L6-20 Plugs convert to standard 240v?

[JohnW2]

To be fair, the OP has not provided much information at all, as what this actual equipment is, but how difficult can it be, to simply ask the manufacturer if it is suitable for use on UK voltages?

He can obviously do that if he wants. Personally, I think I would be satisfied with:

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

To be fair, the OP has not provided much information at all, as what this actual equipment is, but how difficult can it be, to simply ask the manufacturer if it is suitable for use on UK voltages?

I thought he has given us a pretty good idea what he has, from the very begining and at every stage when asked for more.

 

[SUNRAY]

To be fair, the OP has not provided much information at all, as what this actual equipment is, but how difficult can it be, to simply ask the manufacturer if it is suitable for use on UK voltages?

As I see it OP has provided some good information right from the very first post and at every stage when we've asked for it.

I've been finding that items marked CE quite often only state 230V, so does that mean they can't be used in UK where it tends to be >230V and equally can't be used in Euroland where it tends to be <230V? That to me sounds like a pretty fruitless purchase.

 

[JohnW2]

I've been finding that items marked CE quite often only state 230V, so does that mean they can't be used in UK where it tends to be >230V and equally can't be used in Euroland where it tends to be <230V? That to me sounds like a pretty fruitless purchase.

Quite. I think Harry's 'mistake' is in not realising/accepting that if just a single voltage figure is stated, that inevitably means that it is intended as the 'nominal' voltage (hence, as you say, "230V" would be OK throughout Europe and UK), since the only other possible interpretation that "230V means 230V") would, as I implied, mean that 229.9V or 230.1V would not be acceptable

Kind Regards, John

 

[AdrianUK]

Gents,

I think we are panicking about the mains voltage too much..... its by no means constant anyway.

This is a plot of the mains voltage at my house today from the UPS log.

The voltage has varied from around 233V to around 248V. Its by no means an unsual day!

230V for our UK voltage is a very nominal figure.

 

[JohnW2]

Gents, I think we are panicking about the mains voltage too much..... its by no means constant

Quite so - and I hope you know, from what I've been saying, that I am definitely not one of those 'Gents' - in fact, I think there is only one

This is a plot of the mains voltage at my house today from the UPS log.... The voltage has varied from around 233V to around 248V. Its by no means an unsual day!

Quite so. Fairly similar here, except that mine only rarely goes below 240V, and never (that I've noticed) as low as yours goes ...

... so, the one 'Gent' would never have been able tio use his "230V only" equipment at all during that particular day at your place

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Until a couple of years ago the voltage here was never below 240 but these days it tends to be nearer 230, having said that it usually rises as demand does and earlier [possibly 9pm when I made my last] it was 239V now it's dropped off to 234V.

 

[JohnW2]

Until a couple of years ago the voltage here was never below 240 but these days it tends to be nearer 230, having said that it usually rises as demand does and earlier [possibly 9pm when I made my last] it was 239V now it's dropped off to 234V.

Are you saying that your supply voltage rises at times of increased demand??

However, particularly in the days when your voltage was never below 240V, are you seriously saying that you were concerned about using things marked "230V"??

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Are you saying that your supply voltage rises at times of increased demand??

I'm one of the first on a fairly long run so to maintain the far end it gets bumped up. When I first moved here we were on a fixed tap and I was regularly up at 260V off peak to maintain 240V at the far end on peak, after complaining about things failing they dropped it down then down again for 230V but then went auto due to low volts at the end.

However, particularly in the days when your voltage was never below 240V, are you seriously saying that you were concerned about using things marked "230V"??

Kind Regards, John

No I haven't said that at all. I firmly assume anything rated for 230V will work in any harmonised served area, that's what I intended to say with this:

I've been finding that items marked CE quite often only state 230V, so does that mean they can't be used in UK where it tends to be >230V and equally can't be used in Euroland where it tends to be <230V? That to me sounds like a pretty fruitless purchase.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm one of the first on a fairly long run so to maintain the far end it gets bumped up. When I first moved here we were on a fixed tap and I was regularly up at 260V off peak to maintain 240V at the far end on peak ...

Fair enough, but you appeared to be talking about changes in voltage which happened as a result in changes of load (e.g. between 9pm last night and 1.20am this morning, when not many DNO folk will have been 'out and about'!), not due to action by the DNO! 260V is, of course, well above the maximum 'permitted'.

... after complaining about things failing they dropped it down then down again for 230V but then went auto due to low volts at the end.

OK. I have no experience of "auto" tap changing, so did not consider that possibility. Do you actually see 'stepped jumps' in your supply voltage - and do they always happen 'transparently/seemlessly' enough to avoid any electronic equipment being upset?

No I haven't said that at all. I firmly assume anything rated for 230V will work in any harmonised served area, that's what I intended to say with this:

Sorry. As you will realise, that's also what I've been saying all along - I confess that I was not paying attention, and thought I was replying to Harry, who seems to feel that it would be best for the OP to ask the manufacturer (if they still exist!) whether their product marked "230VAC 50/60 Hz" is suitable for use in the UK.

Kind Regards, John