110~220 Volts, 50~60 Hz ?????

[Boris®]

Hi guyz, i have a question to ask, I tried to search for the answer on the internet but couldnt find it, why some countries use 110 Volts with 60 Hz and others use 220 Volts with 50 Hz and some others use different setting ? Anyone ? What is the difference and which one is better ?

[JulesK]

Originally Posted by Boris®

Hi guyz, i have a question to ask, I tried to search for the answer on the internet but couldnt find it, why some countries use 110 Volts with 60 Hz and others use 220 Volts with 50 Hz and some others use different setting ? Anyone ? What is the difference and which one is better ?

Well, i know smt and i don't know if that's gonna help you or no.
The electricity voltage we get to our homes, is not the one that leaves the power plant.They make their calculations so that we get 220V but electricity leaves the plant at much more than that and with the losses from the cables and what not, we get 220V.

In my opinion, it's easier for the 110V because then, they would have to spend less energy getting the electricity higher to some level than they would have if it were 220V.

I don't know if you understood me, but imagine this:
If we get 220V, the electricity leaving the power plant would be 1000V lets say.
If we get 110V, the electricity leaving the power plant would be 700V lets say.
So the power plant would have spent less energy and less money in the 2nd case.

Well, that's what i think at least, anyone else care to give it a shot?

[Boris®]

hehe yeah i know about that, i am an engineering student :P, but i wanted to know why they have in USA the 110/60Hz model and other countries like lebanon the 220/50Hz model, here is what i found on the internet till now:

The first drafts of a universal system considered by SC 23C proposed all flat pins and this was pursued for many years. However, at the voting stage, objections grew and, many National Committees expressed themselves more in favour of a round pin solution. The other serious problem encountered was in trying to find a unique solution for 125V and 250V distribution systems. After long, and often acrimonious, discussion, the subcommittee came to an acceptable solution which was finally formulated in 1986 as publication IEC 906-1 (now IEC 60906-1) for 250V installations using round pins and in 1992 as IEC 906-2 (now IEC 60906-2) for 125V installations using the familiar US flat pin design.

[Boris®]

well after a second thought maybe this could be part of the answer: in the USA they have much larger distances then other places like europe and lebanon for example, so wanting the voltage reaching houses to be 110v is more do-able then 220v since if they wanted it to be 220 V and considering the large distance the electricity is traveling before reaching houses (ya3neh major loss of power in the lines as heat v=i^2 x r ), they would have to originaly generate it at much higher voltages, i think this is part of the answer , but still need about frequency issue , wether 50 or 60 HZ