Author Topic: Power!!!! (Read 5740 times)

Jacknife · « **on:** March 16, 2005, 03:27:23 PM »

Whats your power down under, and I mean voltage. do you run on 230V at 60hz or what. Thinking of what life could be like in Oz and making sure all electrical goods would work.

B6mick · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:45:10 AM »

Our power is 240 + or - 20 odd volts at a rate of 50 Hz.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2005, 07:28:56 AM »

You'd have to either buy a shit load of adapters or sell all your stuff and buy new here, which probably be the best thing to do because even our powerpoints are different to yours.

Oh and water goes down the drain the right way, but at least our cars have the steering wheel on the right side unlike the yanks.

echomadman · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2005, 07:35:14 AM »

He's in the UK, power is the same, 240@50Hz. (well, 230 but it makes no difference)

60hz is american frequency.
The whole different sockets thing is a pain, but for any appliance with a removable power cable just buy a new one, and use adaptors on teh others.

http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm < loads of info on leccy round the world

Red01 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2005, 06:56:53 PM »

Way back in my youth, I bought a bunch of Technics & Pioneer audio equipment from the NATO Exchange in Naples, Italy. (Saved a bunch over US prices!) It all had Euro two round prong plugs, but had selector switches on the backs to select voltage (110-120/220-240v) and cycles (50/60 Hz).

UKbandit · « **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2005, 04:44:07 AM »

Probably a bit late for anyone to want to take any notice of but the frequency doesn't really matter for most things. TV, stereos and the like take the mains and immediately turn it into DC anyway. For things like toasters and kettles the frequency won't make any difference. The only time it will make a difference is if the device uses the mains as a frequency reference.

Lmario · « **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:08:36 AM »

Sorry, ...but frequency can matter. At least if you have a device without a switch mode power supply.
If the power-supply is designed for 60Hz, and you run it on 50Hz, it can get hot. Well, at least hotter than intended.

As far as I have seen , a 50Hz device running on 60Hz is not a problem.

Just my 2 cents of experience.

Lmario

UKbandit · « **Reply #7 on:** April 25, 2005, 08:17:56 AM »

That's true. The only bits that will get (slightly) hotter are the transformer and the rectifier though. After that there should be a filter which shouldn't get hot. If the power supply is properly designed, it should be able to take the small increase in temperature, especially if the ambient temperature is not extreme. But yes you are right, it can run slightly warmer.

victor55 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2005, 06:35:18 AM »

Quote

You'd have to either buy a shit load of adapters

That's just the idea Mick. This year the British Lions are touring and its said that up to 10,000 Poms are going to invade our shores to try and give their boys some moral backup, so! We have a big heap of adapters ready for sale at an exorbitant price. That's how to fleece a Lion

aussiebandit · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2005, 08:14:20 AM »

So the poms are going to try and beat your blokes, I'd like to see that.

Well I suppose with the poms visiting you've got to make money somehow, god knows you'll make none selling shower water and soap

Only gagging......

victor55 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 29, 2005, 05:27:08 AM »

I don't think they know what a shower is. But mention bath and you are bound to get a reaction