where can one buy AEG ovens online?
You can purchase an AEG double oven at Vision Modular Systems UK Ltd located at 10 Berkley Street in London, England W1J 8DP. They carry a wide variety of AEG brand name double ovens. There are also quite a few other retailers in the London area that also carry AEG double ovens.
Did Conrad Murray ever receive money from Michael Jackson?
No he was never paid as his contract with AEG was never signed by Michael or an AEG representative.
Where can one find reviews on the AEG dishwasher?
There are many websites online that contain reviews for the AEG dishwasher. YouTube has video reviews for many AEG models of dishwashers. A few other websites include AllAboutYou, ProductReview, and Dishwasher Reviews Australia.
