On Jun 22, 3:01*pm, harry wrote:
On Jun 22, 3:23*pm, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:18:54 -0700, Pavel314 wrote:
This is a theoretical electrical question, not something I actually plan
to do. Say somebody wants to run a new circuit from the breaker box to
one special outlet, like for a microwave oven or window air conditioner
or something like that. Being an economical sort, this guy decides that
instead of buying the proper gauge wire for the job, he'll use up some
14 gauge wire which is lying around from a previous job, but run two hot
lines and two ground lines in parallel, as diagrammed below.
That's essentially the way it's done in the UK; wiring is run such that
outlets sit on a ring circuit rather than a radial from the service panel
(consumer unit in UK parlance). See:
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_circuit
I'm sure it violates all sorts of rules this side of the Pond :-)
cheers
Jules
Yes, we have a ring main system over here with 13a Sockets. *It makes
more efficient use of the wire, is safer and easier to extend. There
is a fuse in each plug sized to the appliance it supplies. *There can
be an unlimited number of sockets on a ring *and it's connected to a
30A CB. *The area it serves is limited to 100m2. *It's ideally suited
to today's home with many small appliances.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_main
We had a radial system over here at one time , it was abandoned over
fifty years ago.- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Yes, makes sense. I never worked with it but 30A at 230/240 volts is
a lot of usable wattage, eh? Around 7 kilowatts and almost 6000 watts
using an 80% loading rule, if there is one.
Lived briefly in the middle east and relatives house had 3 230 volt
phases into his residence. Lots of power, for Air conditioners etc. on
relatively small conductors. All buried in the sandy ground.
Something similar in Malta as well. Three phases with a common neutral
along each street on house brackets. But Malta, as an isolated island
in the Med. power was very expensive!
BTW keep an eye/ear out for big new hydro development at Lower
Churchill, Labrador to be developed next few years to feed renewable
power to the Atlantic Provinces of Canada and north eastern USA. It's
also welcome because such power is considered less polluting. Right
now we live in an area that has almost 100% hydro power but not yet
connected to the North American grid system. With this existing supply
and despite a small population of around half a million and the need
for relatively long overhead transmission lines in a windy/icy climate
our power is very reliable and at very reasonable cost.
No piped in gas here; so domestically homes are virtually 100%
electric. It's a very convenient and safe fuel!
Cheers.