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Re: Electrical Power in Australia and NZ

I live in the US, where we have 120V 60 cycle electrical power. What

>is used in Australia and NZ? Is it 240V 50, as in most of Europe, or >something else? My laptop can use either, and I have a plug converter >for Australia, but do I also need a transformer?

Yes it's 240 VAC, 50 Hz nominal. The variance is generally specified to be

+/- 10 VAC so in reality the nominal voltage, depending where you are and what sort of loads are on the local supply grid, will be anywhere between 230 and 250 VAC.

If your laptop has a power supply that works with both supply types, all you need is the right mains cord with an Australian 3-pin plug to connect your laptop to an Australian GPO (general purpose outlet).

Also will my US-to-Australia plug connector work in NZ, or do I need a >different one there?

I believe the voltage in NZ is the same as here, but the plug is different. Might be wrong.

Craig.

--
Craig Dewick - HO-Scale Railway Modeller and Professional Train Manager at
http://lios.apana.org.au/~craigd or craigd@lios.apana.org.au if you\'re game!
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Reply to
C. Dewick
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Plug is the same in NZ and Aus.

Reply to
PeeKay

No, in NZ the plug is the same as used in Australia, and, to be pedantic, the voltage is 230V +/-6% 50Hz.

-- Regards Malcolm Remove sharp objects to get a valid e-mail address

Reply to
Malcolm Moore

indeed. although +/- 6% is laughable when at the end of a long dangly wire. back in my videogame days in the 80s we used 2kVA 10% or 15% boost autotransformers to drive the arcade games in places like murupara, where I have measured line voltages as low as 180Vrms

Cheers Terry

Reply to
Terry Given

Ah, but the regulations actually say

53 (1) (b) Except for momentary fluctuations, must be kept within 6% of that voltage.

They don't define 'momentary', but it is well known that in Murupara time is measured on a different (slower) scale. So therefore 'momentary' also has a meaning that covers the situation you experienced :-)

-- Regards Malcolm Remove sharp objects to get a valid e-mail address

Reply to
Malcolm Moore

Thanks very much. Anyone know for sure about NZ?

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Ken Blake
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Reply to
Ken Blake

whereas in Aus it is 240V +/- 6% 50Hz

Reply to
rebel

Thanks very much.

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Ken Blake
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Reply to
Ken Blake

Yes, thanks, I know. As I said, I have an adapter.

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Ken Blake
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Reply to
Ken Blake

To be really pedantic, Aus has harmonised it's voltage with the Europeans and your supply is now specified as 230V +10%-6%, the same as the UK. The practical effect at present is zilch and your nominal supply remains 240V, but the lower limit of acceptable is now 216V. See

and for how one supply authority handles it, see page eight of

By contrast, NZ has always been 230V.

-- Regards Malcolm Remove sharp objects to get a valid e-mail address

Reply to
Malcolm Moore

LOL :)

(and momentary in that case was a few years)

Cheers Terry

Reply to
Terry Given

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