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Joined: Sep 2002
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Originally Posted by Trumpy
Greg,
I had to read your post at least twice, I was wondering how on earth you managed to use your gear here on a 230V system. smile

And yes, you'd get that with them universal devices that work on pretty much 100-300V (I think it is).
The reason I mentioned the whole adapter thing in the first place was that, what used to be EnergySafe here (which is now under WorkSafe/OSH), banned the importation and use of certain types of travel adapters, back in 2010(?)

This was due to people importing cheap appliances that were never meant to run on 230V single phase, buying an adapter and lo and behold, the kitchen/house goes on fire,
mainly because the load current through the said adapters was well outside of their design current.
However, I'm talking about high current appliances like toasters and kettles, although I'm not sure why you'd go through all that bother, when you can buy a decent toaster or kettle here for NZ$20-30, that will work perfectly fine and not go on fire, if you're lucky.


I am a firm believer in buying appliances made for and approved for the country one is living in, come to think of it have not seen any threads anywhere in a long time about using American dryers in the 50 HZ world, not going to work. laugh

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I totally agree, Rollie,
We've had people come over here with ovens, dryers and what-not, EXPECTING an appliance like this to work.
While you can wire a US oven here as 230V, doesn't mean you should.
The clocks on 60Hz ovens don't keep time like they should over here. crazy

Joined: Jun 2014
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dsk Offline OP
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When I started this thread it was to point out how a so called travel adapter, probably designed to help you out to charge the phone or shaver, even a hair dryer is to much for it, but it may easily be misused, and it may cost lives.

The thread has been wider, and I use several US units not meant for use here in Norway. Mainly because it is not available here. All equipment made for DC with adapters are really no problem, most of the adapters are made for 100-240V 50-60Hz and draw far less then 1 amp so if I do not care to change it, an adapter will work well, I usually tighten the springs to get safer connection, and glue the plug adapter to the original adapter.
I also have equipment instruments and test tools only made for US standards. Then use an transformer 230 to 115V. 60 Hz transformers may get problems with 50Hz due to a need of more heavy cores, so I watch them carefully, but it is still a risk.

Joined: Dec 2001
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The adaptor I was talking about was home-built - I cut the IEC connector off a NEMA computer lead and replaced it with a Schuko trailing socket. IMO that's the sturdiest kind of adaptor you can get.

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dsk Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Texas_Ranger
The adaptor I was talking about was home-built - I cut the IEC connector off a NEMA computer lead and replaced it with a Schuko trailing socket. IMO that's the sturdiest kind of adaptor you can get.
I believe that is the best adapters you may get, make them yourselves of High quality parts. For me here in Europe I do not see any difference between Canadian and US listed plugs but I know that they are not officially accepted in the other country if it does not have the national stamp UL/UR etc (We missed on that exporting some machines to US customers and sent them cords with only Canadian stamps and not UL (Many years ago from another job that I had at that time))

For Europe it is several markings, some are real after testing in an external institution, others the the maker says that it is OK

E.G. The CE marking tells that the maker has tested it by them selves, (China has a slightly different CE mark Chinese Export) German TUV, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish D, S, N or Fi in a ring are stating that it is tested by a certified institution. I trust those marks as I trust UL CSA and UR. Still it has to look safe to. :-)

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Most NEMA plugs I've seen have both CSA and UL marks on them, so they should be fine.

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These days I see plenty of Chinese knock off devices with no "legal" listing mark. Some have counterfeit markings, some none at all. These usually show up in regular retail outlets or Amazon type places, not a real electrical supplier.


Greg Fretwell
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Originally Posted by Trumpy
I totally agree, Rollie,
We've had people come over here with ovens, dryers and what-not, EXPECTING an appliance like this to work.
While you can wire a US oven here as 230V, doesn't mean you should.
The clocks on 60Hz ovens don't keep time like they should over here. crazy


American clothes dryers & cooking equipment require a neutral and a 120/240V center tapped system, the heating elements work just fine, but 120V motors & controls & lights will not work for long on 230V L-N.

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Originally Posted by gfretwell
These days I see plenty of Chinese knock off devices with no "legal" listing mark. Some have counterfeit markings, some none at all. These usually show up in regular retail outlets or Amazon type places, not a real electrical supplier.


Best course of action but pretty much impossible is to avoid ChiCom goods.

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Originally Posted by NORCAL


American clothes dryers & cooking equipment require a neutral and a 120/240V center tapped system, the heating elements work just fine, but 120V motors & controls & lights will not work for long on 230V L-N.


I installed (as was the customers wishes) , a 400V/ 240/120 centre tapped transformer on the other side of the wall
to the switch-board (panel), this was not a small investment, it was sized to the loads that the customer told me he would have and I oversized it accordingly, because he didn't really know what he was talking about.
This required a second panel, because you need to keep the "local" and the "foreign" stuff seperate.

What a nightmare that turned into, there were 3 phase pumps for water and sewerage, because the place wasn't on
"town supply" , but a well and the outflow pump for the sewerage was 500metres down the road from the place, so that it could be pumped into the town sewer pipe. crazy

I commissioned it all, up on livening the whole thing and got really weird readings from the 240/120V tranny, it turned out I'd got two of the connections backwards.

The guy's "wife" then said that I wasn't going to be paid, for the whole thing, because I was apparently incompetent.

They then bought the guy's "wife's" brother over from Colorado to "inspect" what I'd one.
He told me it looked "pretty good", yet he was a telco technician. mad

I have 75% of what I'm owed, they don't even answer the phone or e-mails now and it's so far away that I can't go down and pull the pillar box fuses. grin

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