Re: energy in UK

On 18/04/2025 17:46, Joe Gwinn wrote:

On Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:19:54 +0100, Martin Brown
<'''newspam'''@nonad.co.uk> wrote:
 

Where I live in a rural backwater the mains is actually more like US
style two phase and neutral rather than normal UK 3 phase. This is a
sore point with businesses that would like to use 3 phase equipment.
Each village is across one pair of the 3 phase distribution line with a
transformer ratio to give 240v output.

 The "US style two phase and neutral" is not actually two phases (at 90
degrees), it's single phase from a center-tapped transformer, with the
center tap grounded to neutral (white wire in US).  This is not the
safety ground (green wire in US).

Yes. It is exactly the same as you describe in my village single phase centre tapped. Referred to here as two phase. Three phase is the norm.
We have two anti-phase mains supplies that have been transformed down from a transformer that spans A-B live phases on an ABC delta. Next village along will be on B-C and then C-A in a cyclic pattern.

Traditional way in the UK is a copper nail through the cables on the
wrong side of the meter. A method beloved of illegal cannabis farms.

 Yes.  There are two reasons.  The first is of course to reduce the
electric bill.  But far more important is to prevent detection by
looking for unusually high electric bills.

These days they find them by drone thermal imaging.

Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer sales are monitored for a similar reason.

We had other reasons to monitor it carefully. Bulk ANFO is a powerful explosive if you have a stick of dynamite and a detonator.
--
Martin Brown