The voltage of Canadian electric is I understand 110v.
I keep seeing on the mls houses advertised as having"200 amp electrical".
I am not up on electrical things and I don't know the difference between voltage and amps.
So what does that expression mean?
Is the house on standard 110v or something higher?
Please put me straight.

Pennyhp

Canadian houses are twin-voltage. The ring-main idea that you may be used to in the UK doesn't really exist here. Individual appliances, or small groups of outlets, are fed by separate wiring from a central distribution box in the garage/basement.

Things that have heating elements (and thus need more oooph) will be supplied from the 220V system. That's stuff like cookers, tumble dryers, electric heating, water heaters etc. Lighting and sockets will be 110V.

That is really all you need to know.

Don't do DIY on 220V unless you really know what you are doing. Don't do DIY on 110V if you are standing in a bucket of water. These simple rules have kept me alive so far.

Thank you that makes things a bit clearer. Don't worry we don't do DIY on electrical - way too scary :scared:

Pennyhp

You will, once you've been assimilated.

Volts and amps are totally different.
What Souvy says is all true, but nothing to do with the amps of course

What 200Amp service means is that there is enough current supply to run your dryer, toaster and kettle and air conditioner together at once without suffering from "brown out". Its the total current supply your house can draw. A lot of older houses used to be limited to 100A, but with all mod cons thats sometimes not enough, so people upgraded to higher capacity....hence 200A service.

http://members.tripod.com/~masterslic/FAQ-2/5.html

For an inaccurate watery analogy the Volts is the speed of the water,and the amps is the size of the pipe.

Thanks Iain

I can always rely on you for an answer and of course a useful link.

Pennyhp

Of course. It's the amps that kill you, not the volts.

The coffee analogy may help.

Imagine a slug of caffeine equivalent to ten cups of coffee (15 if we're talking Tim Horton's). We'll call this an amp.

Imagine putting that slug of caffeine in a tiny cup that you can drain in one go. That's what you get with 220V.

Imagine putting the same slug in a pint-sized mug that takes 20 minutes to drink. That's 110V.

On the other hand, I've been told that 220V is safer because the current pushes you away, whereas 110V is "sticky". I haven't put this to the test.

I can vouch for the 220v pushing you away.

I remember as a child running into a wall socket with my shiny new Triang truck and ending up halfway across the room wondering what the hell hit me.

I haven't put the 110V to the test, mind that is more by good luck than good management.

Cheers
Steve

Your mum, probably.

No, I remember that bit! You are quite correct though it was right after. I vaguely remember the words something like, "I told you to be careful".

Ah yes. Parental logic.

I told you to be careful or you'd hurt yourself. You weren't careful. Now I'll hurt you.