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dknguyen said:The real question is why do we use 50/60Hz and not 400Hz on the mains. I think it's historical and a legacy issue. Not sure though
Pommie said:They could always add more poles which brings us back to it being legacy.
Andy1845c said:Forgive me for not googling this, but I have often wondered how the mains are kept so accurate as far as frequency goes. Isn't the frequency all in the speed the generators are turning?
I have wondered how the US settled on 60Hz mains. Why not a round number like the rest of the world?
dknguyen said:The real question is why do we use 50/60Hz and not 400Hz on the mains. I think it's historical and a legacy issue. Not sure though
Andy1845c said:Forgive me for not googling this, but I have often wondered how the mains are kept so accurate as far as frequency goes. Isn't the frequency all in the speed the generators are turning?
ecerfoglio said:The mains' frecuency is the timing reference of the "electical clocks":
Once upon a time they were sincronous motors driving a mecanical clock,
Nowadays there are lots of electronic clocks that use the mains cero crossing as a reference: standalone clocks, microwave ovens, VCRs, etc.
The frecuency may have a little short term drift, but the utilities correct it in the long term comparing an "electrical clock" with a good time reference.
Andy1845c said:This I realize, but how do the power companys in advanced countrys keep this so accurate? What happens when you have more then one power plant or generator on a grid? If the frequency isn't synched perfectly, won't you end up with a goofy harmonic?
Andy1845c said:This I realize, but how do the power companys in advanced countrys keep this so accurate? What happens when you have more then one power plant or generator on a grid? If the frequency isn't synched perfectly, won't you end up with a goofy harmonic?