Old voltages in Europe

[Kiwick]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

The best of the European power outlet systems is probably the German "Schuko". Also used by France and others. Good reliable connector, not too big.

I HATE schuko plugs!!!! the EU is forcing Italy to adopt Schuko plugs even for small appliances as a replacement for our old national plugs which were small and flat much like US plugs but with 3 round inline prongs (two for unearthed appliances)

You can put just one Schuko socket in a wall box that would accomodate three smaller Italian sockets and this fact alone SUCKS

Also Schukos can be damn hard to plug and unplug which can be a problem especially with elderly people.

In fact, i use Schukos only with large appliances like ovens and washers, otherwise when i get a small appliance fitted with a Schuko plug i just cut it off and replace it with an Italian plug

[Reece]

I'm not a fan of those Schukos, either. I know they're very safe being recessed but they are kinda clunky.

[Telecolor 3007]

Originally Posted by Kiwick

I HATE schuko plugs!!!! the EU is forcing Italy to adopt Schuko plugs even for small appliances as a replacement for our old national plugs which were small and flat much like US plugs but with 3 round inline prongs (two for unearthed appliances)

You can put just one Schuko socket in a wall box that would accomodate three smaller Italian sockets and this fact alone SUCKS

Also Schukos can be damn hard to plug and unplug which can be a problem especially with elderly people.

In fact, i use Schukos only with large appliances like ovens and washers, otherwise when i get a small appliance fitted with a Schuko plug i just cut it off and replace it with an Italian plug

In Romania you rarley find nowdays non-schucko plugs for sale. The funny thing is that in old buldings in alsmost usless to put schuko plugs since no grounding is avaible.

[Reece]

Here's a description of the Schuko plug system.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi..._annotated.png

[Telecolor 3007]

But who used 180 V in Europe?

[Penthode]

Toronto Canada until the early 50's was 25Hz. Niagara power from the late 1890's through to the early 50's was 50Hz to Toronto. Older Canadian radios and very early Canadian television had massive power transformers with lots of copper and iron to accommodate the low frequency. Old timers remember the flicker of incandescent bulbs. (Flourescent lights at 25Hz must have been a nightmare!)

I found an interesting website discussing the recently closed Rankine 25Hz generator: it ran until 2005! Here is the link:

http://192.197.62.35/staff/mcsele/Rankine.html

[Telecolor 3007]

But in the rest of Canada you had 60 Hz?

[TV-collector]

Germany had, for example in the old town area of Düsseldorf, just after the
war 110 Volts DC.
This is told by an old radioman.
In the area I am living, I did find many years ago a 1938 NORA radio with original box -condition as new- switched on 115 Volts AC.
They didn`t know how to change it to 220 Volts and placed it on the attic.
Several areas of Germany had several voltages.
AC/DC sets were still common up to the mid 50s.
So it is easy to use them also in other countries.

best regards,

TV-Collector