Joe Gwinn expressed precisely :
In article , John G
wrote:

Joe Gwinn has brought this to us :
In article , David Billington
wrote:

On 24/05/13 19:29, janders wrote:
On 5/24/2013 8:47 AM, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:

Likely, the current is low. Most "neons" pass only low tens of
milliamps, max. If that's the case, most any small power transformer
rated for 6-10VA with a center-tapped 220V primary would do.

Use it in "autoformer" mode, hooking 220V to the outside leads, and
tapping 110V from the line-neutral leg to the center leg.

Ok, just to make sure bases are covered, I've been told that in
Australia, 220 is -220-, either leg to ground is 220, not 110.
Don't know if that changes anything you wrote above...


Jon
I would expect Australia to be like the UK so you would have live,
neutral and ground, where neutral and ground are tied together at the
substation, and live is one leg of the 3 phase distribution system for a
single phase supply. So you would get 220V from live to ground or
neutral, neutral to ground should be 0V but might have a small
difference but it should be very small.

I have heard that the difference is that Aussies distribute three phase
corner-grounded delta even to residences, so simple voltage
measurements don't add up as expected because the wires are out of
phase with one another.

However, I have not been able to find any web cites to back this up.
Perhaps there is an Australian on the group who knows the details.

Joe Gwinn

The Australian System of High voltage is 3 phase Delta (ungrounded I
think). The local distribution is 3 phase WYE with the neutral center
of the WYE grounded so a single phase device is connected any phase and
neutral giving a nominal of 240 volts (Although there is a move to the
harmonization as in Europe to 230 volts).
Three phase WYE is distributed to many homes (mine included ) giving
415 volts phase to phase for air con etc.
As I said elsewhere in this thread I generally get 245 or more as I am
the first drop of a 400kva pole pig ( bigger than most US pole pigs).

Three-phase wye requires 3 wires plus neutral plus ground (green or
bare), versus 2 wires plus neutral plus ground for the US and European
systems, and for corner-grounded 3-phase delta systems.
Three phase generally is only run to homes with big Air cons etc and
lower current (at higher voltage) needs less copper.
Europe is 3 phase WYE with the center grounded although the nominal
Volts was lower than Aus and UK but is ccomingup to the harmonized 230
I believe.

Is the corner-grounded 3-phase delta system possibly used in rural
areas of Australia?
Do not think there is any general use of Corner grounds at any level in
Aus.

There is some SWER (Single Wire Earth Return)in rural areas and I have
no idea what voltage that is but each user has a pole pig to get 240V.

Of course as with most of the Hi voltage part of the world the
frequency is 50 Hz.

Yes. General rule is ~100 volts is 60 Hz, while ~240 volts is 50 Hz.
Except that Japan has a 50 Hz and a 60 Hz region, if my memory is
correct. Don't know the history, but would guess that WW2 has
something to do with it.
Japan had some 100 volts as well.

Joe Gwinn

--
John G