On Sat, 16 Nov 2013 20:04:33 +0000 (UTC), Danny D'Amico
wrote:

On Sat, 16 Nov 2013 10:50:51 -0800, wrote:

It doesn't change the fact that in
a 240V residential service the two hots are in fact
180 deg out of phase realtive to each other.

I'm pretty sure I learned, long ago, that they're 120 degrees
out of phase with each other.

Nope. If you must assign a phase relationship (though it's
technically wrong) it would be 180 degrees. The phases in a
three-phase system are 120 degrees apart. Remember, a circle is 360
degrees (what happened to metric?).

The reason, IIRC, has to do with the fact that they generate
electricity with three coils. And *those* three coils are wound
symmetrically (i.e., in a Y or delta) which makes them 120 degrees
out of sync.

Yes, the generators are three-phase, as is the distribution system.

So, each of the three wires coming out of the power company
(which are the three wires on the poles along the street) are
120 degrees out of sync (if I'm correct).

So far, so good.

You only get *two* of those wires going into your house.
But they're still 120 degrees out of sync (AFAIK).

Nope, you only get one, and that one is split in half, using a
center-tapped transformer (center goes to ground/neutral).

Besides, if they were 180 degrees out of sync, what would
the third wire be on that pole?

You only see one of the three. Your neighbor might be 120degrees from
you (on another leg of the three phases) but you can't see that.