It happens that David Billington formulated :
On 24/05/13 19:29, janders wrote:
On 5/24/2013 8:47 AM, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:

Likely, the current is low. Most "neons" pass only low tens of
milliamps, max. If that's the case, most any small power transformer
rated for 6-10VA with a center-tapped 220V primary would do.

Use it in "autoformer" mode, hooking 220V to the outside leads, and
tapping 110V from the line-neutral leg to the center leg.

Ok, just to make sure bases are covered, I've been told that in Australia,
220 is -220-, either leg to ground is 220, not 110.
Don't know if that changes anything you wrote above...


Jon
I would expect Australia to be like the UK so you would have live, neutral
and ground, where neutral and ground are tied together at the substation, and
live is one leg of the 3 phase distribution system for a single phase supply.
So you would get 220V from live to ground or neutral, neutral to ground
should be 0V but might have a small difference but it should be very small.

You are correct about the live to ground etc but the nominal line to
neutral voltage is 240 volts as it is in the UK. and it is often
higher.

Many houses including mine have 3 phase and neutral for the aircon etc.

GROUND is wired everywhere, light fittings included, but is never
current carrying in normal operation.

I am surprised at all the talk about 110/220 in this thread because the
nominal in the USA has been 120/240 for some years now although there
is no gaurentee that is what you get.

--
John G