13 Dec
2004
13 Dec
'04
2:15 p.m.
Dwight K. Elvey wrote:
I've been trying to find some actual history on
the 50/60
thing on the net but so far, all I was able to find was
that cell phones are frying our brains. My understanding
was that it was a balance between efficient generation
and efficient transformers. The voltages were mainly to
control line loss. In the US, most people live close to
their distribution transformer and line loss is not that
high at 110-115V.
Also let us not forget back then every city had its own
generating plant for power. You had the choice of AC
or DC depending what power generator your local city
had installed. :)