4 ms·

I wonder how hard it is to do a bottom-up conversion of the USA to 230. If the "all-electric" branch of the environmental movement are right, we'll eventually

I wonder how hard it is to do a bottom-up conversion of the USA to 230. If the "all-electric" branch of the environmental movement are right, we'll eventually need to adopt the superior European kettle technology. Getting everyone on the same plug would be great.

sidpatil 5y ago
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jMmUoZh3Hq4 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jMmUoZh3Hq4
- colejohnson66 5y ago
  I haven’t watched the video yet, so I don’t know if he addresses this, but: considering many devices with a switching PSU support “universal” voltage, plugging a US style plug into a 220/240V source would probably be fine.
Someone1234 5y ago
Every single home in the US has 220 already. They're taken from 220 to 110 at the breaker for common outlets, but many large appliances (and EV chargers) already are 220. Worse kettle performance is unfortunate. But better safety is a nice side effect (in particular as the NEMA connector the US uses is dangerous/poorly designed/bad, even with the ground pin).
- cedilla 5y ago
  If houses in the US are 240V, than houses in Europe are 480 (or rather, 400V because it's usually triphasic). The voltage arriving at the building is kind of irrelevant to the discussion. The question is whether a connection could even sustain the house network at double the voltage with larger appliances than it was designed for.
  - Someone1234 5y ago
    > The voltage arriving at the building is kind of irrelevant to the discussion. My post talked about voltages arriving at appliances in US homes. Many appliances are designed and in fact receive 220 V. There's even a common (i.e. near every home) plug/wiring/breaker standard for 220 V. You're the one trying to steer the discussion towards "arriving Vs. using" whereas the first line of my post was expressly about the active use of 220 V in near every US home today (tumble dryers, ovens, central heating, EV chargers, shop equipment, etc). > The question is whether a connection could even sustain the house network at double the voltage with larger appliances than it was designed for. I don't understand what you're trying to say. A full end-to-end circuit has to be built for a specific voltage and amperage. If you want to turn a 110 V into a 220 V, you have to re-wire from the breaker otherwise the wiring will overheat and catch fire.
bob1029 5y ago
Imagine how many transformers you are talking about replacing. You'd also have to redo everyone's electrical panel. It is substantially easier to run additional customer connections for those edge cases where an existing 200A residential service will not suffice.

sidpatil 5y ago

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jMmUoZh3Hq4 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jMmUoZh3Hq4

colejohnson66 5y ago
I haven’t watched the video yet, so I don’t know if he addresses this, but: considering many devices with a switching PSU support “universal” voltage, plugging a US style plug into a 220/240V source would probably be fine.

Someone1234 5y ago

Every single home in the US has 220 already. They're taken from 220 to 110 at the breaker for common outlets, but many large appliances (and EV chargers) already are 220. Worse kettle performance is unfortunate. But better safety is a nice side effect (in particular as the NEMA connector the US uses is dangerous/poorly designed/bad, even with the ground pin).

cedilla 5y ago
If houses in the US are 240V, than houses in Europe are 480 (or rather, 400V because it's usually triphasic). The voltage arriving at the building is kind of irrelevant to the discussion. The question is whether a connection could even sustain the house network at double the voltage with larger appliances than it was designed for.
- Someone1234 5y ago
  > The voltage arriving at the building is kind of irrelevant to the discussion. My post talked about voltages arriving at appliances in US homes. Many appliances are designed and in fact receive 220 V. There's even a common (i.e. near every home) plug/wiring/breaker standard for 220 V. You're the one trying to steer the discussion towards "arriving Vs. using" whereas the first line of my post was expressly about the active use of 220 V in near every US home today (tumble dryers, ovens, central heating, EV chargers, shop equipment, etc). > The question is whether a connection could even sustain the house network at double the voltage with larger appliances than it was designed for. I don't understand what you're trying to say. A full end-to-end circuit has to be built for a specific voltage and amperage. If you want to turn a 110 V into a 220 V, you have to re-wire from the breaker otherwise the wiring will overheat and catch fire.

bob1029 5y ago

Imagine how many transformers you are talking about replacing. You'd also have to redo everyone's electrical panel. It is substantially easier to run additional customer connections for those edge cases where an existing 200A residential service will not suffice.