> >Here's how I'm avoiding this problem for my collection: I'm moving into a
> >new house and getting 220 installed where my stuff it going to be
> >located.. since it's right where the breaker panel is, it's not going to
> >cost much at all... so if the computer in question is going to be located
> >in a basement or wherever the breaker panel is, you don't even need a
> >transformer... just get an electrician, friend, or do it yourself..
> Be carefull doing this. All foreign 240 mains that I have worked with have
> been 240 between hot and neutral. This works out to be 416 phase to phase
> on 3 phase systems. What you will be doing is 240 between 2 hots. This
> can and will cause problems with a lot of supplies that expect the neutral
> to be at / near ground.
Please ? Equipment that assumes Neutral (protective ground) = Ground ?
At least over here this kind of device is _strictly_ forbiddeen since
>30 years, and I assume it's the same all over Europe. Only machinery
with distinctive Ground and Neutral or with isolated interior is allowed
(the wide variety of outlet/plug systems within Europe did support the
later one a lot, since most are at least compatible for 'hot' and Ground
pins :).
Of course you are right, if you have some 'stone age' (let's say 50s)
Eq, from a country where ground was on a fixed pin _and_ the protective
ground is tied to ground (possible for Frensch, impossible for German,
Netherlands or Austrian Eq).
Also you schould _not_ connect your 'ground' (which is in fact a phase)
at the outlet to Protective Ground ('Short Grounding') but rather use
your real PG.
Second is about the 220 between two phases: in the US is, AFAIK, 115V is the
standard voltage (with an upper limit of 120) which comes to 200V (208V),
and not 220 - and 200 is definitive to low to drive 230V (240V) equippment.
Not even the old standard 220V Eq will run properly in all cases.
After all, a basic transformer will be best in any case - maybe two
(one at 220 and one at 230) if you want to run real old stuff. Also
a 3phases system might be needed if you want to drive bigger stuff.
(And when it comes to eq that needs the 50 Hz an mechanical converter
is the only solution (forget about cheap electonic converters in this
case, since i the EQ relies on 50Hz, it also needs a (relativly)
stable sinus.)
Gruss
H.
Disclamer - no guaranties given, always follow your local code.
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Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Received on Tue Apr 20 1999 - 05:52:44 BST