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Home > Archive > Electrical code Compliance > January 2006 > plug adapter for Europe, allowed?
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plug adapter for Europe, allowed?
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| Jim Costello 2005-07-13, 6:25 pm |
| May a manufacturer, CE marking with self-certification (61010-1), provide an
(approved) external power supply (100-240V, 50-60Hz input) with integral
American-style plug, instructing in his documentation to use an approved
plug adapter?
Thanks,
Jim
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| phil-news-nospam@ipal.net 2005-07-15, 4:25 am |
| On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 10:48:50 -0400 Jim Costello <jim@globaltestlabs.com> wrote:
| May a manufacturer, CE marking with self-certification (61010-1), provide an
| (approved) external power supply (100-240V, 50-60Hz input) with integral
| American-style plug, instructing in his documentation to use an approved
| plug adapter?
Why not use an IEC standard inlet connection, and let the local sellers
(or buyers) supply the correct line cord? How much amperage are you
expecting it to use at the 100 volt level?
--
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| Phil Howard KA9WGN | http://linuxhomepage.com/ http://ham.org/ |
| (first name) at ipal.net | http://phil.ipal.org/ http://ka9wgn.ham.org/ |
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| |
| Andrew Gabriel 2005-07-15, 6:25 pm |
| In article <C5adnZMna4RMtEjfRVn-2A@adelphia.com>,
"Jim Costello" <jim@globaltestlabs.com> writes:
quote:
> May a manufacturer, CE marking with self-certification (61010-1), provide an
> (approved) external power supply (100-240V, 50-60Hz input) with integral
> American-style plug, instructing in his documentation to use an approved
> plug adapter?
I don't know the answer, but I would guess not.
I don't think the standard US plug/socket would come close
to being permitted for 230V use. Some years ago, BT looked
at getting approval for its use in some circumstance, but
the maximum rating it would be allowed in the UK was 50V 2.5A
at that time (mid-1980's IIRC).
--
Andrew Gabriel
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| phil-news-nospam@ipal.net 2005-07-18, 11:25 pm |
| On 15 Jul 2005 16:32:58 GMT Andrew Gabriel <andrew@cucumber.demon.co.uk> wrote:
| In article <C5adnZMna4RMtEjfRVn-2A@adelphia.com>,
| "Jim Costello" <jim@globaltestlabs.com> writes:
|> May a manufacturer, CE marking with self-certification (61010-1), provide an
|> (approved) external power supply (100-240V, 50-60Hz input) with integral
|> American-style plug, instructing in his documentation to use an approved
|> plug adapter?
|
| I don't know the answer, but I would guess not.
| I don't think the standard US plug/socket would come close
| to being permitted for 230V use. Some years ago, BT looked
| at getting approval for its use in some circumstance, but
| the maximum rating it would be allowed in the UK was 50V 2.5A
| at that time (mid-1980's IIRC).
I have seen the USA style (NEMA 5-15R) offered in online stores in UK.
But is that intended for the 55 volt worksite system?
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Phil Howard KA9WGN | http://linuxhomepage.com/ http://ham.org/ |
| (first name) at ipal.net | http://phil.ipal.org/ http://ka9wgn.ham.org/ |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| Andrew Gabriel 2005-07-19, 12:25 pm |
| In article <dbhfcc018e2@news2.newsguy.com>,
phil-news-nospam@ipal.net writes:
quote:
>
> I have seen the USA style (NEMA 5-15R) offered in online stores in UK.
You can probably buy pretty much any country's plugs and
sockets in the UK. That doesn't mean it's legal to design
them into products and sell those products here.
quote:
> But is that intended for the 55 volt worksite system?
No. They use a much more robust connector in 16A and 32A versions...
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.../R491484-02.jpg
We call these BS4343 connectors, but Europe and IEC have subsequently
adopted that British Standard as IEC-EN60309-2, and I believe there's
a US equivalent now too, but with different current ratings.
--
Andrew Gabriel
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| Andrew Gabriel 2005-07-19, 6:25 pm |
| In article <dbj68k01nhf@news4.newsguy.com>,
phil-news-nospam@ipal.net writes:
quote:
> On 19 Jul 2005 10:01:23 GMT Andrew Gabriel <andrew@cucumber.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>| In article <dbhfcc018e2@news2.newsguy.com>,
>| phil-news-nospam@ipal.net writes:
>|>
>|> I have seen the USA style (NEMA 5-15R) offered in online stores in UK.
>|
>| You can probably buy pretty much any country's plugs and
>| sockets in the UK. That doesn't mean it's legal to design
>| them into products and sell those products here.
>
> So why not just put an IEC-60320-C14 or IEC-60320-C20 inlet on any
> non-outdoor device that accepts 100-250v 50/60hz, just like computer
> power supplies do. Then the appropriate power cord can be used as
> needed for the given location.
That's pretty much what's done across a wide range of applainces
now. There's also a common 2-pin appliance connector for double
insulated appliances.
quote:
>|> But is that intended for the 55 volt worksite system?
>|
>| No. They use a much more robust connector in 16A and 32A versions...
>| http://img-europe.electrocomponents.../R491484-02.jpg
>| We call these BS4343 connectors, but Europe and IEC have subsequently
>| adopted that British Standard as IEC-EN60309-2, and I believe there's
>| a US equivalent now too, but with different current ratings.
>
> That's definitely not like the USA standard plugs. But it looks more
> like what should have been done.
>
> These look like they match:
> http://www.quail.com/seriesPage.cfm?seriesID=254
> http://www.quail.com/seriesPage.cfm?seriesID=253
Those are the 230V versions -- same design but deliberately
not interchangeable. There's also a 400V 3-phase version and
IIRC a 50V version. Each is a different colour (Yellow 110V,
Blue 230V, Red 400V, and IIRC Green 50V, but never seen the
50V ones in use).
--
Andrew Gabriel
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| Andrew Gabriel 2005-07-24, 9:05 pm |
| In article <dbjvp91ap0@news1.newsguy.com>,
phil-news-nospam@ipal.net writes:
> On 19 Jul 2005 17:10:48 GMT Andrew Gabriel <andrew@cucumber.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>|> These look like they match:
>|> http://www.quail.com/seriesPage.cfm?seriesID=254
>|> http://www.quail.com/seriesPage.cfm?seriesID=253
>|
>| Those are the 230V versions -- same design but deliberately
>| not interchangeable. There's also a 400V 3-phase version and
>| IIRC a 50V version. Each is a different colour (Yellow 110V,
>| Blue 230V, Red 400V, and IIRC Green 50V, but never seen the
>| 50V ones in use).
>
> Does this look right:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60309
Yes, that's them.
The black ones look like they are aimed at US supplies, and
I've certainly never seen or heard of them in Europe. The
others are now pretty universally used in Europe for industrial
and semi-rugged socket outlets. They are also weather-proof (at
least for British weather -- possibly not for other places).
Some other European countries had started adopting them back
when they were still just a British Standard (I recall being
surprised to find them used throughout a large computer room
in Belgium around 1994), but they are now widespread across
Europe. They are not normally used in residential/domestic
situations though.
--
Andrew Gabriel
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| billb@abc.net 2006-01-28, 6:21 pm |
| The adaptor must be approved to European standards, not UL standards,
therefore a power supply with a USA-syle plug would not be acceptable.
Look for a power supply with a TUV, BSI, VDE or any other European approval,
preferably with a IEC type socket to allow the use of a local lead with the
correct plug. Most manufacturer make these and are widely stocked try
Farnell at http://www.farnell.com/
BillB
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