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ZL1AWA > INFO 20.07.02 16:44l 41 Lines 2855 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 65163_ZL1BCO
Read: DB0FHN GUEST
Subj: ELEC.POWER,THE NZ SCENE.
Path: DB0FHN<DB0ZWI<DB0HOT<DB0MRW<OK0PPL<OK0NAG<9A0BBS<HA5OB<HA3PG<VK3AVE<
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Sent: 020720/0123Z @:ZL1BCO.#27.NZL.OC #:65163 $:65163_ZL1BCO
From: ZL1AWA@ZL1BCO.#27.NZL.OC
To : INFO@WW
There has been lots of interesting articles on power from around the world but
not much from NZ so here is a rough run down on how we do it here.
Most of our power is generated by Hydro Stations on various rivers in both the
North and South Islands.Some rivers contain several stations,eg the Waikato
contains eight along it's lengh.We also have some natural gas powered stations
and geothermal powered stations using steam out of the ground.There are five of
these around the district where I live.I also know of two wind farms but there
could be more.The National Grid is 110 and 220kv and the Cook Strait undersea
cable linking tthe North and South Islands is DC.Power is distributed around
the country at 66,33,22 kv and around the towns,11 kv.The transformers around
the towns have star connected secondaries,the star point being the neutral
which is earthed at the transformer and at every house,hence the term MEN
(Multiple Earthed Neutral) This gives us 230 volts between each phase and
neutral and 400 volts between phases.Houses are fed single phase but connected
on alternative phases along the street to balance the load.I have wired one
that required two phases but that is rare.There are no Nuclear stations in NZ.
Except for a 32amp range socket,we have only on size domestic power point
rated at 10 amp and are 3 pin flat pin type the same as Australia.There are no
ring mains or fused plugs.In the days of only fuses two points maximum,were
permitted on each circuit but now, with circuit breakers almost universal,any
number can be fitted so long as the circuit breaker is the same size as the
cable e.g.15 or 20 amp.I have 10 points in my Lounge all on a 15 amp CB.
Double adaptors have been available for years to plug into points to give two
outlets from the one point but more recently power boards have come on the
market.They are available in 4 or 6 outlets and now one has appeared on the
market with 8 outlets.They are white moulded plastic with the outlets in a
straight line with a lead and plug and a resettable device so that no more than
10 amps can be drawn from the whole board.We have power saving fluor.lamps
which are expensive but the price is coming down.RCD's are available as
switchboard mounting,combined with a power point,or plug in.They are compulsory
in some situations.Radio controlled, electrically operated Garage Door Openers
are becoming popular.Just press a button on the remote when you are almost home
and the door is open for you to drive straight in.Our elec.trains use the
catenary system of power supply.In addition to the power supplies mentioned
above we also have some 11kv single wire earth return systems feeding outlying
farms usually,each farm having it's own transformer.
Cheers,Sandy ZL1AWA @ ZL1BCO, Taupo,New Zealand.
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