How do we know when 120V US socket strip can handle Europe 240V?
 

On Sunday, May 18, 2014 1:53:37 PM UTC-7, Jessie Williams wrote:


...the US power strip will "see"
the full 240 volts of the European wall outlet.

But, I can't find any power strips at Home Depot or Lowes or Ace that
"says" it can handle the 240 volts.

No,m of course not; that's because there's no approved way (and
no fire-code permission) to put 240VAC onto any three-prong 120VAC
receptacle. The presumption is that someone would plug a
120VAC appliance into that socket, and cause a hazard.

It's impossible to make a permissive label without making
some kind of conribution to such hazard, so there'll be no label.
It would probably work, though, and one could test, or inspect, or
modify any number of items to achieve the desired result.

How do we know when 120V US socket strip can handle Europe 240V?
 

"whit3rd"

But, I can't find any power strips at Home Depot or Lowes or Ace that
"says" it can handle the 240 volts.

No,of course not; that's because there's no approved way (and
no fire-code permission) to put 240VAC onto any three-prong 120VAC
receptacle. The presumption is that someone would plug a
120VAC appliance into that socket, and cause a hazard.

It's impossible to make a permissive label without making
some kind of conribution to such hazard, so there'll be no label.


** The bigger hazard is that of electric shock to the user.

A regular two prong US 120V plug is not finger safe ( for small hands and
fingers ) when partially inserted.

At 240V this is a big no no.



..... Phil

How do we know when 120V US socket strip can handle Europe 240V?
 

whit3rd wrote:

No,m of course not; that's because there's no approved way (and
no fire-code permission) to put 240VAC onto any three-prong 120VAC
receptacle. The presumption is that someone would plug a
120VAC appliance into that socket, and cause a hazard.

When I lived in the US, you could buy three prong 240 volt 15 amp plugs
for electronic equipment. They looked like regular plugs except the hot
and neutral pins were horizontal.

Outlet strips were available, but they were metal with phenolic sockets,
designed to be used in equipment cabinets, not the cheap plastic ones
that abound now.


There were also special 20 and 30 amp plugs for dryers and air conditioners.

Up until sometime in the 1970's you could buy a 230 volt clothes dryer
with a 120 volt timer and motor. The 120 volt parts were wired between
one of the phases and ground.

Geoff.
--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, N3OWJ/4X1GM/KBUH7245/KBUW5379