clue less

[Ford2001]

Would someone out there please explain to me what a, 'Ring Main is?

[jbfan74]

It is a term used in th UK for a main electrical circuit(I think)

[hj]

In plumbing it is the equivalent of installing a gang shower with the pipe going from the valve to both ends of the manifold to minimize flow losses. In electric it is a wire that starts at the circuit breaker and circles the circuit and comes back and connects back to the circuit breaker. It has no value unless the wire size is too small, or too long, for the load, which would usually mean the circuit breaker was too large for the wire.

[Ian Gills]

In electricity supply, a ring final circuit or ring circuit (informally also ring main or just ring) is an electrical wiring technique developed and primarily used in the United Kingdom that provides two independent conductors for live, neutral and protective earth within a building for each connected load or socket.

This design enables the use of smaller-diameter wire than would be used in a radial circuit of equivalent total current, which considering we are on 240 volts is very small indeed. Ideally, the ring acts like two radial circuits proceeding in opposite directions around the ring, the dividing point between them dependent on the distribution of load in the ring. If the load is evenly split across the two directions, the current in each direction is half of the total, allowing the use of wire with half the current-carrying capacity. In practice, the load does not always split evenly, so thicker wire is used.

So, we use fewer breakers with less and thinner wire. Before you get all high and mighty, remember that all devices that we plug in are individually fused. The plug on the kettle, for intance, will have a 13 amp fuse in it. The plug on a radio might have a 1 amp fuse in it. Unlike the US where plugs are not fused and everything relies on the breaker, which means our poor little radio in the US gets the full 15 amps plus if it develops a fault.

If you hadn't thrown our tea in the water, you'd know this.

I actually prefer your system though because you need to be less clever to use it.

[nickdel]

If you hadn't thrown our tea in the water, you'd know this.

I actually prefer your system though because you need to be less clever to use it.

Wow, you guys certainly can hold a grudge If we hadn't thrown your tea in the water we'd be saying ridiculous things like bugger off and cheerio and bullox.

[Ian Gills]

Wow, you guys certainly can hold a grudge

And seeing you guys flying the flag and getting the fireworks out every fourth of July isn't?

Tea parties in Washington DC and I am supposed to find that funny?

Being booed and hissed every time I go on a guided historical tour?

The real problem I have is that the water you threw the tea into wasn't even hot!

[nickdel]

And seeing you guys flying the flag and getting the fireworks out every fourth of July isn't?

Well, it might just be an overwhelming sense of pride at having beaten back the bullies. I don't think it's a grudge, mainly because I've never heard anyone wave the flag and scream anything about the British. These days it's usually, "Down with Al Quaeda," or, "Say no to the public option!"

Tea parties in Washington DC and I am supposed to find that funny?

Yes, when those people are calling themselves teabaggers.

Being booed and hissed every time I go on a guided historical tour?

Who is booing and hissing you while you're on a guided historical tour? And why? Are you making comments like, "British electricians are more clever than you yanks!" BOO! HISSSSS!

The real problem I have is that the water you threw the tea into wasn't even hot!

...and the world cheered as iced tea was invented

[hj]

And maybe if we had not thown the tea in the water, it would be like someone told a Frenchman when he complained about conferences using English. " If it were not for the English speaking countries, these conferences would be held in German".

[Norcal01]

And maybe if we had not thown the tea in the water, it would be like someone told a Frenchman when he complained about conferences using English. " If it were not for the English speaking countries, these conferences would be held in German".

I think it had something to do w/ who won the war..... Be glad otherwise there would have been pictures of the Fuhrer in homes & classrooms & we would be writing this in German.

[frenchie]

...and the world cheered as iced tea was invented

Took a few more years to realize it shouldn't be salty, though.