We have the same thing state-side. Two common voltages available are 240 single phase (households), and 120/208 three phase (commercial). So everything sold here for years has had to be compatible from 208 to 240.
I worked on some instrumentation that was capable, without using any kind of switch to select it, of using any voltage from 48V DC (Aircraft supply) to 250v AC. Basically a big rectifier some big capacitors and a very well designed switch mode PSU.....of course it COST more, but its very do-able.
You can slap it across any two of the phases.
Not the best, bit it should work.
You have 2 separate supplies into your houses ?
Presumably "heavier things" is stuff like washing machines, driers, air-con(?). So do you (in USA) have two supplies coming in to the house and two meters, one for 110v, the other for 240v? I assume also the 240v things are hard-wired and don't use plugs and sockets?
Actually, the 110 stuff uses one leg of the 240. The 240 is 2 hot leads and a neutral. It is all single phase stuff.
Our residential power system in the US is quite unlike the european standard.
We typically have a 3 wire supply, (plus ground (earth)) One line is 120v relative to the neutral line, the other is 120 v relative to the neutral line, the two power lines are at 240 volts relative to each other. think in terms of a center tapped transformer with the center tap representing the neutral or zero volt line. In most places that I have checked, the neutral is "bonded" to the ground (earth) terminal so they are at the same potential
typical wall outlets, small appliances, lighting, televisions, etc are 120 volt. large appliances (electric clothes dryers, cooking equipment such as a stove or oven) are usually run at 240 volts. There ARE plugs for the 240 volt connections, typically with different contact arrangements and different amperage ratings for the various appliances.
Water heaters and HVAC equipment is usually hard wired with no plug in.
the industrial power wiring is a horse of a different color again, and in many manufacturing plants, the equipment runs on 480 volts, but that's not what you asked ;-) so I won't go there now.
Industry uses 3 phase. It is not available in residential areas. There are two types of three phase uses; Delta and Y. I confuse myself if I go any further! :-)
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