pdbain@bnr-public.uucp (Peter Bain) (11/16/88)
In article <4759@bsu-cs.UUCP> dhesi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Rahul Dhesi) writes: >It seems to me that it would be far safer to have each of the two hot >wires be at +/- 55 volts relative to ground. A grounded center-tapped >secondary would do it. > >Touching both would be just as lethal as before. Touching one and >ground at the same time would be much safer. >-- >Rahul Dhesi UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee}!bsu-cs!dhesi The reason one side is hot and the other neutral is that it's a convenient way to get 220 V. You have two hot sides, each at 110 V to a common neutral, but at 220 V to each other. That's why you have three conductors coming into your house. That way, things like electric stoves, clothes dryers, heavy machinery, etc. can use the higher voltage and lower currents.