Post by thread:[EE]: 220VAC power in the UK?

I have a PIC based controller that has your basic transformer based power supply. Setup to run at 220VAC it works great in the US and in Holland but I'm getting reports of problems from customers in the UK. What is the difference with UK power? Thanks, Jason Wolfson ___________________________________________ Lipidex Corp 50 Franklin Terrace Duxbury MA 02332 781-834-1600 781-834-1601 FAX spam_OUTjasonTakeThisOuTlipidex.com ____________________________________________ -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Jason, Frequency possibly? Or how about brownouts? Is the UK voltage stable? Food for thought. Regards, Jim On Mon, 10 July 2000, Jason Wolfson wrote: {Quote hidden}> > I have a PIC based controller that has your basic transformer based power > supply. > Setup to run at 220VAC it works great in the US and in Holland but I'm > getting reports > of problems from customers in the UK. > > What is the difference with UK power? > > Thanks, > > Jason Wolfson > > ___________________________________________ > Lipidex Corp > 50 Franklin Terrace > Duxbury MA 02332 > 781-834-1600 > 781-834-1601 FAX > .....jasonKILLspam@spam@lipidex.com > ____________________________________________ > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics jimKILLspamjpes.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Jason, Isn't UK 240V instead of 220V ? Peter -----Original Message----- From: James Paul [.....jimKILLspam.....JPES.COM] Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 9:53 AM To: EraseMEPICLISTspam_OUTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [EE]: 220VAC power in the UK? Jason, Frequency possibly? Or how about brownouts? Is the UK voltage stable? Food for thought. Regards, Jim On Mon, 10 July 2000, Jason Wolfson wrote: {Quote hidden}> > I have a PIC based controller that has your basic transformer based power > supply. > Setup to run at 220VAC it works great in the US and in Holland but I'm > getting reports > of problems from customers in the UK. > > What is the difference with UK power? > > Thanks, > > Jason Wolfson > > ___________________________________________ > Lipidex Corp > 50 Franklin Terrace > Duxbury MA 02332 > 781-834-1600 > 781-834-1601 FAX > jasonspam_OUTlipidex.com > ____________________________________________ > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics > (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics @spam@jimKILLspamjpes.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

Hi Jason, It's a common misconception that we outside the U.S. all use 220VAC. Check out the following table and you'll see some interesting deviations from 220VAC. The U.K.'s 240VAc may be giving you some problems if your power supply is very basic ... http://www.wire.net.au/%7Eczar/InfoAlley/0896/05/performa.html Richard. {Quote hidden}>From: Jason Wolfson <KILLspamjasonKILLspamLIPIDEX.COM> >Reply-To: pic microcontroller discussion list <RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> >To: spamBeGonePICLISTspamBeGoneMITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: [EE]: 220VAC power in the UK? >Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2000 12:23:07 -0400 > >I have a PIC based controller that has your basic transformer based power >supply. >Setup to run at 220VAC it works great in the US and in Holland but I'm >getting reports >of problems from customers in the UK. > >What is the difference with UK power? > >Thanks, > >Jason Wolfson > >___________________________________________ > Lipidex Corp > 50 Franklin Terrace > Duxbury MA 02332 > 781-834-1600 > 781-834-1601 FAX > TakeThisOuTjasonEraseMEspam_OUTlipidex.com >____________________________________________ > >-- >http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics >(like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

----- Original Message ----- From: Jason Wolfson <RemoveMEjasonTakeThisOuTLIPIDEX.COM> To: <PICLISTEraseME.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Monday, July 10, 2000 5:23 PM Subject: [EE]: 220VAC power in the UK? > > What is the difference with UK power? > UK tends to be a bit higher for a start. The spec for most of Europe is 230v -10%,+6% The spec for UK is 230v +10%,-6% The tolerances are fudged to allow the old national standard, 240V. We're also on 50Hz, not 60, which takes the transformer a bit nearer saturation. Oliver. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

> From: "Jason Wolfson" <EraseMEjasonLIPIDEX.COM> > I have a PIC based controller that has your basic transformer based power > supply. > Setup to run at 220VAC it works great in the US and in Holland but I'm > getting reports > of problems from customers in the UK. > What is the difference with UK power? The main difference is that UK power can run 10 volts or so higher than mainland Europe does. Have a look at http://www.lyons.demon.co.uk/seecfaq2.txt where you will find an excellent FAQ containing more info than anyone would care to remember about the subject. Section 2.2.1 is probably where you want to start, though the section on CE marking written for non-european manufacturers might be of interest too. . -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics

May be 50 Hz versus 60Hz A 50Hz transformer will be less fluxed at 60 Hz and may not have the regulation or oomph (technical term) you expect. Going the other way a 60Hz transformer will draw more magnetising current at 50 Hz and if the iron has been pushed all the way up to the knee of the magnetisation curve (which real people do to make maximum use of the iron) then it can get veeeery hot on 50 Hz. Also note that mains may be 220, 230 or 240 depending where you are. A transformer set for the low end can be severely challenged at the other end of the range in a worst case design. What is the nature of the problems? On the web you can find lists of voltage and frequency for most places on earth. Russell McMahon _____________________________ What can one man* do? Help the hungry at no cost to yourself! at http://www.thehungersite.com/ (* - or woman, child or internet enabled intelligent entity :-)) From other worlds: http://www.changingourworld.com http://www.easttimor.com http://www.sudan.com {Original Message removed}

In message <RemoveMENCBBLCINIKMHAGNCNIIMCECAEDAA.jasonEraseMEEraseMElipidex.com>, Jason Wolfson <RemoveMEjasonspam_OUTKILLspamLIPIDEX.COM> writes >I have a PIC based controller that has your basic transformer based power >supply. >Setup to run at 220VAC it works great in the US and in Holland but I'm >getting reports >of problems from customers in the UK. > >What is the difference with UK power? All of the EEC is standardised at 230v mains, however, the UK doesn't use the same tolerance as the rest of Europe - so UK mains can be 240v and still be within permissible limits. No where in the EEC uses 220v anymore, so you shouldn't supply 220v equipment to any EEC countries. -- Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : RemoveMEnigelgTakeThisOuTspamlpilsley.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.co.uk | | Chesterfield | Official site for Shin Ki and New Spirit | | England | Ju Jitsu | \--------------------------------------------------------------/ -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

In message <EraseME20000710165242.27410.cpmtaspamspamBeGonec004.sfo.cp.net>, James Paul <RemoveMEjimKILLspamJPES.COM> writes > Jason, > > Frequency possibly? Or how about brownouts? Is the UK voltage > stable? Food for thought. The UK mains frequency is highly accurate, the voltage is highly stable, and 'brownouts' are exceedingly rare. I suspect the UK has one of the most reliable national grids anywhere in the world!. I live in a small village, and in 1990 we had a really severe winter and snow storms brought down huge areas of electrical distribution cables, we had no electric, water, or telephones for almost two weeks!. After this I bought a petrol generator, and I've had no occasion to use it during the last ten years!. -- Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : nigelgSTOPspamspam_OUTlpilsley.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.co.uk | | Chesterfield | Official site for Shin Ki and New Spirit | | England | Ju Jitsu | \--------------------------------------------------------------/ -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

No it's not! The UK AND Holland is 230V @ 50Hz (It's PAN european - i.e. everyone in europe meets this.) The tolerance on the voltage (pan european) is +/- 10%, i.e maximum 253V minimum 207V. The tolerance on the mains frequency is +/1 1%, but it must average out to zero over any 24hr period. Any power supplys sold in europe must accept these supply inputs. Kevin {Original Message removed}