"Capitol" wrote in message
...


In any
case the U.S. Voltage is due to historical factors. I am sure the
British voltage was not selected much more recently.

Both the US and British voltages are a result of history. The British
started with 100V IIRC, (100V was picked (by Edison)as it is a nice
round number!) then moved up to 220V DC as it was cheaper to distribute
power at the higher voltage. Parts of Camden Town in London were only
converted from this in 1958. When the power supply world moved on, in
the UK, AC was introduced and AIUI the available transformer stampings
were optimal at 50Hz.

The US came in with AC a bit later IIRC,

I don't know what frequency (or voltage) he used but Tesla's company
distributed AC mains in the US before it reached Europe.