Is there any confirmation that the U.K. is now supplying 230v or is it still at 240v?
I thought that some years ago it was going to be dropped down to 230v with a tolerance of +10% -6% ?
So the 230v could be 230v + 23 = 253v
or 230v - 13.8v = 216.2v
I thought that some years ago it was going to be dropped down to 230v with a tolerance of +10% -6% ?
So the 230v could be 230v + 23 = 253v
or 230v - 13.8v = 216.2v
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I thought (my memory is fuzzy) they just changed the tolerance - 230V is +10%/-6% so between 216 and 253V.
Thanks.
I wonder though if it has actually been lowered to 230v or was this just a political thought falling in line with EU and it still stands at 240v?
I don't remember them actually saying the real voltage was going to be lower in practice. Just they adjusted the nominal voltage to harmonize on paper with the EU and tweaked the tolerance so the old max (which was 240V +6% = 254V) is pretty much unchanged from the new max (253V). I think the minimum is lower now though.
So the 240v can fluctuate anything from 240v up to 253/4v.
Although it 'might' be the case that some devices can handle the higher voltage but what happens to those devices that can't.... shortened life?
European devices are sold for 220/230v....... and many of these devices are sold in the U.K.
Although it 'might' be the case that some devices can handle the higher voltage but what happens to those devices that can't.... shortened life?
European devices are sold for 220/230v....... and many of these devices are sold in the U.K.
Yup 230Vac +/-10% IIRC. I’ve measured 248Vac. That’s not including any transients or harmonics.
Incidentally I’ve also had a good 243Vac in the north of france.
For a 220Vac tube radio, that needed a step down to reduce the unregulated heater supply when used with 243+V mains..
As said before: Nothing changed. The EU just increased the allowable variation so anything between 220V and 240v (nominal) was ok.
This endangers devices who rectify directly from mains with 385V first lytic. In Argentina we use 220V (tolerance from 0 to 230V 😳 🙄). During several years the brand Philco sold CRT color TV with such a values and few years latter the cap exploded just under the CRT neck destroying them. I personally saw those TV's.
I'm right at the top level for voltage. Nothing has blown up because of it, but I have to remember when building stuff to remember to allow for it. My oldest power amplifier is a radford STA-25 and that has a number of primary windings to allow for voltage variances, a feature that has gone out of fashion since the 60s.
As said 230V (+-10 %) in EU is 207-253 V, so the equipment sold in EU should handle this voltages.
That's just my thought about the primary winding of the mains Tx.
Should i stick to a 240V input or use the 10% tap being 250v?
It's for a Valve amp i'm building - Tubelab SPP
If the mains input is 240V then you would expect 'X' on the output.
But if it's pushed to 250V then the secondary will also give a slightly higher voltage and i don't want to supply the heaters with a higher +ve
Should i stick to a 240V input or use the 10% tap being 250v?
It's for a Valve amp i'm building - Tubelab SPP
If the mains input is 240V then you would expect 'X' on the output.
But if it's pushed to 250V then the secondary will also give a slightly higher voltage and i don't want to supply the heaters with a higher +ve
I see 240V nominally in my rural location. I believe the tolerance was expanded so no-one actually had to do anything for EU harmonisation!
generally your local voltage should be relative stable so the only way is to measure and decide what works for you.
Here in Toronto, I have 244V (122-0-122).
Nice to know I could use EU stuff here if I make a pigtail to adapt it to NEMA connections.
Nice to know I could use EU stuff here if I make a pigtail to adapt it to NEMA connections.
Thanks everyone.
Back to the U.K. please.
So it appears the U.K., not being in the EU haven't actually lowered the mains supply to 230V?
If it had been lowered to 230v with a tolerance of +10% -6% then we could have a variable from 216.2 up to 253v.
Instead its still 240v +/- the tolerances.....???
Back to the U.K. please.
So it appears the U.K., not being in the EU haven't actually lowered the mains supply to 230V?
If it had been lowered to 230v with a tolerance of +10% -6% then we could have a variable from 216.2 up to 253v.
Instead its still 240v +/- the tolerances.....???
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| Area | Range | Lower limit Vrms | Nominal Vrms | Upper limit Vrms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old UK 240V (1988) | +/-6% | 226 | 240 | 254 |
| Example 220V | +/-6% (example) | 207 | 220 | 233 |
| New EU | +/-10% | 207 | 230 | 253 |
The new harmonised limits allowed every country to keep their wall voltages basically the same.
I used a small transformer as a shunt. Reducing the input mains voltage to the original transformer so it sits within the heater tolerances regardless of the input range on the day.
The UK is still running 240 V nominal and Europe is still running 220 V nominal.