RAF Grove (Pic Heavy)

[night crawler]

I'm not even sure if the DH Venom is still there. A 'gate guardian' with no gate to guard! There were many USAAF married quarters in the village of Grove itself. Many of these were equipped with US electrical power sockets to enable US service families to use American domestic appliances. These were still in some of these houses until the early 1990s but presumably disconnected. Other than that there is virtually nothing late of RAF Grove.

It's there on Google earth and streetview

 

[Hayman]

I'm not even sure if the DH Venom is still there. A 'gate guardian' with no gate to guard! I thought it was a replica rather than a genuine aircraft but it seems to be an ex Swiss Air Force aircraft that was only sited there in 2007. There were many USAAF married quarters in the village of Grove itself. Many of these were equipped with US electrical power sockets to enable US service families to use American domestic appliances. These were still in some of these houses until the early 1990s but presumably disconnected. Other than that there is virtually nothing left of RAF Grove.

"Many of these were equipped with US electrical power sockets to enable US service families to use American domestic appliances." That would have meant the supply being 110 volts.

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

There were many USAAF married quarters in the village of Grove itself. Many of these were equipped with US electrical power sockets to enable US service families to use American domestic appliances. These were still in some of these houses until the early 1990s but presumably disconnected.

This obviously must mean that the properties were supplied from a special separate power source, in no way connected to the National Grid. The US does not use our 250volt AC supply system for domestic appliances.

 

[Openfields]

This obviously must mean that the properties were supplied from a special separate power source, in no way connected to the National Grid. The US does not use our 250volt AC supply system for domestic appliances.

This must have been the case. I believe I've seen these sockets on a few other American bases in the UK. I was aware of difference in US and UK power supplies. Someone I worked with told of having the US type sockets in her home that had been a married quarters for RAF Grove American personnel. She said although they were still there they didn't work.

 

[superplum]

This obviously must mean that the properties were supplied from a special separate power source, in no way connected to the National Grid. The US does not use our 250volt AC supply system for domestic appliances.

They use/used a house transformer to reduce the voltage from the National Grid.- still the case!

 

[Openfields]

Thanks for that superplum! A more practical method. I remember the PXs/BXs in the UK and Germany selling American voltage items. For the uninitiated, PX - Post Exchange, BX - Base Exchange I believe. The US versions of our NAAFI stores. They varied from small shops to department stores.

 

[Hayman]

I wonder if the US 110 voltage came from the way Edison claimed alternating current to be dangerous solely in order to promote his direct current power stations. One Quora answer reads: "110/120 is found there because Edison used DC, and the generators of the time simply couldn’t get much higher than that due to flashover on their commutators…and so their electrical system started out on 110v (actually, due to line losses, many houses only got 90v- and you selected your lightbulbs (90, 100, 110) depending on the line voltage available at your house)"

How come most of the rest of the world uses AC at around 220-250 volts with few problems? Although construction site equipment tends to be 110 volts AC, because of the greater chances of shocks from temporary installatons in wet conditions. I see that these days the US supply voltage to houses is 220 volts AC, split to two 110 volt circuits. In that case, it would be possible to have 220 volt sockets to plug in 220 volt appliances.