using European Tailed tools in the USA

[houtslager]

Well, ppl finally I found my codes to join you here and I have a real teaser of a problem for all of you . :twisted:
I have to move my workshop , from jolly Old Amsterdam to somewhere warm muggy and very sunny 8)
So what is my problem - simple how long will my tailed tools last whilst plugged into the American electricity supply ?
I have 3 voltages being supplied to my new workshop there - 110v ,230v and 460v [3 phase] All, as you proberly have guessed at 60 hertz
So, if any serious electrician here can answer this query I will be very gratefull.
HS in Amsterdam [only just]

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi HS

Good to see you again.

Sorry I don't know anything about electricity, but I hope the move goes smoothly.

All the best
Neil

 

[Chris Knight]

HS,
It's great to hear from you - hope you stay longer than just to say goodbye! I too can't help on the durability issue - best bet is to post on some US forums, there are folk who have gone there from the UK, like Richard Jones and Mark Corke who may be able to help.

 

[johnelliott]

The tools with series motors (those with brushes, normally hand tools such as drills, routers etc) should be fine with the 230V, as the frequency of the supply 60Hz in the US, 50Hz in Europe, really doesn't matter.

 

[Alf]

Hiya HS, very glad to see you. Exciting times, eh? I hope you'll stick around to tell us how it goes.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

HS

I have electrical qualifications and thus can answer your question. You should be OK with the tools on the 230V 60Hz supply. Motors are quite tolerant of small frequency and voltage changes and are usually dual rated for USA and Europe.
Any induction motors that you have will run a little faster (20%) which may be an issue with the mechanical aspects of the machines or heat within the motor itself. The motors probably have a fan that blows along fins on the outside and should hopefully keep it cool enough

Brushed motors wil lbe fine as the frequency is not important - they have a commutator and brushes that work as a rectifiier (changes Ac to DC).
The motor actually runs on DC rather than AC. They are usually series wound DC motors unless there is speed control and then they may be compound wound motors.

Cheers

Tony

 

[Adam]

Hey HS nice to see you over here. Can't comment on your question I'm afraid , but it's nice to hear from you

Adam

 

[desmoengine]

Tony
when i worked in the states some years ago i understood that the 220v was 2 phase.like washing machine being 2 phase 220v fitted with 3 pin plug (dont know if any pin was earth bond), hair drier being 110v being fitted with 2 pin plug single phase.

perhaps some of our US colleagues can assist.

I welcome correction if i'm in error

regards

Dave W

 

[Anonymous]

Desmo

You could be right about yank's 220V. I had assumed single phase and could be incorrect.
You should still be OK as the voltage between the two phases is 220V which is not really any different to our single phase 230V supply which has 230 (240)V between phase and neutral when running a motor.

Yes we went from 240V to 230V a while back and Europe went up from 220 to 230V too so that we all agree.
However, with the tolerances placed on the 230V supply, Europe runs at 220V and England 240V and still remains within the tolerances for 230V!!

Beurocrats eh???


Cheers

Tony

 

[Anonymous]

I've just moved from the US to Borneo, and before that I was in the UK and Holland.

All my 220/230/240v tools worked fine on a US 220v supply. I had a 4kw transformer in the kitchen for all the kitchen appliances/vacuum/iron etc, and a 220v line in the garage for tools.

I did buy a few 110v tools (13" planer/ROS/router/skilsaw) which are now run through the transformer (it works both ways), and the table saw/jointer/dust collector that I bought over there were 220v models and they seem to work fine on the 240v here.

Hope this is of help to you, and enjoy your time over there.

Good luck,

J.