Using UK 240 tools in USA

[EWTHeckman]

not really pertinent to the compatibility issue, but the 60 hz frequency of the
north america grid is pretty much set in stone... it doesn't vary much
at all, maybe a tenth of a HZ for a moment or two.

I heard recently that electricity suppliers are beginning to experiment with using 50 Hz or variable frequencies on the power grid. If I remember correctly, the reason had something to do with improving efficiency or reducing the load on the power grid. While 60 Hz is currently set in stone, that may not last.

 

[FulThrotl]

not really pertinent to the compatibility issue, but the 60 hz frequency of the
north america grid is pretty much set in stone... it doesn't vary much
at all, maybe a tenth of a HZ for a moment or two.

I heard recently that electricity suppliers are beginning to experiment with using 50 Hz or variable frequencies on the power grid. If I remember correctly, the reason had something to do with improving efficiency or reducing the load on the power grid. While 60 Hz is currently set in stone, that may not last.

well, nobody ever breaks ohm's law, they just confirm it.

there are three frequencies in use in north america at this time......

DC (0 Hz), 60 Hz, 25 hz in niagra falls on one generator, and 25 hz in new orleans for floodwater pumps.
the dc is used in some specific situations, like the 500 MV line from oregon to so calif.
the 25 hz is obsolete stand alone systems. it was used in railway for a long time, but phased out in the 40's or so.

there is no way you can do massive power transmission without standardizing frequency.

there is muliplexing, but that will move signals, not juice to spin motors and stuff....

here is why AC systems must be synchronized:

let us assume that you have two generators spinning at exactly the same speed,
making exactly the same voltage, but the waveforms are not matched or "in phase".
when you hook them to a common load, current flow will move between the generators
in proportion to the "phase shift" or difference in timing of the rotating magnetic fields,
which is measured in degrees.

i've seen this happen in the real world, with just a few degrees of phase difference.
it vaporized a 1" x 4" copper bus bar. and this was only on 480 volts, not on distribution
voltages.

that is with identical voltages, identical frequencies, just half a bubble off.

different frequencies? imagine a roller coaster and a tilt a whirl being hooked to the same
person at once.

 

[Sparktrician]

well, nobody ever breaks ohm's law, they just confirm it.

there are three frequencies in use in north america at this time......

DC (0 Hz), 60 Hz, 25 hz in niagra falls on one generator, and 25 hz in new orleans for floodwater pumps.
the dc is used in some specific situations, like the 500 MV line from oregon to so calif.
the 25 hz is obsolete stand alone systems. it was used in railway for a long time, but phased out in the 40's or so.

there is no way you can do massive power transmission without standardizing frequency.

there is muliplexing, but that will move signals, not juice to spin motors and stuff....

here is why AC systems must be synchronized:

let us assume that you have two generators spinning at exactly the same speed,
making exactly the same voltage, but the waveforms are not matched or "in phase".
when you hook them to a common load, current flow will move between the generators
in proportion to the "phase shift" or difference in timing of the rotating magnetic fields,
which is measured in degrees.

i've seen this happen in the real world, with just a few degrees of phase difference.
it vaporized a 1" x 4" copper bus bar. and this was only on 480 volts, not on distribution
voltages.

that is with identical voltages, identical frequencies, just half a bubble off.

different frequencies? imagine a roller coaster and a tilt a whirl being hooked to the same
person at once.

Just remember that it takes 0.1 amps to knock a human stone dead under ideal circumstances.  That's one tenth of one amp.  A normal household circuit carries 15 amps, or 150 times the amount of current needed to kill someone (under ideal circumstances).  The amount of current normally carried by a 1" x 4" bus bar is far more than any household circuit, even electric ranges.  Imagine how much current it takes to vaporize that bus bar.  Now imagine that current using your vital juices as a conductor.  Not pretty. 

[eek]