Anyone with Roger's Lite accounts?

[Peter]

On Tue, 18 Apr 2006, Mike Kallies wrote:

>> As for safer, well sure.  I must admit I haven't liked being zapped by
>> either one.  Of course 120V can kill you too.
>
> A British electrical engineer once told me that there are a
> disproportionate number of deaths by 240 volt systems due to
> electrocution.

True, but that's likely because the Brits use no GFIs ?

> He then added that there are a disproportionate number of deaths from
> 120 volt systems by fire.

True, it is possible to have a short at 120V and the cable resistance 
simply prevents the fuse from going off. Eventually the cable catches 
fire. E.g. 10 ohms gives only 12 Amps (1440 Watts). A couple of dirty 
prongs on a power plug can easily add up to 3-4 ohms. On a 220V circuit 
this would almost not matter (the cable would get toasty after a while 
but at only 6 Amps nothing bad would happen).

Peter
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