ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
UL 508A SPACING
by ale348 - 03/29/24 01:09 AM
Increasing demand factors in residential
by tortuga - 03/28/24 05:57 PM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
1 members (ale348), 302 guests, and 14 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 7 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,253
D
djk Offline
Member
What outlets were used for 127V + Neutral in France and elsewhere?

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
I believe that 150V was also the standard in at least one Asian country at one time.

I think France used the same type of outlets on 127V as are currently used for 220. I've seen references which suggest that NEMA 1-15 style was used in the past (that's the two-hole ungrounded version) in both France and Germany, but I've never been able to confirm that.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
This was an interesting discussion we had about the different systems, so I thought it worth bumping up the list for the benefit of ECN's newest recruits. [Linked Image]

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
Quote
I've seen references which suggest that NEMA 1-15 style was used in the past (that's the two-hole ungrounded version) in both France and Germany, but I've never been able to confirm that.

The only case where this is definitely true are isolation trnasformer shaver sockets, most of which would indeed accept both round 4mm pins and NEMA 1-15. I've also seen a few Italian made dou sockets of that type but standard ones w/o transformer. As far as an elderly radio guy told me Austria always had round pin ungreounded sockets for 110V AC and 220V DC and AC, but I'm not sure whether there ever was something like 110V single phase, more likely it was 127V delta.

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 1
C
C-H Offline
Member
I wonder if housing for American soldiers serving in Germany and other places might have had Nema sockets. As the world changes, houses originally built for foreign soldiers are now owned by locals.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
That's a possibility. I know that AFN TV in Germany was to NTSC standards, so it seems quite probable that they imported all equipment and wired to U.S. standards on site.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
I posted the question at a German/Austrian/Swiss board and now I'm waiting for replies. There are some really brilliant guys there.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,253
D
djk Offline
Member
I've heard that at embassies etc they often have 2 systems. That doesn't only apply to US Embassies either.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
Ok, got a real nice reply. C-H, you were absolutely right! After WWII the US Army built lots of houses for the accomodation of the soldiers, and those had either 120V only or 120 and 220V side by side, the 110V stuff usually wired with US stuff, even using standard nail-on boxes in solid plastered brick walls. The guy noted that those boxes were really small and cramped. Whatever.
There are also NEMA 5-15 inserts for standard German modular series, fitting German boxes. He said he has some of these he doesn't need any more, if he doesn't want too much money I'll get them.

BTW, it wasn't only 1-15, 5-15 was and is used too. Even today the Army has everything wired to US standards.
And there were/are several NTSC TV stations.
Here in Austria the US left in 1955, and prior to this they didn't do too much construction, but in Germany they never left.

Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 47
G
Member
I was stationed at Bitburg Air Base in Germany during my stint in the Air Force. It was the trip to Europe I would otherwise never afford on my own.

We stayed in dorms that were wired with 220V schuko outlets, no 120 as far as I know. I had a step down transformer to run my dedicated 115V electronics, but most of it had a dual voltage switch.

No mishaps with 220 except the one time I didn't know what an immersion cup warmer was.

I plugged it in and went to fill the cup...came back and the coil had burned wide open.

Page 7 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5