Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Capitol writes:

50Hz local distribution system is purely historic and well entrenched
but the transformer sizes could be substantially reduced with 400HZ.

I don't think anyone cares about transformer size anything like to
the extent you seem to.

Cost. It may not be much per item, but add all those small cost savings
up and it comes to 1 with a long string of 0s on the end. Savings on
all domestic transformer operated gear, from wall warts to stereos to
microwaves. Savings on all inductor fluorescent lights. Savingsd on
reservoir capacitors everywhere. Savings on motor caps and pf
correction caps. Etc.

If we were starting from scratch now, we could save a nice little pile
with 400Hz - or if the sync zone would not be big enough to cover UK,
maybe less, but high than 50.

Question: in this day of rf comms anad accurate time standards, why can
we not use one central standard to sync gens all across the country, or
anywhere as large as is wanted. It may have not been that way in 1900,
but accurate time standards are fairly trivial now.


the US, local transformers on a pole appear to be the norm in a lot of
areas.

Well 120V doesn't go very far before the regulation has gone to pot.

These would certainly be lighter at 400Hz. The 400 Hz suggestion
comes from discussions with US engineers many years ago on which way
would you go today if you could start again. I certainly like it. I

I think it's a non-starter.

It is now, because of all the 50 and 60Hz kit. Theres too much of it
that wont be replaced any decade soon.

And its not really practical to make everything 50/400 compatible for
the next half a century before switchover.

The noise issue would not (need to) be a problem. Appliances would have
a noise rating and probably legal requirements, just as they have
various other requirements and ratings.


NT