This response is for Wizard. Most of Japan uses 100 V, so North and South America are not unique in their choice of a relatively low voltage. Japanese plugs are the same as the U.S. and Canadian ones. The kinds of appliances people take with them (e.g., hairdryers, laptop computers) when they travel work fine in Japan and (obviously) don't require special plug adapters. Most portable U.S. appliances can also work on 240 V, 50 Hz (e.g., hairdryers on low setting only).
On the grounding issue, you should note that we have both 2- and 3-pin plugs. The two-pin plugs tend to be on small appliances, such as hairdryers, standard lamps, etc. On the 3-pin plug, the center, cylindrical pin provides true grounding. The other pins are flat. With 2-pin plugs, the one that connects to the neutral side of the supply is wider than the other (matching the socket). The plug cannot be inserted the wrong way. The same is true for a 3-pin plug with the grounding pin snapped off. Most plugs, today, are of the molded type (i.e., integral with the cord), are very safe, and are very inexpensive. Appliances are not sold in the U.S. or Canada without plugs. Until fairly recently, British consumers used to have to buy the plug separately and install it on the end of the power cord. Inadvertent exchanging of the neutral and live connections was not unusual. Even with the grounding pin, that could lead to a dangerous situation. Power to U.S. and Canadian houses is 3-wire. Two are live and provide full-wave 220 V AC for ovens, stoves, driers, etc. The third wire is neutral. Half the house's 110 V circuits use one live, plus neutral. The other half use the other live, plus neutral. The fact that the two sets of half-wave circuits are mutually 180 degrees out of phase isn't a problem. The cylindrical ground sockets are not connected to the electrical system at all, but to true ground (typically to metal brackets on nearby copper water pipes -- or galvanized iron pipes in older houses). Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 19:48 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:20296] Re: North korea In a message dated 2002-05-31 20:16:18 Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: this shows who has the best tecnical solution! us plugs don't have grounding, do they? Many do except for small items like lamps, clocks, etc. 240v allows for smaller wires (double voltage = half amperage, usually) but it's more dangerous. 120v is the standard in all of North and South America, not just the USA. I think also in a few other countries. Carleton
