Brain Freeze Questions

[Lisbonlion]

Hi
I have a question regarding the UK circuits and supply voltage to the circuits as I can't seem to bring my brain around to fully grasp the information that I have read on websites and DIY books. I am in a Canadian minded state of understanding theory as we use 120v & 240v supplies to residential homes, lighting circuits are 120v and outlets/sockets are either 120v or 240v.Basic Switches are in the form of S.P, D.P, 3-WAY & 4-WAY, outlets/sockets are wired as either a duplex circuit (120v) split circuit (240v) or 240v circuits for stoves, dryers, hot water tanks. Circuits are basically wired in parallel and we use 60 HZ instead of 50 HZ. North American electrical has many differences, especially in the type of material used but the question I need to understand is the voltage supplied to sockets, lights, and switches. Is the voltage supplied as single phase 220v ( line/live & neutral) or three phase 220v ( 2 line/live & neutral) North America supplies a 3-phase 240v to the residential mains ( L1,L2 & N) this allows us to get both voltages ( L1&N OR L2&N) or (L1,L2 & N).
Hopefully all that reads this will understand why I am having a brain freeze and getting my head around to what voltages are used for sockets & lighting, if wiring is either in series or parallel and is it a Line/Live & Neutral thus getting the 220v across L & N or is it 2 Lines/Live & Neutral.
I also have another couple of questions, why when turning on lights in the house do some lamps start of dim and eventually get brighter and yet others can turn on bright right away?
I also have notice a box in the floor here in the house which has about 17 cables entering it and the bare copper wires (earth/ground) are on the outside of the box just twisted together? I happened to touch the bare earth wires and received a small tingle from it what could the reason be for this? and I thought that the bare earth wires should be insulated with sleeving.

Thank you all who respond.
Lisbonlion

 

[acat]

Hi Mate would not like to comment to much on your set up as we are different in the UK. Domestic properties are normally on 230V single phase for everything. Lights are loopin loopout radial circuits and sockets are mostly ring mains circuits or radial to cookers and the like.

Some of your lights may dim because of loose connections and your low voltage to lights. As for the bare copper yes it should have earth sleeving on it and if you are getting a tingle that may suggest a leakage to earth. Are your circuits RCD protected.

Sorry cant remember what else you asked in your post.


Chris

 

[Guest123]

Hi.

In the UK, the voltages are Single Phase L1-N at 230V and Three Phase, L1-L2, L2-L3, and L1-L3 at 400V. Again between any of the phases on Three Phase + Neutral you will have 230V.

As for the box in the floor....not really sure. Ant chance of a picture???

 

[Eggster71]

Another possible cause for the "tingle" from the bare earths may be that you have no, or poorly connected earthing in your property.
As has been said, photos of ths floor box, plus the electric meter and fuse box areas may help.

 

[oldtimer]

The guy I worked beside lived in Texas for 20 years and on a nightshift we compaired notes and my understanding is that a house supply in the US is 2 120v phases and large load items such as cookers are supplied with 2 phases ie 250v. They have a T&E type cable but where in the UK we sleeve the bare copper earth with Green/Yellow the US leaves it bare we use connecor block for joints where they appear to use a screw cap device the same as we used about 40 years ago.

We work to the 17th they work to the state electrical code. Most of their supplies are what we would term TT

 

[amicus]

Hi The light issue could be something as simple as a mixture of tungsten & low energy lamps.The latter take a minute or so to reach full output.That box with SEVENTEEN wires coming out of it could be an old B i c c square junction box.The tingle could be as previosly said be a very poor earth,or you are picking votage up from another source (nail thru floorboard and cable) and earthing yourself on the bare wires. Good Luck