Hello Raymond
I do not have access to the memo but I can certainly assure
you that it is the case. I have just measured the voltage as I sit
here and it is 242V. The nominal change was all to do with
harmonisation within the European union. The old supply
regulations allowed the public supply to be 240V + 6%
-10%. Because the committee that dealt with implementing
the harmonisation was packed with representatives of the
electricity generation industry and had few representative
of manufacturers of voltage sensitive equipment such light
bulbs, the path for harmonisation was that which suited the
electricity suppliers. They simply declared that the supply
voltage was 230V with a tolerance of +10% and -6% .
If you work out the sums you will find that the new
allowable range is almost identical with the old. When the
appointed change over day came, numbers changed on paper
but that was all. Not one generator setting was changed and
not one transformer tap was changed. I have a friend in charge
electrical supply in our local region and he tells me that they
have no intention of changing in the near future. Even new
supply equipment is designed to deliver 240V.
To made this situation worse, some other European countries
went the other way and declared a supply that was and remains
220V to be nominally 230V.
We now have light bulbs for sale in Europe that are marked
230V but designed to work with 240V and light bulbs marked
230V but designed to work with 220V and nothing to tell them
apart. Get them the wrong way around and in one case you
get a brilliant light that dies in about 100 hours and in the other
a light that lasts almost for ever but is ridiculously dim
and inefficient.
Vive! European Unity
Nick Rouse
----- Original Message -----
From: <raymond...@dixonsasia.com.hk>
To: <emc-p...@ieee.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 10:52 AM
Subject: Test voltage for products to the U.K.
>
>
>
>
> A few years ago, BEAMA or other similar body has issued a memo to public
> laboratories about testing voltage for products selling in the U.K. The
memo
> says the U.K. mains is still 240Vac although the rated voltage is agreed
to be
> 230Vac and the products have to be taken care the safety at 240Vac. Can
anyone
> tell me where I can find a copy of this memo and if there is any updated
version
> to replace this one.
>
> Thanks and regards,
>
> Raymond Li
> Dixons Asia Ltd.
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
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