John is correct, the official UK voltage is 230/400VAC. Just what comes out the wall socket is not necessarily the same. Those strange tolerance limits of of 230 +6%/-10% were carefully chosen so the European suppliers could meet the harmonized level without having to make many chances.
"Crabb, John" wrote: > Just to clarify the position in the UK, although it was stated > belowthat the nominal voltage is 415V, I am almost certain that the > DECLAREDVOLTAGE is 400V. I base this on the fact that domestic > consumerswere advised that the declared voltage changed from 240V to > 230V, and 230 X 1.732 = 400V, and my 1996 BSI "World Electricity > Supplies"shows the UK voltage (and the Italy voltage) to be > 400/230V.In practice, the voltage didn't change - we went from 240 +/- > 6%= 225.6 - 254.4, to 230 -6%/+10% = 216.2 - 253, and the "old" > voltagefits within the window of the "new" voltage, if you accept that > 253 and254.4 are near enough the same.Regards,John Crabb, Development > Excellence (Product Safety) , > NCR Financial Solutions Group Ltd., Discovery Centre, 3 Fulton Road, > Dundee, Scotland, DD2 4SW > E-Mail :john.cr...@scotland.ncr.com > Tel: +44 (0)1382-592289 (direct ). Fax +44 (0)1382-622243. > VoicePlus 6-341-2289. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Paolo Gemma [mailto:paolo.ge...@icn.siemens.it] > Sent: 17 January 2002 17:56 > To: acar...@uk.xyratex.com > Cc: emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org > Subject: Re: What about 480 VAC in Europe? RE: 2 Phases in > North America > > Also Italy have a nominal phase to phase of 380VAC. > Ciao > Paolo > At 11:20 1/17/02 +0000, Andrew Carson wrote: > > > > Terry > > > > Then nominal EU phase to phase voltage is 400VAC with a > > +6/-10% Tolerance. Distribution is Three Phase Star, > > Earthed Neutral. > > > > Some countries are still a little behind in the voltage > > harmonization e.g.. Belgium is a nominal 380VAC. Other > > have not > > changed as they fall within the tolerance limits already, > > e.g. the UK is a nominal 415VAC > > > > Generally with switch mode supplies, provided your > > incoming wiring feed is changed to take into account the > > Star and not > > Delta, configuration. They can accommodate the voltage > > difference. > > > > Terry Meck wrote: > > > > > High all: > > > > > > I have been away form the forum, very busy, and a quick > > review notes you have been discussing Power distribution > > in USA. > > > > > > What about Europe? We have an application needing 480 > > VAC here in USA. > > > How compatible will 480 VAC be in Europe? > > > Someone told me 390 VAC is more real in Europe. !?! > > > How do you see this 480 VAC being impacted by the EN > > 61000-3-3 harmonic standard? > > > > > > Thanks for any input in advance! > > > > > > Best regards, > > > Terry J. Meck > > > Senior Compliance/Test Engineer > > > tjm...@accusort.com > > > > -- Andrew Carson - Senior Compliance Engineer, Xyratex, UK Phone: +44 (0)23 9249 6855 Fax: +44 (0)23 9249 6014
