diy solar

diy solar

Member location?

Nope, it's one 220/230/240 or what ever, single phase. Active, neutral, earth. Anything plugged in has that voltage applied to it. If you see a double outlet wall plate, the sockets are in parallel on one circuit. The same pins on both socket are joined. Active > active etc.
 
Yikes, crazy high voltage sitting at standard household wall outlets, that must really pack a wallop! https://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_standard_European_household_voltage_and_ampreage
110, 240. Touch it, you're just as dead :)

In Australia standard power outlets are rated at 10 amps, so 2.4kW or there abouts. Circuits are rated and fused at 15 amps and serve multiple outlets, and often rooms. My house has a 100 amp service from the street so I could technically pull 23kW across the lead-in.

In the UK they do things slightly differently. They have 30 amp circuits, branch or their Devil's Own ring circuit. Each appliance has a fuse in its plug, up to 13 amps I think.
 
110, 240. Touch it, you're just as dead :)

In Australia standard power outlets are rated at 10 amps, so 2.4kW or there abouts. Circuits are rated and fused at 15 amps and serve multiple outlets, and often rooms.

In the UK they do things slightly differently. They have 30 amp circuits, branch or their Devil's Own ring circuit. Each appliance has a fuse in its plug, up to 13 amps I think.
I knew you were going to say something along the lines regarding the lethal equality of 110 and 220, yes they both bite, but 220 bites harder and 480 bites even harder and 600 even more so and so on ...
 
... are you trying to tell me that the Europeans just generalize and refer to everything as 220, even their standard 110 volt outlets and appliances, or, do they not use 110 volt outlets and appliances?
Here's a link of power by country.

The U.S. (AFAIK) is all 240@60 Hz, but we have center-tapped transformers at the homes so residences can have 120 or 240V. But, because of the length of the wire there's varying resistances so peoples actual voltages vary plus/minus 5%. You see 110V applicances as manufacturers are advertising their stuff will work at the low end; but that doesn't mean your utility is 110 @ 60.

Austrailia, New Zealand, and a couple of other places (AFAIK) are all 230V@50 Hz. The rest of the World (EU, China, UK), as far as I know, is 220V@50 Hz.

It's got an interesting history. The way I understand it is Tesla calculated 240V @ 60 Hz was the most efficient voltage/frequency. Westinghouse went with that and since they were the defacto U.S. monopoly at the time, the US and any place the US has a big influence in is 240V. It was felt that 240V was to dangerous for residences (probably Edison), which is why they have the centertap transformers and two legs of 120V.

In Europe, the German equivalent monoply was using the metric system and built their gear for 220 @ 50. The UK switched to 220 @ 50 after the war to be compatible with Europe.

But I don't understand the history/reason for places like Abu Dhab are 230V @ 50 Hz. Based on what's been said about Austrailian's not noticing, I think that means their old appliances still work. If so perhaps the reason is that being inbetween gives them access to the full range of appliances from across the world (at an efficiency loss, but they can get any look they like).
 
What it means is that in Europe, the standard wall socket voltage is 220/240V. Yes, that includes bathrooms. In some public areas, like hotels, where there could be international travelers, the outlets are equipped to accommodate 110/120V devices. If you know you will be traveling to Europe, you buy a travel adapter kit, which does voltage conversion and has multiple plugs, to make sure you can plug in anywhere.
 
Here's a link of power by country.

The U.S. (AFAIK) is all 240@60 Hz, but we have center-tapped transformers at the homes so residences can have 120 or 240V. But, because of the length of the wire there's varying resistances so peoples actual voltages vary plus/minus 5%. You see 110V applicances as manufacturers are advertising their stuff will work at the low end; but that doesn't mean your utility is 110 @ 60.

Austrailia, New Zealand, and a couple of other places (AFAIK) are all 230V@50 Hz. The rest of the World (EU, China, UK), as far as I know, is 220V@50 Hz.

It's got an interesting history. The way I understand it is Tesla calculated 240V @ 60 Hz was the most efficient voltage/frequency. Westinghouse went with that and since they were the defacto U.S. monopoly at the time, the US and any place the US has a big influence in is 240V. It was felt that 240V was to dangerous for residences (probably Edison), which is why they have the centertap transformers and two legs of 120V.

In Europe, the German equivalent monoply was using the metric system and built their gear for 220 @ 50. The UK switched to 220 @ 50 after the war to be compatible with Europe.

But I don't understand the history/reason for places like Abu Dhab are 230V @ 50 Hz. Based on what's been said about Austrailian's not noticing, I think that means their old appliances still work. If so perhaps the reason is that being inbetween gives them access to the full range of appliances from across the world (at an efficiency loss, but they can get any look they like).
Egads ...
  • service panel inside the building. Connecting a load between either hot wire and the neutral gives 120 volts, which is used for lighting circuits. Connecting between both hot wires gives 240 volts, which is used for large appliances such as ovens and clothes dryers.
  • In Europe and countries using its system, the secondary is often the three phase 400Y/230 system. There are three 230 V secondary windings, each receiving power from a primary winding attached to one of the primary phases. One end of each secondary winding is connected to a 'neutral' wire, which is grounded. The other end of the 3 secondary windings, along with the neutral, are brought down the service drop to the service panel. 230 V loads are connected between any of the three phase wires and the neutral.
  • Here's a link of power by country.

    The U.S. (AFAIK) is all 240@60 Hz, but we have center-tapped transformers at the homes so residences can have 120 or 240V. But, because of the length of the wire there's varying resistances so peoples actual voltages vary plus/minus 5%. You see 110V applicances as manufacturers are advertising their stuff will work at the low end; but that doesn't mean your utility is 110 @ 60.

    Austrailia, New Zealand, and a couple of other places (AFAIK) are all 230V@50 Hz. The rest of the World (EU, China, UK), as far as I know, is 220V@50 Hz.

    It's got an interesting history. The way I understand it is Tesla calculated 240V @ 60 Hz was the most efficient voltage/frequency. Westinghouse went with that and since they were the defacto U.S. monopoly at the time, the US and any place the US has a big influence in is 240V. It was felt that 240V was to dangerous for residences (probably Edison), which is why they have the centertap transformers and two legs of 120V.

    In Europe, the German equivalent monoply was using the metric system and built their gear for 220 @ 50. The UK switched to 220 @ 50 after the war to be compatible with Europe.

    But I don't understand the history/reason for places like Abu Dhab are 230V @ 50 Hz. Based on what's been said about Austrailian's not noticing, I think that means their old appliances still work. If so perhaps the reason is that being inbetween gives them access to the full range of appliances from across the world (at an efficiency loss, but they can get any look they like).
  • Here's a link of power by country.

    The U.S. (AFAIK) is all 240@60 Hz, but we have center-tapped transformers at the homes so residences can have 120 or 240V. But, because of the length of the wire there's varying resistances so peoples actual voltages vary plus/minus 5%. You see 110V applicances as manufacturers are advertising their stuff will work at the low end; but that doesn't mean your utility is 110 @ 60.

    Austrailia, New Zealand, and a couple of other places (AFAIK) are all 230V@50 Hz. The rest of the World (EU, China, UK), as far as I know, is 220V@50 Hz.

    It's got an interesting history. The way I understand it is Tesla calculated 240V @ 60 Hz was the most efficient voltage/frequency. Westinghouse went with that and since they were the defacto U.S. monopoly at the time, the US and any place the US has a big influence in is 240V. It was felt that 240V was to dangerous for residences (probably Edison), which is why they have the centertap transformers and two legs of 120V.

    In Europe, the German equivalent monoply was using the metric system and built their gear for 220 @ 50. The UK switched to 220 @ 50 after the war to be compatible with Europe.

    But I don't understand the history/reason for places like Abu Dhab are 230V @ 50 Hz. Based on what's been said about Austrailian's not noticing, I think that means their old appliances still work. If so perhaps the reason is that being inbetween gives them access to the full range of appliances from across the world (at an efficiency loss, but they can get any look they like).
    Hmmmmm very good. I know that in a non three phase fed home or office in the USA, there are two, 120 volt line on a single phase, (I think that they are 180 out of phase in respect to each other, but I digress), that come from the utility's step down transformer along with a neutral center tap from the transformer, which is also earth grounded at the utility pole and at the main circuit breaker panel at the home.
 
You can definitely see where the OP was coming from. With members from all over the world its going to be confusing at times.
 
Sooooo .. that means that a European wall outlet has two, 110 vac hot lines in it and that hair dryer, curling iron, Keurig, vacuum cleaner etc has 220vac pulsing through it?
No.
European power is different from USA/Canada power...
here is a hot, and a neutral that total 230v
Also, the household wiring is different, they run a fused ring circuit... I’m out of depth on hat logic though, so don’t ask me...
 
110, 240. Touch it, you're just as dead :)

In Australia standard power outlets are rated at 10 amps, so 2.4kW or there abouts. Circuits are rated and fused at 15 amps and serve multiple outlets, and often rooms. My house has a 100 amp service from the street so I could technically pull 23kW across the lead-in.

In the UK they do things slightly differently. They have 30 amp circuits, branch or their Devil's Own ring circuit. Each appliance has a fuse in its plug, up to 13 amps I think.
As I get older, I have noticed I don’t feel 110v at all, and 240v tingles, like licking a 9v battery... I usually hurt myself more yanking my hand out of the box and cutting it on something, or banging my head...
my skin isn’t as moist as it used to be.
 
Based on what's been said about Austrailian's not noticing, I think that means their old appliances still work. If so perhaps the reason is that being inbetween gives them access to the full range of appliances from across the world (at an efficiency loss, but they can get any look they like).
The idea was to harmonise the voltage standards around the world. Lower the higher voltages, raise the lower voltages, both towards some middle happy place. This goes for 110v countries too. Rather than have some countries with a 110v standard and others with 115v, move to a middle of the road voltage.

In practice in many countries the existing voltage already falls well within the new standard so no actual change to the local voltage happened. The variation that was previously permitted means that all appliances can already cope with the full range the new standard allows for so everything continues to work without issue.

In time I expect that devices will be manufactured specifically to be happiest in the mid point of the new standards but it's not necessary for that to happen.
 
What's the timeframe for these changes?
Queensland’s Electricity Regulation was amended on 27 October 2017 to mandate a transition to the 230 volt standard in Queensland.

Thanx for clarifying that point I raised @gnubie . I knew I had read it somewhere but I was not all that interested (at that point in time) to locate where it came from as I was embarking on a trip to your home state QLD (to Toowoomba) to visit my old man as he was very sick in hospital.
 
Not a complaint, but a suggestion.
It might be worthwhile if all members had their country location under their avatar so that when someone is reading their advice, it would be helpful to know what their knowledge is based on i.e. US members work with 110v, UK members work with 240v and obviously local laws and regulations differ. Also, some recommended products are not always available in certain parts of the world.
Just a thought...

I agree! Right now the forum is set up to default to not showing the location...the user has to go into the settings to enable it, which very few have done. Can an administrator change the default setting to "on"?
 
I am located within the Pleiades star cluster, aka M-45 to astronomers. My home planet is orbiting one of the seven sister's and that's all y'all need to know. See precautionary video. Zibdeen, (that's thank you in my language).
 
Back
Top