czechsonofagun
Elite Member
Does it mean you have to have 2 phases outlets anywhere you want to use your tools? What male end did you put on your tool power cord? I have some tools over in Prague I would love to bring to Virginia.
230V tools in 120V country
- Thread starter niemeyjt
- Start date
- Views: 5026
Does it mean you have to have 2 phases outlets anywhere you want to use your tools? What male end did you put on your tool power cord? I have some tools over in Prague I would love to bring to Virginia.
tommu56
Elite Member
Just put some 2 pole breakers in the us panle ==220v and put some hubbell HBL-5662 series receptacles on the curcuit and put the HBL-5666c plug on the tools they are rated 250v and as long as it is standard in "your" house you will be good.
tom
tom
jcaron2
Silver Member
Yes, you need 220V outlets where you'll use the tools. There are a variety of different 220V recepticles (and corresponding plugs that you can put on the ends of your tool cords), but the most common for a typical power tool is a NEMA 6-15. It looks just like a regular 110V 3-prong plug except that the prongs are turned 90 degrees (thus preventing you from accidentally plugging a 110V plug into it
). There's a 20-amp version (the NEMA 6-20) where only one of the prongs is rotated. You can find a chart here:NEMA Plug & Receptacle Configurations Reference Chart (Straight Blade)
You can buy the plugs and recepticles at Home Depot, Lowes, or pretty much any hardware or electrical supply store.
Wiring up a 220V recepticle is straightforward, but beyond the scope of this forum. A Google search will turn up a wealth of information on the subject, or you can go to HD or Lowes and buy a home wiring book.
inveresk
Platinum Member
For use in our house and guest cottage, I have an extension cord that plugs into the drier outlet. The other end has a female 220 volt connector allowing me to plug in any of my 220 volt tools.
Most of the heavier duty floor mounted workshop tools here are 220 volt - (table saw, planer, bandsaw, etc.), so when I built my workshop, I laid in plenty of both 220 volt and 110 volt outlets around the walls.
Most of the heavier duty floor mounted workshop tools here are 220 volt - (table saw, planer, bandsaw, etc.), so when I built my workshop, I laid in plenty of both 220 volt and 110 volt outlets around the walls.
dave1949
Super Star Member
You could check with the equipment manufacturer, it's possible the motors are wired for 120V and 240V if they are sold in the US/Canada as well as Europe.
As far as using 220V US style to a 240V Euro style device, no matter what plug or connector you use, you are forced to supply 120V on the 240V Hot leg and the opposite phase 120V on the Neutral leg of the 240V device. Yes, you have a 220V potential across those legs, but that isn't at all what the designer of the equipment had in mind or anticipated.
I would advise caution using this method. Take some voltmeter readings from the 240V equipment ground to earth ground to be safe.
Dave.
As far as using 220V US style to a 240V Euro style device, no matter what plug or connector you use, you are forced to supply 120V on the 240V Hot leg and the opposite phase 120V on the Neutral leg of the 240V device. Yes, you have a 220V potential across those legs, but that isn't at all what the designer of the equipment had in mind or anticipated.
I would advise caution using this method. Take some voltmeter readings from the 240V equipment ground to earth ground to be safe.
Dave.
schmism
Super Member
not neccarly. most AC motors the frequency simply determines the rpm of the motor. IE if it is wound to run on 60hz at 1750 rpm, it will run just fine at 50 hz just 17% slower. same will be true for motors wound for 50hz. (except 17% faster)
as for voltage, thats going to be an issue. your tools are designed for ground to hot of 230v. in the US we call that 240/480v power. While you can get 240v out of a regular household outlet, its a hot-hot measurement. which is to say between to live 120v legs that are 180deg out of phase with each other. While the over all potential (voltage) is the same there is that pesky phase issue that may cause your tools issue.
czechsonofagun
Elite Member
jcaron2
Silver Member
There is no phase issue (and therefore no voltage issue). The difference between the two hot 120V legs with a 180 degree shift is a perfect 240V RMS sine wave. The motor doesn't know or care about the arbitrary voltage that we consider to be "zero". It simply responds to the voltage applied across it, and that's going to be 240V in either case. A two-phase system where the phase difference is exactly 180 degrees is indistinguishable from a single-phase system and is usually referred to as split single-phase.
BobRip
Elite Member
You are correct.
I moved to Canada some ten years back and asked the same questions as you are doing today.
You can run your tools here and most electricians can wire you up a 240 volt circuit where you need the sockets. But don't expect them to know the UK sockets and plugs, they don't. You will have to do that yourself.
Personally I brought some UK sockets with me and still use them now, with all my Bosch tools in my workshop. I also brought with me a long extension lead with UK sockets on it and put a plug on that for the US system of 240. It is still nice to have that fuse in the tool plugs, believe me.
I also bought some large transformers from Maplin. These convert the 120 v to 240v. These have been used to run an old none convertible CD player as well as my record turntable with it's old amp. The only problem here was the turntable had to be retuned to account for the speed difference, else weird music on some occasions. This same transformer is used to run my heavy duty Bosch drill with no problems, when needed, where there is no 240v at hand. My wife still has some of her newer, when in the UK, kitchen appliances she really did not want to give away for pennies. Plus an expensive sewing machine. She uses the transformers for these items. With all the tools I have plus the other equipment nothing has been harmed, by moving here
I was so reluctant to give away my large collection of quality tools as I suspect you are. Hope this helps you.
You can run your tools here and most electricians can wire you up a 240 volt circuit where you need the sockets. But don't expect them to know the UK sockets and plugs, they don't. You will have to do that yourself.
Personally I brought some UK sockets with me and still use them now, with all my Bosch tools in my workshop. I also brought with me a long extension lead with UK sockets on it and put a plug on that for the US system of 240. It is still nice to have that fuse in the tool plugs, believe me.
I also bought some large transformers from Maplin. These convert the 120 v to 240v. These have been used to run an old none convertible CD player as well as my record turntable with it's old amp. The only problem here was the turntable had to be retuned to account for the speed difference, else weird music on some occasions. This same transformer is used to run my heavy duty Bosch drill with no problems, when needed, where there is no 240v at hand. My wife still has some of her newer, when in the UK, kitchen appliances she really did not want to give away for pennies. Plus an expensive sewing machine. She uses the transformers for these items. With all the tools I have plus the other equipment nothing has been harmed, by moving here
I was so reluctant to give away my large collection of quality tools as I suspect you are. Hope this helps you.
