Buying item from abroad with different plug type - any potential issues?

krish123

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2012
59
1
18,545
Visit site
Hi Guys,

i was just wondering if it would be ok to purchase an item from abroad (europe) with a different plug type to ours. Is there any issues in purchasing abroad. is it as simple as using an adapter to ensure the item works fine in the uk ?

iv seen a couple of streamers for sale abroad (this one from Germany) and just wanted to know if it will be fine to use here in the UK
 

cheeseboy

New member
Jul 17, 2012
245
1
0
Visit site
so long as the device can take 240v, then the plug is just an adapter, so can be changed or different lead purchased. A lot of electrical equipment can now take dual 110v (us) and 240v (europe) which is nice.

One thing to be aware of though is the guarantee - You may have to return it to the point of origin if anything goes wrong.
 

davedotco

New member
Apr 24, 2013
20
1
0
Visit site
Beware of the different voltage, europe is still typically 220v, the uk 240v. The EU spec is 230 v +/-5%, which effectively allows everyone to continue as before.

Generally the effect is minimal, but I have heard of amplifiers pulling power beyond their capabilities from uk 240 v supplies and breaking down, but you should be fine with a streamer.
 

davedotco

New member
Apr 24, 2013
20
1
0
Visit site
krish123 said:
thanks for the quick replies, the streamer is Marantz NA s 11. How can i check these figures to see if it will be ok to use in the UK?

Try and find a german (?) manual online. It is very unlikely that it will be an issue with such a device.

Alternatively email Marantz in the UK and tell them you are moving to the uk from europe. Give them the model number and ask if it will be an issue.
 

Vladimir

New member
Dec 26, 2013
220
7
0
Visit site
Not recommended for big power users such as amplifiers. You will need a pretty robust adapter for no change in performance. If the amplifier power consumption is rated at 500W max. the adapter should be capable to deliver it with extra headroom.
 

unsleepable

New member
Dec 25, 2013
6
0
0
Visit site
I don't think any of the big brand names currently makes products with different power supplies for the UK and the rest of Europe—not even for power amplifiers.

As for the Marantz, could it be the NA-11S1? If so, the user guides in both the UK and the German web site state that it requires AC 230 V, 50/60 Hz—so the same.
 

andyjm

New member
Jul 20, 2012
15
3
0
Visit site
davedotco said:
Beware of the different voltage, europe is still typically 220v, the uk 240v. The EU spec is 230 v +/-5%, which effectively allows everyone to continue as before.

Generally the effect is minimal, but I have heard of amplifiers pulling power beyond their capabilities from uk 240 v supplies and breaking down, but you should be fine with a streamer.

Dave, you do check this stuff before you post?

Europe was nominally 220V, the UK 240v, so the UK standard was fluffed to be 230V +10% -6%, which is where it stands today. Not 230V +/-5%.

As for amps blowing up with UK power supplies, quite possible if they were designed for 110V, no chance if they were designed for European 230V.
 

davedotco

New member
Apr 24, 2013
20
1
0
Visit site
andyjm said:
davedotco said:
Beware of the different voltage, europe is still typically 220v, the uk 240v. The EU spec is 230 v +/-5%, which effectively allows everyone to continue as before.

Generally the effect is minimal, but I have heard of amplifiers pulling power beyond their capabilities from uk 240 v supplies and breaking down, but you should be fine with a streamer.

Dave, you do check this stuff before you post?

Europe was nominally 220V, the UK 240v, so the UK standard was fluffed to be 230V +10% -6%, which is where it stands today. Not 230V +/-5%.

As for amps blowing up with UK power supplies, quite possible if they were designed for 110V, no chance if they were designed for European 230V.

In this case clearly not. I posted from memory which is, as always, fallible. I stand corrected and suitably chastised.

The 230v European rating is a real nonsense though, my valve amplifier used in the uk on 240v sounds considerably better than it did on my typically 217v spanish supply, no amount of rebiasing could retrieve the lost performance. A PS Audio mains regenerator was used to check, the differences were quite noticeable.
 

andyjm

New member
Jul 20, 2012
15
3
0
Visit site
davedotco said:
andyjm said:
davedotco said:
Beware of the different voltage, europe is still typically 220v, the uk 240v. The EU spec is 230 v +/-5%, which effectively allows everyone to continue as before.

Generally the effect is minimal, but I have heard of amplifiers pulling power beyond their capabilities from uk 240 v supplies and breaking down, but you should be fine with a streamer.

Dave, you do check this stuff before you post?

Europe was nominally 220V, the UK 240v, so the UK standard was fluffed to be 230V +10% -6%, which is where it stands today. Not 230V +/-5%.

As for amps blowing up with UK power supplies, quite possible if they were designed for 110V, no chance if they were designed for European 230V.

In this case clearly not. I posted from memory which is, as always, fallible. I stand corrected and suitably chastised.

The 230v European rating is a real nonsense though, my valve amplifier used in the uk on 240v sounds considerably better than it did on my typically 217v spanish supply, no amount of rebiasing could retrieve the lost performance. A PS Audio mains regenerator was used to check, the differences were quite noticeable.

My mains at home is 252V ( I am in rural location and fed from a micky mouse transformer up a pole). This is a long way above 220V. Power is a voltage squared thing so a 10% increase in voltage is a 21% increase in power. Most things around a house aren't that sensitive to input voltage, but filament bulbs are. Increasing the voltage can significantly reduce their service life. Mine seem to blow all the time.

Your amp should have been able to cope with low input voltage, but there is a tendency with valve amps to try to keep the valve count down, so perhaps it was more sensitive to mains levels than a tranny amp would be. In tranny amps, given the low price of semiconductors, the designer could afford to have more sophisticated biasing and compensation cricuitry in the amp internals.
 

Vladimir

New member
Dec 26, 2013
220
7
0
Visit site
andyjm said:
My mains at home is 252V ( I am in rural location and fed from a micky mouse transformer up a pole). This is a long way above 220V. Power is a voltage squared thing so a 10% increase in voltage is a 21% increase in power. Most things around a house aren't that sensitive to input voltage, but filament bulbs are. Increasing the voltage can significantly reduce their service life. Mine seem to blow all the time.

Exact same situation here. Although there are plenty of houses, they are mostly turist and weekend houses, unpopulated on work days and crowded on weekends, so the voltage is nasty high or nasty low as people come and go. When I remove the AVR before the amplifier, I get much more rollercoaster dynamic peaks with music. There is no soft start and line transformer before the main transformer inside the Roksan. Whatever nasties come in, the transformer needs to endure.

Not sure if I should keep the AVR (cheap relay one that switches windings) or just plug in directly, or get a UPS... (any recommendations?) I haven't checked for DC in the mains since my multimeter is rubbish. Only on 2 ocassions in one year it happend for me to hear a hum from the transf. but I'm guessing high voltage is to blame.

BTW the transformer on a pole here is rated for 600A (120kW-150kW), I think. One of these.

Pylvasmuuntaja.jpg


I guess it could be worse.

20368787-old-transformer-on-electric-pole.jpg
 

krish123

Well-known member
Feb 20, 2012
59
1
18,545
Visit site
unsleepable said:
I don't think any of the big brand names currently makes products with different power supplies for the UK and the rest of Europe—not even for power amplifiers.

As for the Marantz, could it be the NA-11S1? If so, the user guides in both the UK and the German web site state that it requires AC 230 V, 50/60 Hz—so the same.

Yes the NA -S11, ok so does that mean i will be fine just using a standard european adapter?

I have also posed this question to MArantz and am currently waiting for a response but it looks like iit should be fine.
 

Waxy

New member
May 15, 2014
19
0
0
Visit site
...via a well known auction site. It's an Onkyo P3000R pre-amp, rated at 230V. I checked with Onkyo that it would be OK in the UK (which it is). Also, the seller dispatched it with a UK plug. *biggrin*

Also useful was the Onkyo website for an English version of the manual!
 

Vladimir

New member
Dec 26, 2013
220
7
0
Visit site
Waxy said:
...via a well known auction site. It's an Onkyo P3000R pre-amp, rated at 230V. I checked with Onkyo that it would be OK in the UK (which it is). Also, the seller dispatched it with a UK plug. *biggrin*

Also useful was the Onkyo website for an English version of the manual!

onkyoprepowercombo_141247419710_640x360.jpg
 

relocated

New member
Jan 20, 2012
74
0
0
Visit site
Andyjm and Vlad,

Have you considered a voltage regulator on the main house supply?

Our supply is via a tin can on a pole and was well over 250V even though most of the houses here are first homes. Had a 220V regulator installed to cover the whole house, except cooker circuit and shower circuits, and almost everything works perfectly. The only things that were a bit sub-standard were old cfl bulbs but modern ones produce a nicer light so that wasn't too painful to replace. House electrics protected with no discernable downside and a bit of an electricity saving to eventually pay for the thing.
 

andyjm

New member
Jul 20, 2012
15
3
0
Visit site
I have an APC UPS that keeps the stuff in my office going (I work from home), a big old 17KW Perkins diesel generator for the inevitable 'tree through the overhead cables' winter power cut, and I rely on the designers of the equipment I own to make sure their stuff works OK with the UK mains supply - which is usually pretty good.

For those of you in the UK with any interest in the subject, we have gone from being a country with a mains supply system the envy of the world, to a country that relies upon the largesse of the French and Dutch supply networks to keep our lights burning. Ask your MP why 10 years ago when engineers were telling him (or her) that power stations took 10 years to build and that we were in danger of running out of power in 10 years when our old stations reached the end of their life, that he supported the building of wind turbines. Then ask him what happens when the wind doesn't blow.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts