Aussie Mains Voltage

Hi All,

Heard the the Aussie Mains voltage is now down to 230V ac "nominal".

Can some confirm?

Is there an Australian Government document or standard what refers to 230V ac as the nominal standard?

Yes, I know the voltage varies aong the supply distribution lines..... I more after an offiical doc or confirmation.

Thnaks in Advance Joe

Reply to
Joe G (Home)
Loading thread data ...

Oh... sorry, I fomd this on the 1st google search

formatting link

The Australian Govenment ACMA web site says nominal 240Vac

formatting link

Joe

Reply to
Joe G (Home)

AS 60038 is the standard you are after. Nominal voltage for Australia is

230/400 V +10% -6%.

In Sydney, Energy Australia network standards still spec 240V +/-6% (226-254V) as a nominal ten minute average to 95% customers 95% of the time, with allowable fluctuations of +/-10% (216-264V).

Currently my mains voltage (Sydney) is 257V as measured on my Fluke 175.

David

Reply to
David

Yes, this was mentioned in the March Silicon Chip Mailbag.

Just measured mine. 241.0V to 242.6V over the span of several minutes, Hills district Sydney.

Dave.

Reply to
David L. Jones

"David"

** Currently = 7:33 pm on a cool Friday evening.

So THAT is waaayyyy too high !!!!!

Your Fluke 175 is badly in need of re-calibration OR you are in a massive HOT SPOT for AC voltage.

Like Perth,WA - after midnight.

Bulbs will blow.....

...... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

That's the way it is in some areas. I had only heard about it (and didn't believe it) till I actually measured it at a friend's place.

Scary.

Though, if you're in suburban Somewhere, you're unlikely to see such variations. My UPS only rarely whines even if I have the voltage limits set tight.

--
Linux Registered User # 302622
Reply to
John Tserkezis

I am in Perth, about 200m from a mast top transformer. I have the digital Western Power meter that shows the voltage (and current) of each phase. The voltage is always around 249V in daytime. Never checked at night.

Tony

Reply to
TonyS

I thought the story was that in the early 1980s some committee came up with a 20 year plan to change to a nominal 230V all over the country, because 230V was more in line with international trading partners of that time. Perhaps they needed a 40 year plan, or maybe the whole idea was quietly forgotten at some point.

Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au

Reply to
Andy Wood

Sensibly, they realised that the extended life of a 50c light bulb was overshadowed by the decreased life of a $500+ refrigerator.

Or, at least, until we get overtaken by "international standardised" 230v gear to replace our "backyard defacto standard" 240v gear.

I think that it's recent enough that everyone remembers how many people were royally pissed off they had to replace their analogue phones with digital phones (at the user's cost of course) to go down that route again. Yes, I understand the carriers had to upgrade too, but they're the ones making the money remember?

And you're still wondering why digital TV is slow on the uptake?

--
Linux Registered User # 302622
Reply to
John Tserkezis

"Andy Wood"

** The only thing that committee did was change the percentage margins around the new nominal voltage of 230 to +10% and -6%. IIRC, previously the numbers were +6% and -10% around 240.

Works out virtually the same *actual* upper and lower limits on voltage.

Funny how incandescent light bulbs are still labelled as 240V.

.... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

1) Cost, and 2) "Isn't this the same crap I've already seen"
--
Once again, our prime minister Kevin Rudd brings stability to the nation
by reassurring the nation that one law still exists for the rich 
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
terryc

Very few countries used 230V.

Exactly the same trick was done in the UK to 'harmonise' us with Continental Europe where 220V was the norm.

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

Yes but the crap is much sharper and clearer and you get it in stereo.

Reply to
Davo

Right!. so that is what I don't understand ..... {:-).

--
Once again, our prime minister Kevin Rudd brings stability to the nation
by reassurring the nation that one law still exists for the rich 
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
terryc

Pixelation/drop outs excepted.

The analog system has also been stereo for a couple of decades. I guess you didn't notice.

MrT.

Reply to
Mr.T

The Fluke has just had NATA calibration, so is not out, and agrees with other meters. Voltage here tonight at 20:40 is 255V. We pretty much always have have hight mains voltages, and we aren't even close to the transformer. Location: Sydney, Hills district.

David

Reply to
David

Until about 1980 the standard voltage for WA was 254 Volts, then it was changed to 240 volts, now it's 230 Volts. Of course there's still a lot of supply transformers still set to the older voltages, plus there will be variations due to loads and where you are on the grid.

Reply to
Davo

A guy I worked with once helped develop Nicam as used in the UK.

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

Measured mine again (22:04):

237.9V to 240.9V over several minutes. Hills District as well, Crestwood.

Dave.

--------------------------------------------- Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:

formatting link

Reply to
David L. Jones

"David"

** That would only be known to you - d*****ad.

..... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.