Re: U.S. 220 vs Euro 220

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., blueveil@e... wrote:

> Does anyone know if U.S. 220 is the same as European 220?
> Could I take a 220 single phase cnc machine to Europe and use
> it without any adapters?
> Any knowledge on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

As others have noted, you will likely be supplied with 50
cycle power in Europe. Machines designed for USA operation
will have 60 cycle AC motors and may have accessories that
operate at 115 volts. The resulting speed of any AC induction
motors should be 5/6 of the rated speed.

Before attempting to operate a USA style machine in Europe
you should check to see if there are any 115 volt accessories
or controls involved. They would be wired from one of the
two "hot" phases to the "neutral". In some rare cases,
(bad engineering) they could be wired from a "hot" phase
to ground. In either case, you may need a 50 cycle rated
220 to 110 volt step-down transformer adequate to operate
these items.

Also note that while most 60 cycle motors will run OK on 50
cycles, there is no guarantee of this. The best assurance is
to look at the nameplate on the motor to see if it is dual
50/60 cycle rated. It is interesting to note that many dual
rated motors specify slightly different voltages at the two
frequencies. Some 60 cycle motors may draw too much
current at 50 cycles. This is a simpler issue coming the
other way because a 50 cycle motor will draw less current
on 60 cycles in most cases.

Cheers,
Steve Stallings