Voltage and frequency of German appliances OK in UK

[brennanb]

Please excuse if this question has been already posted, Is the voltage and frequency used in Germany suitable to use in Ireland and the UK?  where 240V and 50Hz I believe to be standard, replies appreciated, new member from Ireland, thanyk you all

 

[PeterK]

Welcome to the FOG!!!  [welcome]

I have no answer for you but am sure others will chime in. Thanks for listing your home country with your name as it is so helpful with our world wide membership here. Always wanted to come visit the beautiful country of Ireland!!

 

[jgag]

yes nominal 220v v nominal 230.

I have had no problem with any of the items I've brought back from working on the continent

 

[jonny round boy]

Voltages/frequencies across Europe (including the UK) were harmonised in 2008, so any appliance sold anywhere in Europe must operate in any other European country (excepting differences in plugs/sockets, of course!).

The UK voltage used to be nominally 240V; the voltage in mainland Europe was 220V; now both are nominally 230V. And who says there's no room for compromise in politics? [tongue]

 

[brennanb]

Thank you all for your help from a frozen over island of Ireland, happy christmas to you all BB

 

[Wim]

Voltages/frequencies across Europe (including the UK) were harmonised in 2008, so any appliance sold anywhere in Europe must operate in any other European country (excepting differences in plugs/sockets, of course!).

The UK voltage used to be nominally 240V; the voltage in mainland Europe was 220V; now both are nominally 230V. And who says there's no room for compromise in politics? [tongue]

And now the same plugs for all countries in Europe and we can close this chapter. Then we can "export" this system to the USA because there is strength in numbers. They don't know what they are missing.  ;D

 

[jonny round boy]

Voltages/frequencies across Europe (including the UK) were harmonised in 2008, so any appliance sold anywhere in Europe must operate in any other European country (excepting differences in plugs/sockets, of course!).

The UK voltage used to be nominally 240V; the voltage in mainland Europe was 220V; now both are nominally 230V. And who says there's no room for compromise in politics? [tongue]

And now the same plugs for all countries in Europe and we can close this chapter. Then we can "export" this system to the USA because there is strength in numbers. They don't know what they are missing.  ;D

I don't think that will happen, at least in my lifetime. And I'm kind of glad it won't - the electrical wiring systems in the UK are very different to the rest of Europe, and changing to the continental system would mean a compulsory re-wire of every building in the UK. Of course, it would be less disruptive for the rest of Europe to change to the UK system...

 

[Wim]

I recently discovered a 240 V connection in the fuse box for the airconditioner. This outlet is not in use at all, so I could use that for my European tools. Is there any problem in doing so? I have to branch off a 240 V cable from the fuse box and install a 240 V outlet.
Then I will have 2 TS55s, an OF1010, an OF1400, a TK15, a CMS table and 2 Dominos. I would sell the Domino in Holland because having 2 Dominos is useless in my opinion. One TS55 stays in the CMS as well as the OF1010.
Sorry for wandering off-topic.

 

[ajones]

I would not do that if you want to run 230v tools from a 120v supply I would get a large step up transformer or if you have 230v in the building get a proper sparks
to sort it out..

 

[nickao]

Well yeah you can do it. I do not understand why you could not. A 240(230) is just two 120(115) circuits together. If your tools are for 220 to 240 your 220V circuit for the AC will be fine, unless there is something I am missing. I found the 50hz , 60hz difference did not make any difference either.

 

[ajones]

airing on the side of safety pulling a load more juice through the air con circuit may not be the best way to go about it. [2cents]

 

[nickao]

He said it is unused? And even if it was used it only pulls current when the AC goes on, which is not going to happen for 6 months here. 
And even then the worst that will happen is a popped circuit. 

 

[ajones]

He said it is unused? And even if it was used it only pulls current when the AC goes on, which is not going to happen for 6 months here. 
And even then the worst that will happen is a popped circuit. 

Your probably right but the way I look at it is if you have to ask. you should not be doing it.. [wink]

 

[Wim]

The outlet was meant for a big 240 V A/C unit. The current set-up is two 120 V units divided over the room and that is more than sufficient. So I will leave the socket as is, cut the cable and install a junction box. From there I run a short cable to the workshop and with a double 240 V socket I'm ready. The difference in frequency should not be a problem and neither will the 10 V difference. According to my Voltmeter the 240 V is quite nominal, it goes up and down more than 5 V depending on the use of the grid. And most electrical tools can withstand much more, so I see no problems in that field.

 

[festoolsnob]

All my Euro spec 230V 50Hz, Festools work perfectly here in Canada, on 230V 60Hz. I immigrated here 8 years ago and they all run 100%.

The power supply for the aircon is certainly good enough. As long as you hook it up in the correct, safe manner, with the proper sized breaker and wiring it will be fine.

I believe most if not all houses have 230V coming into the panel. If you have an electric clothes dryer, or at least the outlet for it, then you have 230V. When I first arrived here, I was renting a house, and could not go into the panel and run outlets etc. So a very simple solution is to go to Home Depot and get an Dryer cable, and attach a small box onto that. In the box, put 15Amp circuit breakers in in, and run a cable from your 15Amp circuit breaker, to the appropriate electrical socket, for your Festool to plug into. You are up and running, and your power supply is portable, so if you should go to somebody else's house top do some work, you can simply plug into their dryer outlet.

By the way, in the beginning, I ran the setup from the dryer plug, directly to my socket. The landlord called the ESSA official to come and inspect the house, and the guy said it was wrong, I have to put the box in, with the 15A, breaker. He said the dryer outlet is a 30A supply, and basically it could cook my tools, and me and will not trip the 30A breaker.

I could post a picture if needed.

 

[CO_JCD]

Re running 240v tools off US split phase supply.

I lived in the US for 5 years and did exactly this, however, please note that there is one very important difference between EU 220/240 volt systems and US split phase systems delivering 240 volts for dryers / hobs etc: both branches of the US 240V are 'hot' and sit at round 110/ 120 V with respect to ground.  In EU, the live sits at 220V and Neutral sits close to earth.

If you know what you are doing, are using double insulated tools (such as Festool), and understand the above all is fine.  If you are not 100% understanding how the potential and split phase systems work - I suggest you don't touch it.  Many EU sockets / switches are single pole and would not fully disconnect a device from a US fed 240 V system due to the split phase and potential to ground.

Hope this helps.

John

 

[Wim]

Somewhere in the 60s in Holland we switched from 127 V to 220 V. Some cities with local powerplants were slow in converting and switched for a short time to split phase 110 V. I learned that the hard way when I repaired some wall sockets for an aunt in a neighbouring city.
Festool tools have a two-wire connection, live and neutral and no ground. To be on the safe side, I could put a double pole switch between the circuit breaker and the socket.