UK Voltage

[thedontcarebear]

This isn't a bass amp (guitar amp, booo), what should I set it to? 240v in UK isn't it? I have options of 220/230 or 240!

Danke.

[crez5150]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='130196' date='Jan 29 2008, 06:18 PM']This isn't a bass amp (guitar amp, booo), what should I set it to? 240v in UK isn't it? I have options of 220/230 or 240!

Danke.[/quote]


yeah 240v

[thedontcarebear]

I wonder why my 6505 came with it set to 220/230, it had the UK adapter attached to it! I have changed it now, I guess it doesn't make much difference though.

[Hamster]

UK voltage is now actually 230v AC to bring us closer to the rest of the EEC which is 220v AC.

Hamster

[thedontcarebear]

So, what should I set it to?! Haha.

[Dood]

I have just read the voltage at my mains socket and it is currently 235V ac.



H&S disclaimer:- DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS UNLESS YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO DO SO.

[thedontcarebear]

I don't think you need to be qualified to flip a switch?

My Superfly is 230v.

[Hamster]

Stick with 230v - there's so little difference.

Hamster

[Dood]

[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='130215' date='Jan 29 2008, 06:50 PM']I don't think you need to be qualified to flip a switch?

My Superfly is 230v.[/quote]

It's not the switch that is the issue, its the sticking long metal conductors into sockets that people who don't know what they are doing risk hurting themselves with!
Electricity is lethal even at a mere 20mA across the heart.

I am idiot-proofing my reply.

[6stringbassist]

The declared UK mains voltage is 230V, it actually varies quite a bit, anywhere from 220V to 250V.

[Dood]

Yes, true, I should have clarified that when I said 'currently' in my post above ;o)

[barneythedog]

230v nominal voltage. It does vary a little.

it's the 50Hz thing that's generally more important than 220, 230 or 240v.

[Musky]

[quote name='Hamster' post='130203' date='Jan 29 2008, 06:33 PM']UK voltage is now actually 230v AC to bring us closer to the rest of the EEC which is 220v AC.

Hamster[/quote]

As far as I'm aware supply voltage hasn't actually been changed in this country. The EU specified a range of voltages which encompassed those already in use across Europe. There's always some variation in supply voltage, and in practice the change in nominal supply voltage just meant UK suppliers had to keep more of an eye on the upper limit.

[BB2000]

[quote name='Musky' post='130262' date='Jan 29 2008, 07:54 PM']As far as I'm aware supply voltage hasn't actually been changed in this country. The EU specified a range of voltages which encompassed those already in use across Europe. There's always some variation in supply voltage, and in practice the change in nominal supply voltage just meant UK suppliers had to keep more of an eye on the upper limit.[/quote]

Yes, that's exactly what happened. We're still 240V.

[G-bitch]

I was under the impression that 'officially' we had dropped to 230 years ago but in reality in matters not.

[bremen]

[quote name='G-bitch' post='130605' date='Jan 30 2008, 12:47 PM']I was under the impression that 'officially' we had dropped to 230 years ago but in reality in matters not.[/quote]

[url="http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/mains.htm"]http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/mains.htm[/url] :

"Member countries of the European Union are presently striving to achieve a common mains standard.
From 1 January 2004 the mains supply should be 230V (-6%, +10%), 50 Hz (±1%). ie a range of 216.2 - 253V
This replaces the UK's former specification which was 240V ±6% (ie a range of 225.6 - 254.4V)
Variations should still be anticipated in some areas as the voltage will drop during periods of heavy demand and rise during periods of low demand."

[Musky]

[quote name='bremen' post='130624' date='Jan 30 2008, 01:07 PM'][url="http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/mains.htm"]http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/mains.htm[/url] :

"Member countries of the European Union are presently striving to achieve a common mains standard.
From 1 January 2004 the mains supply should be 230V (-6%, +10%), 50 Hz (±1%). ie a range of 216.2 - 253V
This replaces the UK's former specification which was 240V ±6% (ie a range of 225.6 - 254.4V)
Variations should still be anticipated in some areas as the voltage will drop during periods of heavy demand and rise during periods of low demand."[/quote]

That's true, but notice that there's scarcely any difference in the upper limit. So in practice electricity suppliers have made no change, and still remain within the EU rules. As Gbase says, it really doesn't matter - these rulings weren't really intended to affect suppliers, but the people who design appliances (who now have a range of voltages that they know their equipment should work under).