OT for a sec: US wiring sources of info

[Chuck Guzis]

On 10/7/2005 at 5:50 PM Alistair MacDonald wrote:

>>Your friend would appear to live in a different UK to me. It is however 
>common practice for the outlets to be in a ring with a 30A fuse in the 
>fusebox.

No my memory lives in a different reality from the current one! :) Still, it's not too bad for recalling a casual conversaton I had some 12 or 13 years ago.

What is the common residential distribution in the UK?  In the US, most residences seem to be wired with 230v 200 amp service, although some of the newer houses in my neighborhood are getting 400 amp panels.  

The US 230 volt distribution takes the form of a center tapped secondary on the distribution transformer, with the center tap being grounded.  Distribution panels alternate which side of the secondary is used, so a 230v circuit requires two breaker positions, each breaker connecting with a different side of the distribution transformer secondary winding.

Cheers,
Chuck