NY wrote:

"Rod Speed" wrote in message
...
But they have 115 and 230V in the same house. It's a centre tapped 230V.
Bit of a ****ing mess, but thy can get a decent voltage when needed.

Not practical to do electric showers that way.

That's also the reason they don't use electric jugs
either, not practical to run them on 230V.

Why not? What's the difference between Europe's 220-240V and and US 230V
made up of two 115V supplies? Power-hungry devices like kettles, cookers,
tumble driers and showers can be plugged into (or hard-wired into) the 230V
supply and a centre tap supplies the rest of the house.

Do US house have two wires for 230V live and neutral, with a centre tap
transformer in the house for the rest, or do they have three wires (115V
live, 230V live and neutral) with the centre-tapping done at the substation
rather than at each house?

Neither. They have two live wires with 240v between them and a centre
tap is is used for neutral. So either (usually both but in different
rooms) live wire can be used with the neutral to provide a 120v supply
with one side near earth potential. When 230V is required the two live
leads are used, usually to a wired connection or a special socket.

--

Roger Hayter