1 Feb
2011
1 Feb
'11
12:35 p.m.
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 12:22:11 +0100 (CET)
From: Christian Corti <cc at informatik.uni-stuttgart.de>
Subject: Re: OT: american vs european 220
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Message-ID: <alpine.DEB.2.00.1102011217160.10259 at linuxserv.home>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
On Mon, 31 Jan 2011, Tony Duell wrote:
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And in some places they still have the single wire distribution systems
where the 'real' earth/ground is the return:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-wire_earth_return
Taht wouldn't work in Europe (since the 2
sides of the 230V mains are not
balanced about ground), and anyway AFAIK making the protecive ground wire
carry any current under normal conditions is totally forbidden.
In new installations, maybe. But many older houses have just that, they
use the neutral wire as protective ground (called "klassische Nullung" or
TN-C system as opposed to a TN-C-S system, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthing_system)
Christian