[TheForge] 220V equipment.

[Paul]

Geoff Nelson wrote:
> Hello List
> 
> I will be relocating the next 3 to 6 months to the USA. I however live 
> now in South Africa. The big question I have is do I sell up all my 
> equipment and try restart or do I try and scrape the money together to 
> get it all to where I am going to be.
> 
> Part of what will motivate that decision is how easy is it to get 220V 
> single phase into a workshop or garage. I have some things I would like 
> to bring with as they will make setting up a lot easier. EG my inverter 
> for my knife grinder.
> 
> Any comments or suggestions will be very helpful.
> 
> Geoff
> 
Hi Geoff
according to the info on

http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm

your local power is 220/230 volt at 50 Hz (cps for old farts). Our power 
is nominally 220 volts, but can also be 230 and sometimes as high as 
240. Better to be a higher voltage than suffer brownout/high current 
damage.
The main difference, as even the 240 volts is with 10% of 220, is the 50 
hz. Your motors, if they are 50 hz will run faster here, but should not 
be affected by the frequency difference as far as overheating is 
concerned. The inverters, on the other hand won't even know the 
difference, as they rectify the incoming power to D.C. and then convert 
to variable freq/3 phase from that.
As far as moving...what kind of duty do they charge to import the tools? 
Who knows what the markets will be like by fall...replacement here might 
be a better deal or a horrendous one. Sometimes better the devil you 
know. If your equipment is your source of income, I would most likely 
bring all that I needed to earn my keep. Startup can be a rpita
Good luck

-- 
Paul Sperbeck  WB9HCO

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