alt.energy.homepower

"David Williams" < @ > wrote in message
news: @ ...
>-> Daniel Who Wants to Know wrote:
>
> -> > I recently lost 2 26W (100W equivelant) GE helical CFLs
> (FLE26HT3/2/SW) in
> -> > day due to having a 10,800 BTUH window air conditioner on the same
> circuit
> -> > causing low line voltage.
>
> -> Just how low ? I've always thought that 120V circuits were nuts. Europe
> does
> -> have this problem with our 230V circuits.
>
> -> Graham
>
> They have different problems. Europeans, with 220 (or so) volts, worry
> about electrocution. North Americans, with 110 volts, worry about
> fires. Lower voltage requires higher current to get the same power,
> with a greater risk of overheating.
>
> But what North Americans have that Europeans do not have, in domestic
> situations, is a *choice* of voltages. 110 and 220 volts are both
> directly available from the electricity supply that comes in to every
> house, apartment, etc.. In practice, high-power appliances are run off
> 220 volts, to keep the current down. Low-power stuff, lights, home
> electronics, etc., are run off 110.
>
> It's actually a pretty good system.
>
> dow

Success! it worked! both function again. The one that I mentioned that went
5 years actually could run on 220 if I had wanted it to as it used 2 main
filter caps and diodes in a voltage doubler configuration (340V rail) and
would have only required minor modifications to add a rectifier bridge and a
small switch to change voltages. Unfortunately the new ones are single
capacitor non doubled (170V rail) so they are 120V only. FWIW all computer
power supplies with a 120/240V switch on them are also voltage doublers when
set for 120.