Using non Thai electric appliances here

[Spitfire]

Just a question on the voltage and amp level here in Thailand.

I'm aware that it's pretty much 220 volts here but not sure exactly what the amp level is in general household electricity.

I know US appliances are often 110 volts and get fried here easily, so shouldn't be used or should be very careful with them.

UK voltage is 240 and the Mrs made me buy an electric blanket for her when last in the UK for the cold season here (embarrassing, ridiculous and funny, I know).

Question is, can I use it with just a plug adapter that has an earth socket because the voltage is only slightly lower here so it shouldn't get fried....or do I need a voltage adapter to change the current?

Can't seem to get a definitive straight answer from searches I've done (probably not looking in the right places) but the ones I've found seem to imply that it should be OK as the appliances are designed to have some spare room for voltage fluctuation on either side of the voltage level designated. Just want to check on here as there will be some knowledgable folks about this sort of stuff on here and it's not something to get wrong.

for any answers.

[splitlid]

No problem at all, I have many appliances from the UK and Aus.
Never, have I had any issues, just either changed the plug or used an adaptor brought from any of the many 'crap shops' dotted around town.

[Spitfire]

Cheers Splitlid.

Seems 23 degrees C is too cold for her......lol

[Terry]

I have a 'heat blanket' - the small type used for muscle sprain etc.

This is probably nearer to the type of equipment that you refer to.

Bought in the UK about 10 years ago by a buddy of mine when they were a little difficult to get here.

Just changed the plug and used it safely ever since

[Nereus]

I'm aware that it's pretty much 220 volts here but not sure exactly what the amp level is in general household electricity.

Only the supply voltage is "pretty much" 220 volts. The amps, or current flow, depends on many variables, including the voltage, amongst them.

While it is correct to say that your electric blanket will work ok here, it does not apply to many other appliances. Your blanket is a plain "resistive" load, just like an old type light bulb, and will not be affected. Other appliances, particularly those with motor type windings in them, may not be so happy.

With USA appliances not only is the voltage different, but also the AC frequency. While it is relatively simple to change the voltage with a transformer, the frequency can not be changed without some expensive kit.

It may be cheaper to sleep closer together!

[Dannie Boy]

This will hopefully put your mind at ease.

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 unify 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).

The standard nominal supply voltage in domestic single-phase 50 Hz installations in the UK is still 240 V AC (RMS), but since 1 January 1995 (Electricity Supply Regulations, SI 1994, No. 3021) this has an asymmetric voltage tolerance of 230 V+10%−6% (253–216.2 V), which covers the same voltage range as continental 220 V supplies to the new unified 230 V standard. This was supposed to be widened to 230 V ±10% (253–207 V), but the time of this change has been put back repeatedly and as of December 2012 there is no definitive date.[7] The old standard was 240 V ±6% (254.4–225.6 V), which is mostly contained within the new range, and so in practice suppliers have had no reason to actually change voltages.

[hhfarang]

I've used U.S. "appliances" including stereo equipment and computer peripheral devices (using a U.S. 110 volt sound system on my computer right now), with no problems as long as I have a simple voltage step down converter between them and the wall socket.

[Big Boy]

I'm still using quite a few devices brought with us from the UK 2.5 years ago including:

- PS3
- Electric Drill
- Battery Charger
- Laptop Charger
- Stereo System
- Vacuum Cleaner
- Sandwich Toaster

There are other things that I can't think of at the moment.

[oakdale160]

I use an electric shaver bought in Canada. I have a simple voltage changer, bought in an electronic mall, when I did forget and plugged it in without the adapter it fried the charger but not the shaver.

[Lung Per]

I use an electric shaver bought in Canada. I have a simple voltage changer, bought in an electronic mall, when I did forget and plugged it in without the adapter it fried the charger but not the shaver.

I use a razor. Needs no electricity, no converters, no transformers. Easy to use, quite inexpensive.

[caller]

I thought a lot of UK appliances now had variable voltages? Maybe that's what Dannie Boy means above - too technical for me, although I like the idea of a volt adaptor. I've never had any issues using appliances or chargers anywhere.

[Nereus]

As I have posted on other threads, the distribution system used in Thailand, the UK, Australia and many other countries, uses 3 phases and a neutral for consumer use. The supply is distributed as just the 3 phases at a voltage much higher than required by the end user, mostly for efficiency reasons.

The voltage is then reduced with transformers for consumer use. The universal method of connecting the secondary (low voltage) side of the transformer is referred to as "star", or "Y".

This configuration results in the phase to phase voltage, at the end of each arm of the "star", becoming the voltage you will run 3 phase equipment on. The "neutral" connection is taken from the "star point", or centre of the "Y". The single phase voltage used in your house is taken from the end of one arm of the "star", and the neutral. This may be from only 1 phase, or from each seperate phase, depending on the load, and will be seperate circuits if more than 1 phase is used.

This voltage is set by a well established fact of physics, and can ONLY be 1.732 of the phase to phase voltage. So for a 415 volt 3 phase transformer, the single phase voltage is 239.60, or 240 volts. For a 440 volt 3 phase supply it will be 254 volts for 1 phase, and so on and so on.

So regardless of what may have been decided in Europe, the single phase voltage is entirely dependent on the 3 phase supply voltage, and the agreement has to be based on that fact. Which is more than likely why there is no agreement!

[cookie102]

We sold a lot of industrial equipment from the UK to Thailand in both single and three phaze in 50 cycles and never had any problems. We also sold to the US and had many problems because they run on 60 cycles which means the motors we were supplying were running 20% faster and this problem could reverse with products from the US as on Thai electric supply, which would mean if it entailed a motor it would be running 20% slower and cause overheating, and further to burn out. There would be other factors to take into consideration such as the category as the windings of the motors.
I hope that I have bored you sufficiently but basically from the UK would be fine.

[caller]

I haven't got a clue as to how the supply of leccy is broken down, but I do know that I bought a new electric shaver today and it states, '100-240 volts' and can be used anywhere and everywhere. This seems to be the case on most new appliances.

[Lung Per]

fine-transferable-in-the-event-of-death.jpg (9.68 KiB) Viewed 603 times

As I have posted on other threads, the distribution system used in Thailand, the UK, Australia and many other countries, uses 3 phases and a neutral for consumer use. The supply is distributed as just the 3 phases at a voltage much higher than required by the end user, mostly for efficiency reasons.

The voltage is then reduced with transformers for consumer use. The universal method of connecting the secondary (low voltage) side of the transformer is referred to as "star", or "Y".

This configuration results in the phase to phase voltage, at the end of each arm of the "star", becoming the voltage you will run 3 phase equipment on. The "neutral" connection is taken from the "star point", or centre of the "Y". The single phase voltage used in your house is taken from the end of one arm of the "star", and the neutral. This may be from only 1 phase, or from each seperate phase, depending on the load, and will be seperate circuits if more than 1 phase is used.

This voltage is set by a well established fact of physics, and can ONLY be 1.732 of the phase to phase voltage. So for a 415 volt 3 phase transformer, the single phase voltage is 239.60, or 240 volts. For a 440 volt 3 phase supply it will be 254 volts for 1 phase, and so on and so on.

So regardless of what may have been decided in Europe, the single phase voltage is entirely dependent on the 3 phase supply voltage, and the agreement has to be based on that fact. Which is more than likely why there is no agreement!