It is 240v in the UK unless my plugs and all my appliances have changed in the last few days and I am sure they haven't LOL. Good video though. Enjoy the U.K. and I am sure you made a good move away from America. Take Care. 👍
@@rubberyowen1469 it's 230v with 10% tolerance officially. But that's because of the EU harmonisation. In reality the UK has never changed from the old 240v standard. Just changed the tolerance levels slightly to keep it below 253v (230+10%)
Most of EU was 220V, UK (amongst others) 240V. Officially they met in the middle at 230V, but with the tolerances allowed nothing actually changed. You'll get 220-240V But definitely it'll be 240V in the UK
It's mixed. When the change from 240 to 230 occurred, they didn't go round ripping out all the old substation transformers and installing new ones. There are some newer built areas that get 230, where new grid infrastructure is built to supply them. Doesn't make one jot of difference, especially now that we've stopped using incandescent light bulbs.
Have a search on amazon for 'surge protector plug' for that 2000w drop down transformer. You plug it between the wall socket and the device, might help and not too expensive to try..
Back in the 90s I worked at Maplin (before they sold it off and stopped employing people that were technically minded). Had an American customer, discussed his needs and he happily went away with an autotransformer. Next time he came in for another one I asked him to bring in his cd player (that dates it...). Opened it up, sure enough it had 115/230 links that just needed moving on the PCB. I did it for free in front of him. Sold him a soldering iron and he was good for most of this audio system. His curiosity was sparked and he converted most of his 110 stuff to 240. It was his turntable that threw him. He'd changed the voltage but missed the 50/60Hz link. Maplin were great to work for back then, but just became a retailer. I look back at my retail experience and wish some people working in retail these days actually know what they're talking about.
I have been a Maplin customer, both personally and for business, since the early days when they were based in Essex with one shop. They were an excellent source of components and equipment, but were never the same after the sell off. Nevertheless, their presence is greatly missed.
Excellent post George, loved Maplin and was always in there. The staff were so helpful and friendly. Really sad we have lost that resource here in the UK. Take care - Gray
Can we just have a moments silence in memory of that poor, innocent, faithful rice cooker... Great editing and with that sad music it brought a huge smile to my face. It also showed great self-awareness and that you dont take yourself too seriously. Another thumbs up from me before ive even watched the rest. 👍
You are such a cool dude, I have seen a lot of your videos and your info is perfect. I am not even American (I am British) and I just enjoy watching the videos as it is so informative and relaxing.
Just wanted to say thanks for the tutorial. In my opinion none of the other step up / step down RUclips videos have as clear explanation. If it weren’t for this, I would not have thought to check the wattage. Thanks.
Thats why most uk appliances have built in fuses so that fries before the appliance does. Also the breaker boxes in uk houses have the trip switch fail safe to regulate voltages.
I used to work for a tool store, on British building sites it is required to use 110v.we sold site transformers with different wattages (3300w costs about £80) note for continuous use, max wattage you can use only half that.(any appliance that has a capacitor (induction motors etc) draw 3 times wattage) you would also need to change the plug to a yellow 16amp.
No mention of the different electrical frequencies. US appliances run at 60Hz while in the UK it's 50Hz. This needs to be taken into consideration, for example in appliances such as clock timers.
Those little ones have more in common with a light dimmer than a transformer, some loads don't take well to the chopped mains. The big one trips the mains due to inrush current, for a brief moment it can exceed the breaker rating by an order of magnitude. In industrial use they'll swap the breakers for a slow type "C" so the inrush current can pass without tripping it.
I work on oil rigs and those black boxes hum like a beehive! Try sleeping with one of them next to your bunk. The majority of Korean/Singapore rigs have UK sockets so not a problem.
I bought a Used Kitchenaid machine from Ebay 20 years ago ( before they were really popular here ) which obviously had American wattage and plug. I bought a ac/dc transformer .. it’s still going strong and I love her.. I call her Sue Ellen in homage to her place of birth.. 😂😂🇬🇧
UK works on 240v not 130v as stated in the video. Many appliances purchased in the UK can work from 110/240v but not all. The other thing to keep in mind is that most UK homes work on Single phase electrics so anything working on 3 phase electrics will not work in most UK homes. Really good videos keep them going, really enjoy them.
The do, but it's nominally called 230V which was for EU harmonisation. The range is actually 230 volts +10% - 6%, or between 216.2 and 253 V. Generally in the UK it will be around the 240V mark, but it will vary by a few volts.
Great video explaining the situation. I bought an electric roaster oven, having seen others in the US use them with such great results. The retailer couldn't tell me whether it was made for the UK market, so I ordered it anyway thinking it would be easy to get an appropriate transformer. The roaster oven is 1450W though, which would necessitate the larger transformer, so that is disappointing to hear that that isn't as successful as the lower wattage models. The Hertz differs on my oven, being 60Hz, so I wasn't even sure whether that would damage the machine. I am mad keen to use that roaster, so I hope that something comes up eventually. Thank you for the video.
Your breaker tripping problem could probably be solved by swapping the breaker for a slow blow breaker. Same amperage just not as sensitive to a short surge so doesn't trip. I had the same problem when using a welding set.
Mack, it's a joy to have you and your loved ones here with us. It looks like you've made a major investment in transformers there, and they'll be no good if you take them back to the States. So on that basis, you'll have to stay with us forever - otherwise you'll have spent all that money for nothing. Besides which, the sheep will miss you.
It's tripping because of the type of transformer drawing a high inrush current. We have different types of circuit breakers in the UK, B's trip quick, C's a bit slower and D's are rated for motors and transformers which should allow for 5 seconds of inrush current. Another interesting thing with US appliances is the current they draw due to the reduced voltage is typically twice what UK appliances require and therefore they require double the cable size. You should definitely try to only use UK appliances on UK sockets unless it has a switch mode power supply or similar rated for a wide voltage which will be printed on the appliance. Nice video
Top answer! I guess if he has a socket on the electric cooker circuit he might be alright ... I'd be tempted to try running it via a "cotton reel" but that's not really a long-term solution.
Your tripping problem is probably in rush current as the transformer is generating the magnetic field in the core, power draw will very briefly spike far above the 1kW max you’d normally see on the 240v coil for that device. That can be solved by swapping your breaker for a ‘slow blow’ kind. They’re not very common domestically, but are found often in commercial situations where big motors are used. But give any decent sparky a call and they should be able to help you.
Hi Matt, I'm enjoying the videos giving advice to those who like yourself made the move, you really are a thoughtful person and you are providing a great service to others around the world and not just people from the US. I personally love HIFI but I'm aware that we in the UK use 50 Hertz where as in the US its 60 Hertz, this will have motors running at the wrong speed even if the voltage is correct, so a turntable for vinyl records (from the US) would run too slowly in the UK, I'm aware that this can be fixed, but I'm not totally sure how, except for using a different sized pulley, the vinyl would be alright though, I have many American made records that work without any problems. Excellent video as always :)
Don't forget any clock or timer will run slower in UK. Us is 60Hz UK is 50Hz. Motors will also run slower. Not a massive problem for something like a blender or power drill, but a vinyl turntable would have a problem. Anything with a switch mode power supply such as laptop charger or a camera charger will be fine. For phones I'd just get a UK power supply.
A.C. power in the UK & Europe runs at 50 Hertz (cycles per Second) not 60 as in the US. Generally this difference is not a big concern but if the device has a timing element then it will become incorrect. In 1994 I worked for 6 months for BT in Staten Island (NY). Video phones had just started so London sent us a video phone so we could have team meetings with HQ. Good idea in theory, in practice the different frequency, apart from the time zones made it a non-goer.
Voltage is still 240 ish but we just have to say its 230 so we harmonised with the EU. No actual change happened. And we operate at 50hz and I belive US is 60hz per cycle ( Electrician in UK )
Yea ive just looked through a load of my certificates from recent jobs, no supply voltages at point of origin less than 240 volts. Infact, most are 243 volts up to 248. 230 is a myth and would only occur down stream via volt drop
The UK was nominally 240v. The rest of the EU was mostly around 220v. So they made the EU standard 230v +10%/-6% - so equipment has to be built to essentially handle 216v to 253v to get the CE rating. That let the UK stay at 240v in reality, and the rest of the EU basically stay at 220v - but everyone now says they're 230v.
@@nowt1002 The voltage in Europe is actually 230 V. Also it really had nothing to do with the EU. It was decided in 1980. The EU was formed in 1993. The voltage change was decided by the IEC.
Transformers only convert voltage. Frequency conversion is usually done on a small scale by an inefficient chain of rectification and then inversion. It’s only a problem for things synchronised to the mains frequency, e.g. motors will run slower in fans and AC units, and some older poorly designed clocks will loose time.
Just FYI, the standard household voltage in the USA is 120 V (= half of 240 V). The standard voltage in the UK is 240 V. You may read that the "nominal" voltage is 230 V, but this is just a kind of average across Europe, where each individual country may be up a bit or down a bit from the nominal value. It happens that the UK is "up a bit" at 240 V, but still within an allowable margin.
US electrical equipment generally won’t be CE marked. If it’s not CE/UKCA certified it doesn’t comply with wiring regs for U.K. use. If it doesn’t comply with wiring regs and burns your house down you’re not insured.
You got just backwards Europe was 220 V and UK 240 V. Europe switched to 230 V. UK should have switched also but they mainly play with the margins and actually still have 240 V. You shod always verify the voltages. Portable electronics like laptops, phone chargers etc. typically are now multi-voltage 100-240 V but in case of anything with a heating element assume that it is not. Some may have a switch to change the voltage.
A simple way of getting wattage from an appliance that displays volts and amps on the back instead of watts is to multiply volts by amps. so a 110V device at 10 amps is 1100 watts. The uk plugs can handle up to 13 amps or around 2990W your breaker though should be around 30 amp and that 2KW tripping it isn't a good sign to be honest as the breaker can handle around 6000 watts. I hope this helps in some way.
Barry Lewis (the cooking dude) has a great video where he bought an American toaster off of ebay without realising, plugged it in in the UK and it started smoking and caught fire.
I'd say "without thinking" rather than "without realising", he knew it was American, he got one of those plug adapters for it, just not a transformer. He was basically running it at 4x its designed heat.
Anything with a switch node power supply should be able to run on both 110 and 230v systems either with no modifications or there may be a small slide switch near the pier input that you can simply change to the appropriate setting... For such appliances rather than using an adapter the best bet is to buy a load of UK cable if the appliance uses a standard connector such as C5, C7, C13 IEC etc It's only generally items where the actual appliance uses mains voltage directly (motors and heaters generally) that will need the transformer
I know American rice cookers are probably better than ours but could you not make do with one of ours or a multi cooker and possibly save some money on the adapters ? In a pinch a saucepan would work !
oh no! The bit with I lost a Zojirushi rice cooker freaked me out. This is what I have done today. Plugged in the rice cooker into one of the small adaptors and then there was a pop and smoke came out. Does it mean it is now fried and nothing can be done about it? I have noticed that the clock on display (usually running on battery) does not work anymore. Is there any chance I can get this fixed in some electric repair shop? Thanks!
Correct me if i'm wrong.. I have a USA nespresso machine.. that says 120v, 1500w. Are you saying I need the 2000 transformer? I'm terrible with this thanks!
Oh and the reason why your electrics trip when you energise the big transformer is due to 'mag in-rush' current. Must be pulling more for a split second greater than the breaker is rated for. Normally transformer mag in-rush is 7x rated current!! So yeah, that's why it's tripping.
I brought my us nintendo switch to the uk when i moved recently. Using a step down transformer with it but curious if that ok in the long run? Thanks for an help.
"Inrush current, input surge current, or switch-on surge is the maximal instantaneous input current drawn by an electrical device when first turned on. Alternating-current electric motors and transformers may draw several times their normal full-load current when first energized, for a few cycles of the input waveform" I didn't know this, but I suspected it. Wikipedia is my friend.
I’ve just done an electrician’s course and can say that for European Harmony we say we run at 230 volts but actually run at 240 volts. At the peak of AC sine wave (getting technical now) the voltage can go as high as 250 volts or as low (on the other side of the sine wave) as 218 volts so the average falls between the desired range of current (as electricity is moving about the speed of light). You will find on some plugs and appliances it will display 230/240v 50 Hz. 50z is standard frequency for the power supply coming in from the main circuit. 3 phase is a bit different, used more often in high density residential, commercial and farm/rural settings. Farmers use it to reduce the expense of having multiple supply lines from the Supplier. You still get the same power but the voltage readings and work signing off 3 phase (and testing it) differ. In addition, American Air Force bases in the UK have an odd voltage they run.
@@EuroScot2023 Care to elaborate? Or are you just one of those individuals who likes throwing unconstructive dung. The guy who imparted the information in the course is a member of the institute, IET. It's also in the BS 7671:2018.
@@jackochainsaw I thik you have mixed up the sine wave and voltage tolerances. At the peak of sine wave the voltage will be between 312V for 220V RMS to 355V for 250V RMS. Voltages you wrote were RMS values.
What, if any, appliance that you use in the USA, is not available in the UK? Why would you pay shipping costs for moving stuff from the USA to the UK when you can so easily purchase that item/s here in the UK. If things go wrong with your imported American electricals, you could well have a problem getting them repaired. If you purchase in the UK, you automatically have protection for your purchases under the 'sales of goods act 1979'. (you'll find that a very useful read as well)
It's interesting that transformers are still used for this. In principal, a switch mode inverter would be able to do the same job but for far less material (i.e. no heavy transformer). But scouting around the bazaars, all that seems to be available is transformers. That big one is tripping your ring mains breaker off because its inrush current is so large. I'm no expert, but there's probably a type of breaker that would allow for that (i.e. it permits short duration over-currents) - a local friendly electrician may be able to help out.
An invertor changes DC to AC. Both countries use AC. A step down transformer is what is needed. a UK socket is rated to output 3KW at 240V. Anything using a high wattage of the lower US voltage is going to use high current which needs thicker conductors to handle the heat. This will be heavy. A step up transformer will do the opposite but will need the heavy conductor on the input side of the transformer so will still be just as heavy.
@@GOGS-zg7rd You can certainly use a switch mode power supply design with an inverter to do exactly the same job, and if the requirement is to also match the 60 Hz US mains frequency it is one way to do it. Another is to rectify the 240V AC and use the DC output to feed an inverter, although it would have to handle the higher voltage. Whilst a step-down transformer is simple, they are inherently much heavier, and also weight a lot too. Doing the same with an inverter is more complicated, but will be lighter but cost a lot more. If you want, go look online for a 50/60 Hz converter, as those generally have voltage conversion capabilities as well.
@@GOGS-zg7rd Depends on nomenclature; I used the phrase "switched mode inverter" specifically to refer to devices that have a switched mode PSU, rather than a straight "inverter". A SWPS, which has a rectifier on the input, can run on either AC or DC, and the output of that can drive an inverter. Or, as I have seen, if the load is itself fitted with a SMPS, there's no point generating an AC output in the first place.
why needed so different of same thing ..., isn't there just one transformer to use in all types of US appliances ? ... is that heavy one called multimeter?
I'm confused, I thought electric was the same everywhere? I don't understand why countries would use different power amounts, wouldn't it make sense for everyone to just make electronic devices that use the same power requirements? Does the equipment have different electronic parts inside them depending on what country it is made for? Why is it not the same everywhere?
I agree 100%. Other things are, the difference between 60 Hz and 50 Hz can be a battery killer [in laptops etc], and you will see on UK made stuff the CE mark, which means that everything has to be made to a certain standard [ of merchantable quality and fit for purpose] and living over in the US am not aware of any standards at all that things have to be manufactured to
I had to use transformers back in the 80s developing software for US computers. You'll find most switched mode PSUs (small plastic box types) for laptops etc from the UK are fine in the US. I'd have thought most US versions would be OK here. Check the labels... One thing to note with transformers is that when you step down the voltage (by half), you step up the current (by 2), so all your appliances need thicker wires (which US appliances will have). UK/European appliances need thinner wires.
Buy from a reputable dealer as there are fake Chinese step up/down transformer. Fake will kill either you or your appliance and set fire to your house.
A Stepdown transformer is a big block of iron with coils on either side - very old fashioned, that's why they're heavy. A switching power supply is electronic circuitry that switches very rapidly to reduce the voltage and smooth it with capacitors without a transformer. They are far more efficient and much lighter... The best solution buy your electronics here, why ship and the pay to convert what you've got, it makes no sense... Plus your using power in the conversion with step down transformers.
@@ckazruddy6796 I don't know who told you this, they're wrong! I won't tell you why, just go read all the freely available material on why your wrong...
@@daveofyorkshire301 I studied power electronics, a step down smps will be either a buck or buck boost converter. Solid state switches have a leakage so there's power loss as heat. There's energy loss. Inductors do not dissipate energy, as in mutual inductance
@@ckazruddy6796 You obvious have no intention of looking for yourself, and refuse to even consider you might be wrong, so why would I waste my time trying to encourage you to educate yourself? You obviously don't understand as much as you think you do, because transformers convert AC and switching supplies convert DC, it's what I expected you to counter with... Well finish this yourself... But think of what he's plugging in and why he needs 110v.
In general electronics can cope with 110-230V and 60-50 Hz. If the electronic appliance (Chargers and the like) has a power lead I would go and buy a UK lead. After going holidaying in the US for a number of years I went and bought US leads. It saved a lot of bother. IMO with kitchen appliances just don't bother it's easier to go and buy new.
@@drcl7429 not sure what that means. In the videos I have seen of US service personnel living ‘on base’ in the UK they have had both US and UK wall sockets that are wired accordingly for the different voltages. I assume that the house is wired as 240v but also has a feed that is reduced to 110v and another circuit wired. I do not know that but do know they had both.
I can’t speak for US appliances but MOST UK appliances will run on either 240v 50hz or 120v 60hz so can be used almost anywhere in the world. Obviously check hair dryers shavers etc.
@@uktvcool we will have to agree to differ. I appreciate that white goods like cookers, fridges, freezers, kettles, microwaves are not compatible. Many other things are. Some hair dryers, hair straighteners, shavers are (my wife’s are) and nearly all electronic goods with switch mode power supplies are.
We actually were 240V, but we had to harmonise with Europe - so they pretended to go up to 230V from their 220V and in the maths you used 230V, even though what came out of European sockets remained at 220! In the UK, we also used 230V for out calculations, but what came out of the wall was .... still 240V A real fudge - we harmonised the number, not the real volts. As I sit here, I have 243V in my house. It goes up and down a bit, but never below 240 for months!
@@okaro6595 I’ve just checked with two sources in France and despite harmonisation in 2003, their voltages at the premises are lower. One measured and it’s at 223V currently, (pun intended). Here it is 241 at the moment.
All within tolerance... 207-253 is the allowable range that equipment should not be damaged most of the uk typically runs somewhere between 230 and 245 so you are well within the bands or normality
We are. Officially it’s 230v as when in the EU we harmonised from 240v U.K. and Ireland 220v European to 230v with a tolerance 10% that covers the old voltages. In the uk you’ll find any voltage from 230v up to around 250v which my house is near often depending how far from the transformer you are
The last time I checked our standard house voltage it was 240volts although we have had over the years various 220volt European appliances fitted to the house supply. As the US appliances will be built to different standards that British or EU appliances any use is best to be checked out by a qualified electrician. Remember the Grenfell House fire was started by a faulty fridge, electricity is dangerous!! All building sites and other work environments have to use 110volt hand operated appliances so that building site transformers (yellow boxes) are very robust, highly protected and reliable and offer a good alternative to the the more 'commercial' systems offered by the electronics suppliers.
Why reply as you obviously do not know about what you are talking about. U.K. mains voltage is 230V ac. Generally speaking it’s not an Electrician you need to speed to about appliance compatibility but a qualified Service engineer (they are not the same thing). The faulty fridge causing the fire is totally irrelevant in this situation as it was a U.K. standard fridge, with appropriate approvals and would almost certainly have past standard appliance safety testing. You need an understanding of why building sites use 110V tools .
@@crcomments8509 Last time I checked the mains voltage at home in UK with my multi-meter it read 240V that is also the traditionally quoted voltage for both mains and appliances although I agree that many are now quoted as 230V.. We have European appliances that have a quoted voltage of 220V. I am fully aware that a service engineer is different to an IEE approved electrician and I used the term of electrician as a general term. The point about the faulty fridge and Grenfell Tower was that a faulty appliance was responsible for a dreadful, tragic fire so the use of appliances should not be taken lightly. I am fully aware of why building sites use 110V for tools having been in the industry for 40+years. My point was that building site 110 transformers were very robust and reliable, not to mention being weather resistant that might be better suited to say a kitchen environment than the ones shown
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
United Kingdom 230 V 50 Hz
The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 PART VII Regulation 27, UK: UK Government, 2002
It is 240v in the UK unless my plugs and all my appliances have changed in the last few days and I am sure they haven't LOL. Good video though. Enjoy the U.K. and I am sure you made a good move away from America. Take Care. 👍
@@rubberyowen1469 it's 230v with 10% tolerance officially.
But that's because of the EU harmonisation. In reality the UK has never changed from the old 240v standard. Just changed the tolerance levels slightly to keep it below 253v (230+10%)
Most of EU was 220V, UK (amongst others) 240V. Officially they met in the middle at 230V, but with the tolerances allowed nothing actually changed. You'll get 220-240V
But definitely it'll be 240V in the UK
It's mixed. When the change from 240 to 230 occurred, they didn't go round ripping out all the old substation transformers and installing new ones. There are some newer built areas that get 230, where new grid infrastructure is built to supply them. Doesn't make one jot of difference, especially now that we've stopped using incandescent light bulbs.
Have a search on amazon for 'surge protector plug' for that 2000w drop down transformer. You plug it between the wall socket and the device, might help and not too expensive to try..
Back in the 90s I worked at Maplin (before they sold it off and stopped employing people that were technically minded).
Had an American customer, discussed his needs and he happily went away with an autotransformer. Next time he came in for another one I asked him to bring in his cd player (that dates it...). Opened it up, sure enough it had 115/230 links that just needed moving on the PCB. I did it for free in front of him. Sold him a soldering iron and he was good for most of this audio system.
His curiosity was sparked and he converted most of his 110 stuff to 240. It was his turntable that threw him. He'd changed the voltage but missed the 50/60Hz link. Maplin were great to work for back then, but just became a retailer.
I look back at my retail experience and wish some people working in retail these days actually know what they're talking about.
I have been a Maplin customer, both personally and for business, since the early days when they were based in Essex with one shop. They were an excellent source of components and equipment, but were never the same after the sell off. Nevertheless, their presence is greatly missed.
Excellent post George, loved Maplin and was always in there. The staff were so helpful and friendly.
Really sad we have lost that resource here in the UK.
Take care - Gray
I used to use Maplin & Tandy for getting my tools & components back then, but Maplin had the more knowledgeable staff.
FYI - You might want to check your home insurance as I know ours specifically won't cover electrical fires as a result of using a voltage transformer.
Can we just have a moments silence in memory of that poor, innocent, faithful rice cooker... Great editing and with that sad music it brought a huge smile to my face. It also showed great self-awareness and that you dont take yourself too seriously. Another thumbs up from me before ive even watched the rest. 👍
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You are such a cool dude, I have seen a lot of your videos and your info is perfect. I am not even American (I am British) and I just enjoy watching the videos as it is so informative and relaxing.
Thanks J R
Just wanted to say thanks for the tutorial. In my opinion none of the other step up / step down RUclips videos have as clear explanation. If it weren’t for this, I would not have thought to check the wattage. Thanks.
Glad it helped!
Thats why most uk appliances have built in fuses so that fries before the appliance does. Also the breaker boxes in uk houses have the trip switch fail safe to regulate voltages.
I used to work for a tool store, on British building sites it is required to use 110v.we sold site transformers with different wattages (3300w costs about £80) note for continuous use, max wattage you can use only half that.(any appliance that has a capacitor (induction motors etc) draw 3 times wattage) you would also need to change the plug to a yellow 16amp.
Remember the frequency will still only be 50 Hz. Won’t matter on most things.
very good tip for your fellow countrymen. as it would also save them money on shipping electronics over, that they could use on buying new items.
that with the added cost of all the transformers your would need to buy
No mention of the different electrical frequencies. US appliances run at 60Hz while in the UK it's 50Hz. This needs to be taken into consideration, for example in appliances such as clock timers.
Those little ones have more in common with a light dimmer than a transformer, some loads don't take well to the chopped mains. The big one trips the mains due to inrush current, for a brief moment it can exceed the breaker rating by an order of magnitude. In industrial use they'll swap the breakers for a slow type "C" so the inrush current can pass without tripping it.
Laptops have transformers in the cords that accept any voltage from 100V to 240V. You only need the correct plug fitted.
And you can buy just a replacement power lead [cord] with a UK plug for most of them.
UK should provide short courses on electricity for public to understand normal things like computer courses
I work on oil rigs and those black boxes hum like a beehive! Try sleeping with one of them next to your bunk. The majority of Korean/Singapore rigs have UK sockets so not a problem.
I bought a Used Kitchenaid machine from Ebay 20 years ago ( before they were really popular here ) which obviously had American wattage and plug. I bought a ac/dc transformer .. it’s still going strong and I love her.. I call her Sue Ellen in homage to her place of birth.. 😂😂🇬🇧
auto transformer vs step down transformer vs AC DC transformer...? Any differences ?
UK works on 240v not 130v as stated in the video. Many appliances purchased in the UK can work from 110/240v but not all. The other thing to keep in mind is that most UK homes work on Single phase electrics so anything working on 3 phase electrics will not work in most UK homes. Really good videos keep them going, really enjoy them.
The do, but it's nominally called 230V which was for EU harmonisation. The range is actually 230 volts +10% - 6%, or between 216.2 and 253 V. Generally in the UK it will be around the 240V mark, but it will vary by a few volts.
Great video explaining the situation. I bought an electric roaster oven, having seen others in the US use them with such great results. The retailer couldn't tell me whether it was made for the UK market, so I ordered it anyway thinking it would be easy to get an appropriate transformer. The roaster oven is 1450W though, which would necessitate the larger transformer, so that is disappointing to hear that that isn't as successful as the lower wattage models. The Hertz differs on my oven, being 60Hz, so I wasn't even sure whether that would damage the machine. I am mad keen to use that roaster, so I hope that something comes up eventually. Thank you for the video.
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Your breaker tripping problem could probably be solved by swapping the breaker for a slow blow breaker. Same amperage just not as sensitive to a short surge so doesn't trip. I had the same problem when using a welding set.
Yes I was a volunteer on TripAdvisor London and unfortunately a lot of US holiday makers fried hairdryers or styling tongs! 😲
Mack, it's a joy to have you and your loved ones here with us. It looks like you've made a major investment in transformers there, and they'll be no good if you take them back to the States. So on that basis, you'll have to stay with us forever - otherwise you'll have spent all that money for nothing. Besides which, the sheep will miss you.
Chris, all valid points. Thanks. 🙂
Permissible voltage range in the UK is 216V - 253V. Urban areas not a drama, it'll sit around 240V. Rural, voltages may be lower.
It's tripping because of the type of transformer drawing a high inrush current. We have different types of circuit breakers in the UK, B's trip quick, C's a bit slower and D's are rated for motors and transformers which should allow for 5 seconds of inrush current. Another interesting thing with US appliances is the current they draw due to the reduced voltage is typically twice what UK appliances require and therefore they require double the cable size. You should definitely try to only use UK appliances on UK sockets unless it has a switch mode power supply or similar rated for a wide voltage which will be printed on the appliance. Nice video
Thanks for the info!
Top answer! I guess if he has a socket on the electric cooker circuit he might be alright ... I'd be tempted to try running it via a "cotton reel" but that's not really a long-term solution.
Your tripping problem is probably in rush current as the transformer is generating the magnetic field in the core, power draw will very briefly spike far above the 1kW max you’d normally see on the 240v coil for that device. That can be solved by swapping your breaker for a ‘slow blow’ kind. They’re not very common domestically, but are found often in commercial situations where big motors are used. But give any decent sparky a call and they should be able to help you.
Hi Matt,
I'm enjoying the videos giving advice to those who like yourself made the move, you really are a thoughtful person and you are providing a great service to others around the world and not just people from the US.
I personally love HIFI but I'm aware that we in the UK use 50 Hertz where as in the US its 60 Hertz, this will have motors running at the wrong speed even if the voltage is correct, so a turntable for vinyl records (from the US) would run too slowly in the UK, I'm aware that this can be fixed, but I'm not totally sure how, except for using a different sized pulley, the vinyl would be alright though, I have many American made records that work without any problems.
Excellent video as always :)
Thanks
Don't forget any clock or timer will run slower in UK. Us is 60Hz UK is 50Hz. Motors will also run slower. Not a massive problem for something like a blender or power drill, but a vinyl turntable would have a problem.
Anything with a switch mode power supply such as laptop charger or a camera charger will be fine. For phones I'd just get a UK power supply.
Are you sure? Digital timers and clock run off a crystal.
@@drcl7429 not all. Some use the frequency of the power. Crystals are used in portable items.
A.C. power in the UK & Europe runs at 50 Hertz (cycles per Second) not 60 as in the US. Generally this difference is not a big concern but if the device has a timing element then it will become incorrect. In 1994 I worked for 6 months for BT in Staten Island (NY). Video phones had just started so London sent us a video phone so we could have team meetings with HQ. Good idea in theory, in practice the different frequency, apart from the time zones made it a non-goer.
Voltage is still 240 ish but we just have to say its 230 so we harmonised with the EU. No actual change happened. And we operate at 50hz and I belive US is 60hz per cycle ( Electrician in UK )
Yeah they just called it 230 but with margins set to incorporate 240 for the UK and 220 for mainland Europe.
Yea ive just looked through a load of my certificates from recent jobs, no supply voltages at point of origin less than 240 volts. Infact, most are 243 volts up to 248. 230 is a myth and would only occur down stream via volt drop
To harmonise with the Uk the Netherlands exchanged a shitload of 10KV transformers. From 220/380 to 230/400. secondairy.
The UK was nominally 240v. The rest of the EU was mostly around 220v.
So they made the EU standard 230v +10%/-6% - so equipment has to be built to essentially handle 216v to 253v to get the CE rating.
That let the UK stay at 240v in reality, and the rest of the EU basically stay at 220v - but everyone now says they're 230v.
@@nowt1002 The voltage in Europe is actually 230 V. Also it really had nothing to do with the EU. It was decided in 1980. The EU was formed in 1993. The voltage change was decided by the IEC.
worth mentioning the 50/60hz frequency difference too. some stepdown transformers dont convert frequency only voltage.
All stepdown transformers just convert voltage and not frequency. Converting frequency is much more dificult.
Transformers only convert voltage. Frequency conversion is usually done on a small scale by an inefficient chain of rectification and then inversion. It’s only a problem for things synchronised to the mains frequency, e.g. motors will run slower in fans and AC units, and some older poorly designed clocks will loose time.
Just FYI, the standard household voltage in the USA is 120 V (= half of 240 V). The standard voltage in the UK is 240 V. You may read that the "nominal" voltage is 230 V, but this is just a kind of average across Europe, where each individual country may be up a bit or down a bit from the nominal value. It happens that the UK is "up a bit" at 240 V, but still within an allowable margin.
EU is 230 plus or minus 10%...
UK is 240 nominal which is well within the 10% tolerance
I'm ordering electronic mushroom flow hood micolagey from USA 🇺🇸 so going to have to get a step down T
US electrical equipment generally won’t be CE marked. If it’s not CE/UKCA certified it doesn’t comply with wiring regs for U.K. use. If it doesn’t comply with wiring regs and burns your house down you’re not insured.
Sounds like you could hard wire the big transformer into a UK cooker circuit. Electric cookers in the UK have special higher rated circuits.
You got just backwards Europe was 220 V and UK 240 V. Europe switched to 230 V. UK should have switched also but they mainly play with the margins and actually still have 240 V.
You shod always verify the voltages. Portable electronics like laptops, phone chargers etc. typically are now multi-voltage 100-240 V but in case of anything with a heating element assume that it is not. Some may have a switch to change the voltage.
For what it costs to replace toasters ,microwaves etc better to play safe and buy new . Good luck with the box Matt . 🇬🇧
Thanks... no luck yet.
@@MacandBlair Looks like a nice box to have around.
A simple way of getting wattage from an appliance that displays volts and amps on the back instead of watts is to multiply volts by amps. so a 110V device at 10 amps is 1100 watts. The uk plugs can handle up to 13 amps or around 2990W your breaker though should be around 30 amp and that 2KW tripping it isn't a good sign to be honest as the breaker can handle around 6000 watts. I hope this helps in some way.
Large induction motors can sometimes draw as much as 5x the wattage on start up. Using an extension can make this worse.
Barry Lewis (the cooking dude) has a great video where he bought an American toaster off of ebay without realising, plugged it in in the UK and it started smoking and caught fire.
I'd say "without thinking" rather than "without realising", he knew it was American, he got one of those plug adapters for it, just not a transformer. He was basically running it at 4x its designed heat.
Anything with a switch node power supply should be able to run on both 110 and 230v systems either with no modifications or there may be a small slide switch near the pier input that you can simply change to the appropriate setting...
For such appliances rather than using an adapter the best bet is to buy a load of UK cable if the appliance uses a standard connector such as C5, C7, C13 IEC etc
It's only generally items where the actual appliance uses mains voltage directly (motors and heaters generally) that will need the transformer
I know American rice cookers are probably better than ours but could you not make do with one of ours or a multi cooker and possibly save some money on the adapters ? In a pinch a saucepan would work !
most tv's sold in the uk with switch mode power supplies in the last 10 years will run on anything from 90volts to 150volts
oh no! The bit with I lost a Zojirushi rice cooker freaked me out. This is what I have done today. Plugged in the rice cooker into one of the small adaptors and then there was a pop and smoke came out. Does it mean it is now fried and nothing can be done about it? I have noticed that the clock on display (usually running on battery) does not work anymore. Is there any chance I can get this fixed in some electric repair shop? Thanks!
If you have a lamp you liked, probably the best bet would be to just re cable it and put a Bayonet or screw bulb socket in it.
Correct me if i'm wrong.. I have a USA nespresso machine.. that says 120v, 1500w. Are you saying I need the 2000 transformer? I'm terrible with this thanks!
Oh and the reason why your electrics trip when you energise the big transformer is due to 'mag in-rush' current. Must be pulling more for a split second greater than the breaker is rated for. Normally transformer mag in-rush is 7x rated current!! So yeah, that's why it's tripping.
I brought my us nintendo switch to the uk when i moved recently. Using a step down transformer with it but curious if that ok in the long run? Thanks for an help.
"Inrush current, input surge current, or switch-on surge is the maximal instantaneous input current drawn by an electrical device when first turned on. Alternating-current electric motors and transformers may draw several times their normal full-load current when first energized, for a few cycles of the input waveform"
I didn't know this, but I suspected it. Wikipedia is my friend.
I’ve just done an electrician’s course and can say that for European Harmony we say we run at 230 volts but actually run at 240 volts. At the peak of AC sine wave (getting technical now) the voltage can go as high as 250 volts or as low (on the other side of the sine wave) as 218 volts so the average falls between the desired range of current (as electricity is moving about the speed of light). You will find on some plugs and appliances it will display 230/240v 50 Hz. 50z is standard frequency for the power supply coming in from the main circuit. 3 phase is a bit different, used more often in high density residential, commercial and farm/rural settings. Farmers use it to reduce the expense of having multiple supply lines from the Supplier. You still get the same power but the voltage readings and work signing off 3 phase (and testing it) differ. In addition, American Air Force bases in the UK have an odd voltage they run.
You may have done an electrician's course but what you wrote was garbage!
@@EuroScot2023 Care to elaborate? Or are you just one of those individuals who likes throwing unconstructive dung. The guy who imparted the information in the course is a member of the institute, IET. It's also in the BS 7671:2018.
@@jackochainsaw I thik you have mixed up the sine wave and voltage tolerances. At the peak of sine wave the voltage will be between 312V for 220V RMS to 355V for 250V RMS. Voltages you wrote were RMS values.
What, if any, appliance that you use in the USA, is not available in the UK? Why would you pay shipping costs for moving stuff from the USA to the UK when you can so easily purchase that item/s here in the UK.
If things go wrong with your imported American electricals, you could well have a problem getting them repaired. If you purchase in the UK, you automatically have protection for your purchases under the 'sales of goods act 1979'. (you'll find that a very useful read as well)
Whenever I,be tested our mains voltage in the UK it has always been a nominal 240 volts at 50 Hz
Great video, just a quick question if you drink tea or coffee does it taste better here than the US? If yes is it the water or is it the tbag it self
Now a days I drink more coffee... the brands here have a richer taste to me.
Can you please make a video of comparing USA and UK trains?
RIP Rice. Cooker😞
😔😇
It's interesting that transformers are still used for this. In principal, a switch mode inverter would be able to do the same job but for far less material (i.e. no heavy transformer). But scouting around the bazaars, all that seems to be available is transformers.
That big one is tripping your ring mains breaker off because its inrush current is so large. I'm no expert, but there's probably a type of breaker that would allow for that (i.e. it permits short duration over-currents) - a local friendly electrician may be able to help out.
An invertor changes DC to AC. Both countries use AC. A step down transformer is what is needed. a UK socket is rated to output 3KW at 240V. Anything using a high wattage of the lower US voltage is going to use high current which needs thicker conductors to handle the heat. This will be heavy. A step up transformer will do the opposite but will need the heavy conductor on the input side of the transformer so will still be just as heavy.
@@GOGS-zg7rd You can certainly use a switch mode power supply design with an inverter to do exactly the same job, and if the requirement is to also match the 60 Hz US mains frequency it is one way to do it. Another is to rectify the 240V AC and use the DC output to feed an inverter, although it would have to handle the higher voltage.
Whilst a step-down transformer is simple, they are inherently much heavier, and also weight a lot too. Doing the same with an inverter is more complicated, but will be lighter but cost a lot more.
If you want, go look online for a 50/60 Hz converter, as those generally have voltage conversion capabilities as well.
@@GOGS-zg7rd Depends on nomenclature; I used the phrase "switched mode inverter" specifically to refer to devices that have a switched mode PSU, rather than a straight "inverter". A SWPS, which has a rectifier on the input, can run on either AC or DC, and the output of that can drive an inverter. Or, as I have seen, if the load is itself fitted with a SMPS, there's no point generating an AC output in the first place.
why needed so different of same thing ..., isn't there just one transformer to use in all types of US appliances
? ...
is that heavy one called multimeter?
US appliances operate at different Watts so I needed transformers to match.
What is the green tape on your wall switch for?
The switch was broken so I put tape around it so my kids wouldn't use it. It has since been replaced and the tape retired.
Thank you for the video.
It is not just the power, it is also the Hz, US is 60Hz, UK and Europe is 50Hz.
It's more efficient in Europe
This may be important if the device has an electronic timer
I'm confused, I thought electric was the same everywhere? I don't understand why countries would use different power amounts, wouldn't it make sense for everyone to just make electronic devices that use the same power requirements?
Does the equipment have different electronic parts inside them depending on what country it is made for?
Why is it not the same everywhere?
I wish it was the same everywhere as well. That would make life much easier.
I agree 100%. Other things are, the difference between 60 Hz and 50 Hz can be a battery killer [in laptops etc], and you will see on UK made stuff the CE mark, which means that everything has to be made to a certain standard [ of merchantable quality and fit for purpose] and living over in the US am not aware of any standards at all that things have to be manufactured to
the CE mark declares that the product complies with european product safety standards.
Stupid me! I burned my zojirushi few days ago just like that. -400$. 😅
Sorry to hear that... I can't image living without our Zojirushi. 😖
I had to use transformers back in the 80s developing software for US computers. You'll find most switched mode PSUs (small plastic box types) for laptops etc from the UK are fine in the US. I'd have thought most US versions would be OK here. Check the labels... One thing to note with transformers is that when you step down the voltage (by half), you step up the current (by 2), so all your appliances need thicker wires (which US appliances will have). UK/European appliances need thinner wires.
Buy from a reputable dealer as there are fake Chinese step up/down transformer. Fake will kill either you or your appliance and set fire to your house.
A Stepdown transformer is a big block of iron with coils on either side - very old fashioned, that's why they're heavy.
A switching power supply is electronic circuitry that switches very rapidly to reduce the voltage and smooth it with capacitors without a transformer. They are far more efficient and much lighter...
The best solution buy your electronics here, why ship and the pay to convert what you've got, it makes no sense... Plus your using power in the conversion with step down transformers.
They work on AC?
Switching power supplies are LESS efficient than transformers
@@ckazruddy6796 I don't know who told you this, they're wrong!
I won't tell you why, just go read all the freely available material on why your wrong...
@@daveofyorkshire301
I studied power electronics, a step down smps will be either a buck or buck boost converter. Solid state switches have a leakage so there's power loss as heat. There's energy loss. Inductors do not dissipate energy, as in mutual inductance
@@ckazruddy6796 You obvious have no intention of looking for yourself, and refuse to even consider you might be wrong, so why would I waste my time trying to encourage you to educate yourself?
You obviously don't understand as much as you think you do, because transformers convert AC and switching supplies convert DC, it's what I expected you to counter with... Well finish this yourself... But think of what he's plugging in and why he needs 110v.
I have an American trash compactor in the U.K.; but it was sold here for a brief time
UK operate at 50 hertze at 220 va, US operating system system is 60 hertze at 110va so you could have additional problems
"i lost a rice cooker" oh come on that is not a big deal "it was a zojirushi".... You are not making a big enough of a deal about this.
Don't forget power tools they will need yellow plugs fitted and a site transformer!
In general electronics can cope with 110-230V and 60-50 Hz. If the electronic appliance (Chargers and the like) has a power lead I would go and buy a UK lead. After going holidaying in the US for a number of years I went and bought US leads. It saved a lot of bother. IMO with kitchen appliances just don't bother it's easier to go and buy new.
Since Brexit its now possible to have your house wired for 110v side by side with 230v sockets
I understand that US military bases in the UK have been wired for both for many years.
Would it be wired like in the USA with the centre tap?
Cite?
@@drcl7429 not sure what that means. In the videos I have seen of US service personnel living ‘on base’ in the UK they have had both US and UK wall sockets that are wired accordingly for the different voltages. I assume that the house is wired as 240v but also has a feed that is reduced to 110v and another circuit wired. I do not know that but do know they had both.
Thanks!
You can get a trip plug to stop it doing that
I can’t speak for US appliances but MOST UK appliances will run on either 240v 50hz or 120v 60hz so can be used almost anywhere in the world.
Obviously check hair dryers shavers etc.
not true - most uk stuff is 240v only
@@uktvcool we will have to agree to differ. I appreciate that white goods like cookers, fridges, freezers, kettles, microwaves are not compatible. Many other things are. Some hair dryers, hair straighteners, shavers are (my wife’s are) and nearly all electronic goods with switch mode power supplies are.
@@davegb99 You originally said MOST - I think you really mean - A FEW. Most are 240v only.
Volts X Amps = Watts (V x A=W)
Great video!
don't forget in the UK we refer to the ground wire as the earth wire coloured yellow/green
Actually it is the CPC (The circuit protective conductor). That tells what it does without giving false impressions how it does it.
We actually were 240V, but we had to harmonise with Europe - so they pretended to go up to 230V from their 220V and in the maths you used 230V, even though what came out of European sockets remained at 220! In the UK, we also used 230V for out calculations, but what came out of the wall was .... still 240V A real fudge - we harmonised the number, not the real volts. As I sit here, I have 243V in my house. It goes up and down a bit, but never below 240 for months!
Incorrect. Europe switched to 230 V. It is the UK that does the pretending. I have currently 233 V.
@@okaro6595 I’ve just checked with two sources in France and despite harmonisation in 2003, their voltages at the premises are lower. One measured and it’s at 223V currently, (pun intended). Here it is 241 at the moment.
Why not just buy néw appliances in the UK if you intend living here for a while or permanently
Because that's just sensible, bit like shipping American vehicles when you could just buy a car here.
Because the ignorant yanks think we don’t have all their mod cons over here.
Because that's expensive
Because the UK are greedy bastards who charge up to hundreds more for things.
RIP rice cooker :(
My house runs at 235v average with a minimum recorded of 230v and a maximum of 242v.
All within tolerance... 207-253 is the allowable range that equipment should not be damaged most of the uk typically runs somewhere between 230 and 245 so you are well within the bands or normality
I thought the UK was 240 V I’m in the UK
We are. Officially it’s 230v as when in the EU we harmonised from 240v U.K. and Ireland 220v European to 230v with a tolerance 10% that covers the old voltages. In the uk you’ll find any voltage from 230v up to around 250v which my house is near often depending how far from the transformer you are
The last time I checked our standard house voltage it was 240volts although we have had over the years various 220volt European appliances fitted to the house supply. As the US appliances will be built to different standards that British or EU appliances any use is best to be checked out by a qualified electrician. Remember the Grenfell House fire was started by a faulty fridge, electricity is dangerous!!
All building sites and other work environments have to use 110volt hand operated appliances so that building site transformers (yellow boxes) are very robust, highly protected and reliable and offer a good alternative to the the more 'commercial' systems offered by the electronics suppliers.
Why reply as you obviously do not know about what you are talking about. U.K. mains voltage is 230V ac. Generally speaking it’s not an Electrician you need to speed to about appliance compatibility but a qualified Service engineer (they are not the same thing). The faulty fridge causing the fire is totally irrelevant in this situation as it was a U.K. standard fridge, with appropriate approvals and would almost certainly have past standard appliance safety testing. You need an understanding of why building sites use 110V tools .
@@crcomments8509 Last time I checked the mains voltage at home in UK with my multi-meter it read 240V that is also the traditionally quoted voltage for both mains and appliances although I agree that many are now quoted as 230V.. We have European appliances that have a quoted voltage of 220V.
I am fully aware that a service engineer is different to an IEE approved electrician and I used the term of electrician as a general term.
The point about the faulty fridge and Grenfell Tower was that a faulty appliance was responsible for a dreadful, tragic fire so the use of appliances should not be taken lightly.
I am fully aware of why building sites use 110V for tools having been in the industry for 40+years. My point was that building site 110 transformers were very robust and reliable, not to mention being weather resistant that might be better suited to say a kitchen environment than the ones shown
wonderful content
We say leever, not levver.
Honestly just buy British voltage appliances they last forever and they work just the same as US stuff, you are just complicating it .
They usually last about a fortnight after the warranty expires in my experience !!
@@0utcastAussie
Found that to be very true with my Ford
Very good advice thank you. RIP your US rice cooker 😭😭
*Take the money!*
I think Europe was 220v and UK was 240v
it's a range from 220 to 240
Cheers
Auto transformer. They never left a gap. But 5hats what the UK ones say. Sounded Japanese.
RIP rice cooker 😔
😇😔
To open the mystery box, just leave it in the custody of your youngest child...
I may try that... lol
I got emotional when you told us about your loss. Rip rice cooker.
Sorry, but what are the 3 reasons?
Surly our power runs on tea and cucumber sandwiches? 😀
Tea _on_ your sandwiches ?
Keep that to yourself.
No, you're reading it wrong, i didn't write 'tea on', I wrote, 'on tea '. Ya see? 😀
There's nothing nicer than a nice American.
trying to use my nutri bullet in kenya
Pointless/expensive bringing electrical stuff to UK... cheaper to just buy it here.
RIP to the rice cooker who I'm sure watches over the new one 😓
😇😇😇
My question is ... what's in the box? lol
Magnets and copper wire
The UK runs at 240 voltage my friend and it's going to through you from Bristol to London my friends?
Cheaper to buy electronics in the UK, then sell them when you go home.