Why do shaver sockets accommodate round pin plugs in the 115V outlet when countries with 100V to 120V mains supplies use type A plugs with flat pins? Is there a country somewhere with a 100V to 120V mains supply that just so happens to use shavers with round pin plugs?
With reference to the US voltages, it depends WHEN you ask...110, 112, 117 and 120 are all legitimate, depending whether you are specifying supply voltage or utilization voltage. 125 may be considered ok by the utility co on a high loaded transformer
They take volt drop into consideration on appliance ratings. Hence why a device specified for 110 or 112 or 117 v is fine when connected to a transformer whose actual output is 125v
The reason I (purely guess) is that they use smaller transformers with a higher inherent impedance. It's typical to assume the substation transformer here in the UK has negligible impedance at its terminals. In the US, with maybe a 5kva transformer feeding a single highway sign... that doesn't apply
I think Kelly Marie's point is actually fairly reasonable, most people are led to believe the world is divided in 2... '100ish to 125ish at 60hz, and 200 to 250ish at 50Hz, with japan being a bit weird'... And of the 100 to 125ish at 60Hz clan, the USA is definitely the leader. And her assumption is basically sound. It's so the 2 ranges are covered, a shaver or electric toothbrush doesn't really care, even back in the 70s... as long as the voltage is close enough....
I actually remember reading a leaflet that came with a US to Europe travel adaptor from the 70s (amazingly crude, it was basically a dimmer with a fixed preset potentiometer instead of a knob) that warned that things like shavers would run slower and be noisier (because of the weird waveform). We had it to run, via a shaver adaptor with the fuse bypassed, a popcorn maker purchased in california.
With reference to the US voltages, it depends WHEN you ask...110, 112, 117 and 120 are all legitimate, depending whether you are specifying supply voltage or utilization voltage. 125 may be considered ok by the utility co on a high loaded transformer
They take volt drop into consideration on appliance ratings. Hence why a device specified for 110 or 112 or 117 v is fine when connected to a transformer whose actual output is 125v
The reason I (purely guess) is that they use smaller transformers with a higher inherent impedance. It's typical to assume the substation transformer here in the UK has negligible impedance at its terminals. In the US, with maybe a 5kva transformer feeding a single highway sign... that doesn't apply
I think Kelly Marie's point is actually fairly reasonable, most people are led to believe the world is divided in 2... '100ish to 125ish at 60hz, and 200 to 250ish at 50Hz, with japan being a bit weird'... And of the 100 to 125ish at 60Hz clan, the USA is definitely the leader. And her assumption is basically sound. It's so the 2 ranges are covered, a shaver or electric toothbrush doesn't really care, even back in the 70s... as long as the voltage is close enough....
I actually remember reading a leaflet that came with a US to Europe travel adaptor from the 70s (amazingly crude, it was basically a dimmer with a fixed preset potentiometer instead of a knob) that warned that things like shavers would run slower and be noisier (because of the weird waveform). We had it to run, via a shaver adaptor with the fuse bypassed, a popcorn maker purchased in california.
