Why does the USA use 110V and UK use 230-240V?

Re:Why does the USA use 110V and UK use 230-240V? by elzbardico on Tuesday August 29, 2023 @01:32PM (#37311177)

I stand corrected and added a disclaimer in my original comment. Thanks for teaching me something I assumed incorrectly.

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Re:Why does the USA use 110V and UK use 230-240V? by coding123 on Tuesday August 29, 2023 @02:08PM (#37311647)

Just for knowledge sake: you are correct that there are 4 wires:

    1 - hot 1 120 v
    2 - hot 2 120 v
    3 - neutral
    4 - ground

The hot 1 and 2 are 180 degrees out of phase with each other which is why 240v appliances can consider having those 2 wires (and at least the neutral) to be a 240v appliance.

And to be more pedantic about it, the ground is not provided not by the power company but the ground. I have 3 lines coming from the grid to my pole, line 1, 2 and the neutral that is created by the transformer. The ground comes from my ground - a long copper wire that goes a few feet down and back up. All ground connections in the (future) house will go there. Ground is also bonded with neutral at the box on my pole.

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