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Comment by LeoPanthera | Hacker News Reader

Most US homes actually do receive 240v, it's just done in an unusual biphase configuration with two "hot" phases 180 degrees apart. If you connect a device across the phases it will receive the full 240 volts, which is often done for cookers, clothes dryers, and EV chargers.

In theory you could sell a 240 volt electric kettle but your kitchen would have to have a 240 volt outlet, probably a NEMA 6-15. They're not common.

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> Most US homes actually do receive 240v, it's just done in an unusual biphase configuration with two "hot" phases 180 degrees apart. If you connect a device across the phases it will receive the full 240 volts, which is often done for cookers, clothes dryers, and EV chargers.

It's technically a single phase with two hot legs and a center tap for neutral, also called "split phase". From the neutral to either leg is 120V, from leg to leg is 240V.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-phase_electric_power

It would technically be possible to have a reverse-Y extension cord that plugged into two outlets and gave you a 240V circuit. The two outlets would have to be on different legs, of course. This is basically what a 240V breaker is doing. I've contemplating wiring up one of these for home and buying a British tea kettle, but the aesthetics got my plan vetoed.

Something like: https://www.nooutage.com/images/adaptor-wye.jpg

From watching a bit of YouTube, I think Canada’s kitchens have more 220 outlets than American kitchen. They even seemed to have dual outlets with each outlet on a different phase, so all the ingredients are right next to each other to get an outlet un between phases.

I have never seen a 240V wall outlet, in a house, anywhere in Canada ever. They literally do not exists as a standard.

Not sure why you'd think so, but no.

(ovens and dryers are not wall plugs)

I installed a 240V NEMA 6-15 socket in my kitchen in California. It's similar to a regular US/Canada plug but the blades are sideways [0]. It's allowed by the code, but not very common. Then I took a European electric kettle and put a matching plug on it, and I can boil a teapot worth of water in 60 seconds!

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#NEMA_6

I'm in Canada in The Maritimes in PEI my electric stove uses a big honking plug for 240V/220V that plugs into the wall. Not wired directly but an actual plug.

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