On 4/5/2017 9:27 PM, Dennis Lee Bieber wrote:
> On Thu, 6 Apr 2017 00:43:45 -0000 (UTC), Martin Gregorie
>  declaimed the following:
>
>
>> Of course, 110v has a lot to answer for there: in the UK a 3kw heater or
>> power tool draws 12.5A, just under the 13A limit for standard plugs, but
>> a 3kw appliance will draw 27.25A in the USA - and its amps, not volts,
>> that melts or burns insulation off a cable.
>
>  And in the US, that appliance will be using a 240V connection (two 120V
> circuits of opposite phase: +120, Neutral, -120, and earth ground [I'm
> using +/- for phase, since both are AC]). Regular wall sockets tend to be
> 15A, with the entire linked set on the circuit maxing out around 20A.

To balance the current draw on the two phases I have seen outlets run on
both phases of the power line.  Some will be wired on one phase and some
on the other.  I was very surprised to find 240 volts when measuring
from one socket to another one day.  I was reading something about this
recently and it seems the two sockets in the same box are not to be
wired on different phases of the 240 line.  Who knew?

--

Rick C

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