OT C&F Oracle - Electrical advice for US to UK grid xfer

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:41 am

OK, so I will be moving to the UK and have various items that take US power. Some are capable of dual voltage and some are not.

Instead of getting half a dozen power converters, I was wondering if it's safe and possible to get a good quality US power strip with 3-5 plugs, and a good quality power converter for THAT, and convert the voltage that way. Is it possible to overload things that way? Anything I should be aware of when purchasing the power strip? Advice, suggestions, random comments?

This would also have the benefit of being a surge protector, which I'm not sure a regular power converter would do.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:46 am

You should instead divest yourself from your material possessions.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:51 am

There is no reason why your scheme shouldn't work. You probably should buy the transformer in England, to avoid having to lug it with you across the ocean. Make sure it's stabilized and that it can handle more than the combined "amps" of all the appliances you want to have connected at the same time.

The dual-voltage stuff will probably work better connected directly to the 220v power supply.

g

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:13 am

glauber wrote:You should instead divest yourself from your material possessions.

I have been, haven't you paid attention?

glauber wrote:Make sure [the transformer is] stabilized and that it can handle more than the combined "amps" of all the appliances you want to have connected at the same time.

Stabilized?

kga26 · Post by **kga26** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:21 am

I have a feeling that things like video machines are non transferable between U.S. and U.K , but not 100% sure. May just be an urban myth, but worth checking out.
The trouble with the U.K. is that when the little mouse that makes the electricity stops pedaling, we are all stuffed! (Ha Ha)
Anyway, Welcome to the U.K., If theres one thing we need here it's more whistlers!

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:29 am

Yes, the tv/vid systems are different, but the only thing I have in that category is a Game Boy Advance, so I should be okay there.

And thanks for the welcome!

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:47 pm

I wouldn't do the power strip thing with any appliances with a high current draw, like Microwaves or TVs. But since NTSC-standard US TV/DVD/VCRs won't work in PAL-standard Europe (it's not a myth kga26), and since computer power supplies usually have a 115/230V switch, I don't see you using anything of a high-current-drawing nature.

I don't remember if CRTs or LCD screens for computers sold in the US have a voltage switch, but if yours doesn't, it may not work in the UK, even with voltage conversion. Many things, including alarm clocks and monitors depend on the frequency of the AC voltage. In the US we have 60Hz power, in the UK it's 50Hz. You may have to check the converter for frequency as well as voltage and power ratings. Luckily, the frequency only matters for a few appliances that depend on it for timing.

But a power strip should be safe for small appliances. When I was looking for UK transformers, they came in 2-part kits. One part was the plug adaptor and the other part was the actual voltage transformer. The voltage transformer could be bought in a 50W model and a 300W model (there may have been higher-rated ones, just not in the store I was looking in). MAKE SURE you buy the transformer with the highest wattage rating you can find! Then add up the wattage ratings on all the items you will plug into one power strip, and make damn sure that number doesn't exceed the rating on either the power strip or the voltage converter.

e.g., if you are plugging in a lamp with a 75W bulb, a cell-phone charger rated for 45W, and a 30W CD player, you would need AT LEAST a voltage converter rated for 150W. So in this case, I'd add 50W for safety's sake, and get a converter no lower than 200W. You get the idea, I hope.

Anyway, what you suggest should work, just be careful about not exceeding power ratings, and you should be fine.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 2:03 pm

If the power rating was exceeded, what would blow first? The power strip, the converter, or the plugged-in devices?

kga26 · Post by **kga26** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 2:47 pm

Oh my God, I'll just wait for the national grid to crash ! Whatever you do, just get the right fuses, it's usually 13amp for Tellies/ Computers/ Microwaves/Hairdryers etc. 3 amp for Lamps, low usage stuff. Please be careful. Anything you need in the electrical line here is so cheap to buy second hand and in good condition why take the chance? (Microwave £30.00,
Computer Monoitor £20-50 second hand) Please don't blow yourself up on our account. Kate

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 2:50 pm

Thanks for your concern, Kate. I'm not planning on running a nuclear lab or anything, just a laptop computer and a few accessories. No TVs, lamps, hair dryers. As you say, I would just get them locally. My question was simply curiosity - my engineering training was not on the electrical side.

kga26 · Post by **kga26** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 2:57 pm

Phew!

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 1:50 am

kga26 wrote:Oh my God, I'll just wait for the national grid to crash ! Whatever you do, just get the right fuses, it's usually 13amp for Tellies/ Computers/ Microwaves/Hairdryers etc. 3 amp for Lamps, low usage stuff.

Holy Cr*p!!

13A fuses are for high current devices like electric kettles, washing-machines, tumble-dryers...

DO NOT put 13A fuses in yer telly plugs, hairdryers, stereos, and other low-wattage appliances. There are 5A fuses for appliances in the middle of the power consumption range, like TVs.

Read the instructions that come with the device/appliance and if you need to change a blown fuse, always replace it with one of equal rating and remember, there's a reason why the 'old' one blew.

Please don't do what an ex-girlfriend once did: "The 5A fuses kept blowing, so I put a 13A one in." she sniffled tearfully as I stood there holding a fully discharged fire-extinguisher...

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 4:44 am

Exactly where in England are you going? It doesn't make any difference to the leccy but is of interest to us locals.

GaryKelly · Post by **GaryKelly** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:23 am

It's Londinium I believe, jb...

Just down the road a bit from Swindon

John S · Post by **John S** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:37 am

Remember that as the US Voltage is half that in the UK the amount of current drawn by a 200 Watt device will be twice that of a 200 Watt device at 230 Volts.
Construction sites in the UK use 110V supplies for running hand power tools, and this should work fine.
http://www.airlinktransformers.com/sitetransformers.asp

TTFN

John S