Hi Serge
On (03 Feb 98) Serge Brouillard wrote to Alec Cameron...
 SB>     You seem to use the european electric system of 240v 50Hz 
 SB>     for your inverters, we use the north american system of 
 SB>     120v 60Hz. 
 SB>     I really don't know if one system is better then the other, 
 SB>     and i'm a technician in electrical engineering (industrial 
 SB>     instrumentation & control). 
From what I have seen on TV, pole top transformers seem very numerous and
sconspicuous in American suburbs. At twice the voltage, the load losses
are quartered. Our pole top transformers are quite far apart. In my street,
there seems to be just one trannie [1 kM]. Of course we have a lower standard
of living than America, lower energy useage.
 SB>     AC> It was once Govt policy to build railroads which routes 
 SB>     AC> then got populated. Sadly, the availability of cheap autos 
 SB>         after 1930s, resulted in folk over-using the roads. Rail 
 SB>         patronage hence revenue, dropped severely. 
 SB>     ------------------------------------------- 
 SB>     The same is happening in Canada.  The railways lines are mostly 
 SB>     used for cargo, on main lines (east-west).
Our rail freight services are profitable, the passenger service is run as a
social obligation to low- income and social security recipients.
 SB>     companies, but something funny has happened.  Several of those 
 SB>     "useless" lines have been purchased by small local operators, who 
 SB>     are actually making a profit at it.
Same here in a small way, and in UK in a big way. Some of the happy 
usinesses
are employee buy- outs where the redundant staff pooled their savings to buy
the business and run same with more vigour and conscience than before ;-)
 SB>     AC> Oh in my own home I have just two panels/ batteries. 
 SB>     ------------------------------------------ 
 SB>     I take it, you don't have power lines to your home ? 
We are on the grid but the landscape is forest, the lines suffer from storm
interruptions. Living on top of a mountain ridge we are in the middle of 
frequent
thunder storms. I was once responsible for utility lightning protection, and 

few weeks back had my FIRST experience of a close up lightning strike- at the
next intersection near our house. The flash and the BANG were coincident. The
neighbour saw the wood pole top hit, and the service line to his house was
pulled out from the gable end by the electromagnetic froces.
 SB> ... OFFLINE 1.32 *     The people are not silent, the government is DEAF 
!
WE are the government! Be active in your local political party.
Cheers....ALEC
... ......All in all you're just a nother brick in the wall [P F Lloyd]
--- PPoint 1.92
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