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by Answer Rabbit on April 18th, 2006

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Why don't consumer electronics purchased in Europe or Asia use the same voltage as consumer electronics produced here in the US?

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  • by Alatea on April 18th, 2006

    Alatea

    The electricity is not the same in all the countries. There are differences in the mains connector type, voltage, mains frequency and electrical safety practices in different countries. The nominal voltage is typically at 100-120V or 220-240V range on normal electrical outlets. The mains frequency can vary being typically 50 Hz or 60 Hz. The grounding arrangements and some other safety details vary from country to country.

    Within the European Community the mains voltage is currently 230V +10/-6% (50Hz) between the LIVE and the NEUTRAL terminals, together with a separate protective EARTH terminal.

    In USA two live (hot) wires each separately provide 120 volts (60 Hz) relative to the neutral wire and go to wall outlets to run low power devices (lights, TVs etc.). In USA permantly wired power hungry devices like electric stoves, water heaters and some air conditioners which require 240 volts are connected across the two live or hot wires. In the rest of the world various supply schemes are employed, ranging in voltage from about 100V to around 250V.

    European standards are different from US standards because they are intended for use in different overall regimes. Often the concepts for safety in US standards and European standards are simply different, and rely on differences in the surrounding environments for even similar products. Wiring, earthing, field terminations, power distribution schemes etc. are simply different, and are not under the control ofthe organizations who write standards.

    There are historical reasons for those differences. In the mains frequency issues the reasons for the following: Many frequencies were used in the 19th Century for various applications, with the most prevalent being the 60 c/s supplied by Westinghouse-designed central stations for incandescent lamps. The development of a synchronous converter which operated best at 60 cycles encouraged convergence toward that standard. Around 1900, the introduction of the high-speed turbine led to settlement on two standards: 25 cycles for transmission and for large motors (this had been a compromise decision at Niagara Falls), and 60 cycles for general purpose systems. Meanwhile, in Germany, AEG (which used 50 cycles) had a virtual monopoly, and this standard spread to the rest of the continent.The selection of mains voltage: It appears that the 120 were chosen somewhat arbitrarily. Edison came up with a high-resistance lamp filament he thought desirable to keep distribution losses down. The voltage of the original electrical systems were determined by thenumber of light bulbs in a string, obviously because at that time the only thing connected to the electrical system were light bulbs. So around 110V (110-120V) was chosen because it was a convenient number of lights. In 1882, he applied for patents on a 3-wire system which gave 220v transmission with 110v lamps. The Japanese took it one notch lower, they standardized on 100VAC. In Europe it happened so that 220V was considered to be suitable to be distributed directly to the consuming devices. UK happened to choose a little bit higher voltage 240V. European standardization has lead now to situation that the whole Europe has migrated to 230V standard (230V +- so much that both 220V and 240V stay within the limits).

    Both 120V and 230V systems works in real life use and have proven to be good and safe enough. 120VAC works just fine as general purpose distribution system, it just need somewhat more copper to transfer the same power. And it's safer, withless potential for shock. 230V system wil build the electrical distribution wiring somewhat cheaper and is better in powering high power equipment. Besides, in the U.S. anyone can have 240VAC just by installing both phases to the same socket (special 240V socket used typically by air conditiong devices).

    When connecting equipment to outlets on different country you need to check the voltage available before plugging the device in. Usually different countries have different types of electrical outlets so uusally you can't plug your equipment in without a suitable plug adapter. But when thinking of using a plug adapter, be sure to knwo what you do so that you don't try to plug an equipment to a wrong voltage outlet. This means that when appliances made for use in North/South America (for 120V AC) are plugged into a 220-240V outlet, the universal motors in many appliances go faster than it was designed to, damaging or destroying the appliance. Also the equipment that are designed to heat something will heat up at much higher power than they are designed to meaning damage to the device. Devices with electronics in then can also be severely damaged because much higher voltages than they are designed to gets to the device. Depeding on the case 120V AC equipment plugged to 220V will cause burned fuse and/or severe damaged equipment.

    In order to use a North/South American 110/125V appliance abroad in country that uses 220-240V voltage, it is necessary to convert (or Stepdown) the 220/250 volt electricity to 110/125 volts with either a converter or transformer. Things do not work on other way either. If you plug equipment designed for 220-240V operation to 120V AC outlet in USA, it will not work properly. Usually the equipment does not get damaged in the same way as if ypu plug equipment to higher voltage, but damages are possible. Appliances made for use in countries other than the Americas and rated 220-240 Volts AC when used in a 110-120 Volt Alternating Current Country will need to convert (or Step Up) the 110-120 Volt electricity to 220-240 Volts with either a Step Up Converter or Transformer.

    The needed conversion transformer are available from electronics and electrical supplies. Before goign to buy a trnasformer you need to determine what kind of conversion do you need to do (from 220V to 110V or other way aound), how much your equipment you want to power with it need power (the covnerter needs to be rated for this power or higher power), what type of equipment it is (is it electronic equipment or simple heater type device), what are the connectors you need to have on yout transformer, is the device planned to be used continuously for long time and is the conversion anyway feasible (check that the equipment can work at the mains frequency on the site). The most common needs for converter are for people who come from 110V couintry with their equipment to 220V country. They have a selection of following conversion transformer types:

    Safety isolation transformer with 110V output
    Autotransformer type 220V to 110V converters
    Electrical 220V to 110V converters

    More complete info here
    http://www.epanorama.net/links/wire_mains.html

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  • by Glenn Blaylock on April 18th, 2006

    Glenn Blaylock

    Because the power systems in Europe and Asia use different voltages. Therefore, electronic equipment has to be designed to operate on the different power systems. If they weren't, then the higher voltages of the European and Asian power systems would very quickly burn them out. Why Europe and Asia use higher voltages in their power systems thant we do is a whole other questions for which I don't have an answer.

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