ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
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
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
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 (Scott35), 262 guests, and 14 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
#181881 11/05/08 10:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 9
T
Junior Member
I just finished wiring a garage for a Customer that recently moved from the UK. He mentioned that he brought with him many new power tools and that he wanted to know if they could be operated on US power system. I checked with Bosch Tools, they assured me that all of their tools are rated 50/60hz. The European voltage as I understand it is 240VAC and more specifically 240VAC between the "hot" current carrying conductor and the "neutral" grounded conductor. My question...since both systems (US and UK) have a 240VAC potential between conductors will the power tools operate? If not - please set me straight. Thanks, Mike

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Slow down, there .....

First off, British jobsites often have 12ov systems ... with both legs 'hot'. These tools ought to work reasonable well on our usual circuits.

There ought to be service shops that will rewind the motors, if necessary. Such shops certainly exist "over there." The rpm difference can be a major factor in the performance of some tools.

Generally, I would suggest just replacing the tools with appropriate US models. This can't always be done; Bisch, in particular, has a number of tools for which no similar type is available in the USA.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
If the voltage is nominally correct I don't see the problem. Most tools with brushes in them will run on DC (universal motor). Cord caps will be the problem. US guys, remember blue is neutral.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 329
I
Member
While the British job site tools are 110V gronded centertap (ie 55V to ground), residential tools are all typically 240V.
Tools with induction motors will run at a faster speed, which may or may not be a problem. They usually work fine and will cool a little better, due to the highter internal fan speed. Brush universal motors; they are not usually too picky about frequency, many will even run on DC. There could be a problem with the variable speed controls though.
Additionally, many of the european tools are designed to treat both leads as hot. Remember Schuko plugs(continental Europe) are not polarized. (I know that BS1363 plugs are, but because most EU tools are marketed to the entire EU usually the manufacturers will simply market the exact same tool with different plugs.) Therefore they are usually made for nonpolarized applications. So while US 240V is hot to hot vs Hot to neutral it still should not make much difference.

Last edited by IanR; 11/06/08 01:06 PM. Reason: bad shpellin
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 152
A
Member
I have several resistive appliances in my kitchen that were purchased overseas with the intent of using them here. For one my kettle is 3600 Watts and boils water lickety-split, another (the toaster) brought over due to the desire for higher wattage appliances not avail. here. I have a specific 240v outlet wired in the kitchen, looks like this:

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibcGetAttachment.jsp?cItemId=TRvdyGrUAqKaCh65pbMWcA&label=IBE&appName=IBE&sitex=10021:22372:US

Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
W
Member
I suppose you could do this with an European power strip: http://www.geocities.com/wa2ise/radios/eupwr.jpg So he dosn't have to change all the plugs on the tools. The plugs this strip accepts looks to not prevent neutral and hot from being plugged in backwards. So both current carrying wires being hot with 120V should not be an issue, as mentioned in a post above.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,253
D
djk Offline
Member
Two voltages are used for power tools in the UK

For normal tools, used on sites etc they're 110V 50Hz (centre tapped with two hots) connected via a local transformer.

The plugs look like this: (EN 60309:1999)
[Linked Image from pat-services.co.uk]

Some power tools may be 230V 50Hz (normal European voltage)

Industrial / professional 230V tools will have a plug like :

[Linked Image from upload.wikimedia.org](EN 60309:1999)

Power tools intended for use in a residential setting will simply have a normal UK residential BS1363 plug on the end.

[Linked Image from pafilia.com]

Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 329
I
Member
I can relate to the kettle thing. Mine is only 2400W though(UK model). I would love to have a 3.6KW unit.

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 382
H
Member
When living in the USA, all of my South African/British power tools worked just fine on US 240V circuits - in fact the grinder ran much smoother. I used to fit double pole switches to pillar drill outlets etc. so I could isolate them before changing belts/bits etc. rather than constant unplugging.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
In fact, connecting a European power tool to US 240V would be hardly different from connecting it to a 133/230V system still used in some countries (supposedly Belgium, certainly parts of Germany in the Berlin area) where single phase appliances are connected across 2 phases of a 3 phase wye system (supposedly Germany even had corner grounded 220V delta systems in some areas). So indeed, the voltage wouldn't matter at all, these tools have to be useable on 230V phase to ground as well as 230V phase to phase.
In fact even electric ranges come with a variety of possible jumper settings allowing them to be used on 230V single phase, 3 phases of a 133/230V system (always tempted to write 127/220V as per the pre-harmonization standard) and 230/400V 3 phases + Neutral (all elements connected phase to neutral), sometimes even 230V single phase 2 hots 2 neutrals (effectively feeding the range with two individual single phase circuits).

Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5

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