Uk Amps Voltage

[sonofrock82]

Hi, Can the 230/240v uk amp used in Italy whit 220v?

Excuse me but simply I don't know...


Thanks a lot

[octatonic]

Yes you can.

[Raybob]

UK used to be 240v, Euro used to be 220v, but now they've both standardized to 230v. UK still uses the flat prongs on the plug and Euro uses the round prongs.

[redstringuitar]

Originally Posted by Raybob

UK used to be 240v, Euro used to be 220v, but now they've both standardized to 230v.

That's why amps don't go to 11 any more, only 10.5

[sonofrock82]

So....If I understand I can buy uk amps but I have to change the power cord, right?

Thanks so much

[Mark F]

Originally Posted by Raybob

UK used to be 240v, Euro used to be 220v, but now they've both standardized to 230v. UK still uses the flat prongs on the plug and Euro uses the round prongs.

UK is still 240, Euro is still 220 (harmonisation says 230V with a +-10% tolerance, otherwise every supply transformer would have had to have been changed at massive cost)

And yes, the UK amp should work on 220V, just change the plug ;)

[jefrs]

Originally Posted by Raybob

UK used to be 240v, Euro used to be 220v, but now they've both standardized to 230v. UK still uses the flat prongs on the plug and Euro uses the round prongs.

UK used to be 240-250VAC.
The 'standard' across Europe is 220-240V. That covers all regional variations.
Italy is 220V. UK and Ireland is 240V (as is Australia). That is the minimum voltage, my UK mains measures 248VAC. That's why British amps do go to 13. We used to see voltage selectors for 220, 230, 240 and 250 volts.

The mains plug varies across Europe. It is easily changed or use an adaptor for Italy.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by sonofrock82

So....If I understand I can buy uk amps but I have to change the power cord, right?

Thanks so much

Depends.
If it is a permanent move then just snip the end off the existing one and attach a UK plug.
Much cheaper in the long run if you have dozens of appliances.
Otherwise yes you just buy a new kettle lead.

[Raybob]

I haven't sold one in UK yet but I've sold 4 amps in Europe in the last year. The transformers I get have choice of 120v, 220v,230v, or 240v. I had the customer in France measure his voltage at the wall in his house and it was dead on 230v.

I found the following at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electri...United_Kingdom

Since 1960, the supply voltage in UK domestic premises has been 240 V AC (RMS) at 50 Hz. In 1988, a Europe-wide agreement was reached to change the various national voltages, which ranged at the time from 220 V to 240 V, to a common European standard of 230 V (CENELEC Harmonization Document HD 472 S1:1988).

As a result, the standard nominal supply voltage in domestic single-phase 50 Hz installations in the UK has been 230 V AC (RMS) since 1 January 1995 (Electricity Supply Regulations, SI 1994, No. 3021). However, as an interim measure, electricity suppliers can work with an asymmetric voltage tolerance of 230 V+10%-6% (216.2-253 V). This was supposed to be widened to 230 V ±10% (207-253 V), but the time of this change has been put back repeatedly and currently sits in 2008 (BS 7697). The old standard was 240 V ±6% (225.6-254.4 V), which is mostly contained within the new range, and so in practice suppliers have had no reason to actually change voltages.

[jefrs]

Yes, France has 230VAC
Italy as we see has 220VAC
UK still gets 240VAC (btw that's a minimum voltage).
Ireland and Malta and I'm guessing Cyprus also use 240VAC

Prior to 1960 voltage across the UK was not standardized.
The Euro standard is 230VAC but as stated (SI = Statutory Instrument i.e. law) that is only nominal (and compliant with Euro-regs), individual countries are not going to change their generating plant anytime soon, nor for that matter are their industrial customers. In UK practice the frequency is held rock solid against clocks but the voltage is allowed to fluctuate against peak use, we would not expect it to fall below 240VAC except under emergency situations e.g. fuel shortage. We monitor the supply at work, the lowest I remember is 238VAC.

This variation across Europe causes little problems for domestic appliances. Most solid state items have regulated power supplies if it is critical.
Valve amps do not generally have regulated and stabilized power supplies.

Our OP is in Italy and wanting to use a UK amp.
So it depends when the amp was built. If it is a new amp, it may have been designed for 'Euro' 230VAC, so it will be mostly wrong for everyone in Europe. If it is an old British amp, it may have been designed for 240/250VAC, in which case the Italian supply will be 35V low, that will drop the HT. Ideally bias should be checked but performance may be acceptable without change. Some Euro 'export' UK spec amps also have transformer taps for 220VAC. The British built Laney is UK spec for 230/240VAC but the transformer is wound for 230VAC. So it may be a case of change the IEEE 'kettle' lead, or change to the local plug (which again is not entirely standard across Europe).
For example our Victorian house has '13A' 3-pin sockets throughout, except for two '2A' round 3-pin sockets and one old-style 2-pin Euro-socket. The disadvantage of the current 3-pin Euro-socket is that is will accept the still-common 2-pin plug, and that can be reversed.