My friend's hotel built circa 1979 must have had Wye transformer (was 208/120 everywhere). The 240v air conditioners and pool pumps didn't seem to mind it (may last longer?). Though you wonder about the implications of running motors on lower voltage!

I do think that taking power from a "star", rather than a tapped "delta" connection does provide a better chance at balancing the load.

As said, Aussie radio will be happy at 240V with the tap on the 240-260V one.

Electric motors should be run as close as possible to their rated voltage and should not be speed controlled unless the method used has been specifically designed for the type of motor being controlled. Some motors don't mind being run at less than full speed under load because the load is generally light, for example split phase motors used in ceiling fans. Others, such as switch start induction motors, used in pool pumps, cannot be speed controlled at all without risking damage to the motor. Also, with this type of motor, if less than the rated voltage is fed to the motor it may under some conditions not achieve the speed required to switch out one of the condensers connected to the start winding and this may overload the run winding.

With regard to the supply methods used across Australia now, it is a much simpler system. State grids are generally connected to the power station in Delta. This negates the need for a neutral conductor. Going down the line, this doesn't change to Star until after local substations. At the pole in the street you then get a choice of single phase at 240v or three phases at 240/415v. It is the only system available so there doesn't end up being confusion over voltages and plug tops are shaped differently for three phase loads so there's no possibility of wrongful connections by consumers, that is to say if they have done the right thing and left the task of all hard wiring in the building to a licenced electrician. Once I saw a situation where a standard three pin plug and GPO were used to feed a three phase load (a water pump). At first I wondered how the earth wire was connected and of course, there was no earth wire. The owner exclaimed that he was the only one living at the premises and he knew not to touch the pump whilst it operated so there was no risk. Unfortunately for him I, and any electrician, have a legal obligation to immediately disconnect any sub-standard/dangerous installations we run into. The switch on the GPO only isolates the top left pin, leaving two phases connected and this can also be problematic. If two phases on a motor are connected with the third phase missing the motor will just sit there and hum loudly until it has overheated and died.

"Once I saw a situation where a standard three pin plug and GPO were used to feed a three phase load (a water pump). At first I wondered how the earth wire was connected and of course, there was no earth wire. The owner exclaimed that he was the only one living at the premises and he knew not to touch the pump whilst it operated so there was no risk."

Save a few bob, she'll be right!

Last Saturday, at an estate sale, found a couple of "cord grip caps" like #4428, made by Hubbell. The house dates back to the early 1940's, when these things were still in production. Dropped an entire 50 cents for them... A bit dirty but still perfectly safe to use.

Another place these surface is at ham radio hamfests. Usually beside boxes of used vacuum tubes/valves.

The Aussie style outlets are rare in US homes as I worked in air conditioning (A/C) in the early 90s and they were in < 1% of houses. 220v not really needed for larger A/Cs now as I have a modern GE 14,200 BTU unit for sale that uses only 12A at 120v! Uses some efficient Asian 110v rotary compressor I guess that would also work well in Taiwan (110v) or even Japan (100v).