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
0 members (), 255 guests, and 16 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Originally Posted by pdh
But there is such a thing as an electric induction wok (Google finds them easily enough) that happens to work with traditional wok pans. The problem is you need somewhere between 2400 and 3000 watts to make them effective (though some wimpy ones for 120V are available).


Yeah!,
I bought one of them for my wife for her birthday (She loves Chinese food and stir-fry type things), it's been an absolute bonus for our diet, well worth the money and power usage.

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
If the house is being built and wired new, wouldn't the most practical solution be to just provide a few dedicated 15A 240V branch circuits to 6-15 receptacles where needed?

The only code issue then would be what those 240V receptacles are intended to supply, but if we're just talking about one per room at most, couldn't they be for (mumbles next part) individual space heaters? As stated above, nobody has any control over what anybody actually plugs into them afterward.

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 354
P
pdh Offline
Member
Originally Posted by pauluk
If the house is being built and wired new, wouldn't the most practical solution be to just provide a few dedicated 15A 240V branch circuits to 6-15 receptacles where needed?

The only code issue then would be what those 240V receptacles are intended to supply, but if we're just talking about one per room at most, couldn't they be for (mumbles next part) individual space heaters? As stated above, nobody has any control over what anybody actually plugs into them afterward.

If you are only going to put one in a room, you better be sure you put it in the "right place". Way too many 120V outlets already "disappear" behind heavy furniture as it is. If you are going to claim a 240V outlet is for a window A/C, it really ought to be near the window. If it is for a space heater, it should be safe to put the space heater at that location.

I don't know if I would put 240V outlets in bedrooms, though I would not rule that out. But I do plan to put several in the kitchen.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,253
D
djk Offline
Member
I assume swapping the NEMA 6-15 for somthing more like this would be out of the question ?

[Linked Image from johnlewis.com]

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 202
3
Member
To match the 84mm mounting centres, is this an option:

VERTICAL
[Linked Image from updates.clipsal.com]

HORIZONTAL
[Linked Image from updates.clipsal.com]

Good for 240V 15 amps

Joined: May 2002
Posts: 382
H
Member
When I lived in the States for five years this quandary came up often and I posted questions on this board to ascertain the legalities of it all. A 240V NEMA 6-15 was the preferred option in the kitchen to power my 3 kW kettle. No RCD was required as it was not a 120V socket and as long as the socket was meant to power something greater than 1500 W? it could go anywhere reasonably required. According to those who inspect installations – this should pass inspection.

As for using a socket other than NEMA, particularly in my garage/workshop I deliberately avoided BS 1363 as the plugs are fused only on one pole and I felt this could present a safety issue on fuse failure with the other pole still live. I did however use the South African sockets (old BS546?) as the plugs were not fused – and coming from there, I had lots of them!

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 22
C
Member
Originally Posted by pdh
[quote=SteveFehr]...Woks do very poorly on electric burner elements (worse on glass tops). But there is such a thing as an electric induction wok (Google finds them easily enough) that happens to work with traditional wok pans. The problem is you need somewhere between 2400 and 3000 watts to make them effective (though some wimpy ones for 120V are available)...

These 3kw "wok" can't compare w/restaurant's "wok hei" . The commercial version is 15kw grin. When gas price is high in mainland China, the 2kw single Induction cooker(~$30)sells like hotcakes laugh

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
Originally Posted by Hutch
A 240V NEMA 6-15 was the preferred option in the kitchen to power my 3 kW kettle.


I would really think that the NEMA 6-15 is the clear choice for several reasons:

* Absolutely no question of code/listing issues from using non-UL/unapproved devices.

* Easy availability for replacements, fits standard U.S. boxes, uses normal faceplates in similar styles to those used elsewhere in the house.

* Easy to buy an NEMA 6-15 plug when needed, whereas if you run out of BS1363 plugs you're not going to be able to pick one up at the local convenience store.

* If you have a group of equipment that you really want retain BS1363 plugs on, you can just use a U.K. power strip and fit a 6-15 plug on the end of the cord.

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 354
P
pdh Offline
Member
I would not want to use a BS1363 on a North American 240V system, since the BS1363 design makes assumptions about which conductor is grounded (as exemplified by the fuse position). OTOH, the Schuko is more likely usable (if one can be found with UL listing or the local AHJ accepts the European listing) because no grounding assumption is made, and switched appliances have to treat both conductors as ungrounded.

If it's for a power strip, it should be OK, other than for the higher voltage MOVs wired between conductors and the grounding wire on surge protection versions. Some surge protection experts have suggested that MOV ratings be doubled, anyway (to reduce MOV burnouts along with the suggestion that the doubled rating won't affect most devices). So maybe that is moot.

Now I just need to find a mid-size UPS (between 2000 and 2800 VA) that can work on the North American 240V system.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 404
Member
Originally Posted by pdh
Now I just need to find a mid-size UPS (between 2000 and 2800 VA) that can work on the North American 240V system.


There are plenty of server UPSes that run on 110/208, but they're not terribly cheap.

Page 2 of 3 1 2 3

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