On Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:24:40 +1100, John G wrote:

Please go to school and learn the basic principles of electricity :-@

This is probably not called for.

I think my only mistake so far was "assuming" the lines coming into the
home were 120 degrees out of phase (because I understood distribution
but not the center-tapped transformer stuff). I now know they are
180 degrees out of sync with each other (because they come from the
center tapped transformer which is fed only one of the distribution
lines).

The only other place where you and I disagree is that you don't consider
the ground going back to the power company, whereas I do, and so do
some references - and yet - I also allow your characterization of the
ground being simply something that you can't change the potential of.

So, I think I don't need to go back to school so much as I simply disagree
with you on a relatively minor point, which is how the circuit is
completed.

On everything else, we agree, it seems, so, why do you incessantly
(three times so far) tell me to go back to school?

We all get along here because we treat each other with respect.