4 ms·

I'm in Australia, and our power supply is 230V AC (+/- 6%) (240V was the standard before 2000, but is still within the acceptable limits). Most power outlets ar

I'm in Australia, and our power supply is 230V AC (+/- 6%) (240V was the standard before 2000, but is still within the acceptable limits). Most power outlets are 10A (max ~2300W) but I also have two 15A sockets in my house for the air conditioners (3450W - I also use one to power my coffee machine, which pulls 3200W when warming up!), and could theoretically get a 20A socket (4600W) installed. With an industrial outlet, you can get single phase power of up to 32A (7360W), but I doubt most electricians would install that for you at a house.

nwh 14y ago
Oddly enough, I've got a 32A socket hooked up to a water pump. I'm not entirely sure why the electrician installed in, there's no way the pump draws more than an ampere or two. Thanks for explaining the 240/230v difference, I'd always wondered why it existed.
- Tuna-Fish 14y ago
  And some parts of EU still actually have 220V. There's no major practical difference between 220V/230V/240V, it's just that different parts of the world came up with slightly different standards. As standardization has progressed, now all of EU is on a nominal 230V ± 6% 50Hz -- in practice the countries are still supplying their old voltages. 230 is presently 220 in Hungary and 240 in UK. Since both are within the mandated 6%, this doesn't cause problems. Eventually, as parts of the grid are serviced and replaced, it will be transformed into unified 230V.
  - glogla 14y ago
    Also lot of electronics nowadays uses switched-mode supply so it doesn't really matter all that much.
plaguuuuuu 14y ago
Seriously? Which machine is that?
- leoc 14y ago
  It's not that amazing. Any decent $60 kettle in the UK will do 3000W these days http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?&field-keywords=3000w+kettle http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?&field-keywor... (viz. the electrical consumption surges during TV ad breaks http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560 ).
- stephen_g 14y ago
  It's a used commercial 2 group machine. I got it for less than $1000 and it makes better coffee than the $2000-$3000 automatic domestic machines in the shops. It is a little cumbersome though (had to plumb it to a tank, etc) A bit like this one: http://www.cafeideas.com.au/product.asp?pID=3620&cID=211 http://www.cafeideas.com.au/product.asp?pID=3620&cID=211
  - plaguuuuuu 14y ago
    Not bad! I'm after an espresso machine myself in Sydney. Never thought of looking for ex-commercial stuff.

nwh 14y ago

Oddly enough, I've got a 32A socket hooked up to a water pump. I'm not entirely sure why the electrician installed in, there's no way the pump draws more than an ampere or two. Thanks for explaining the 240/230v difference, I'd always wondered why it existed.

Tuna-Fish 14y ago
And some parts of EU still actually have 220V. There's no major practical difference between 220V/230V/240V, it's just that different parts of the world came up with slightly different standards. As standardization has progressed, now all of EU is on a nominal 230V ± 6% 50Hz -- in practice the countries are still supplying their old voltages. 230 is presently 220 in Hungary and 240 in UK. Since both are within the mandated 6%, this doesn't cause problems. Eventually, as parts of the grid are serviced and replaced, it will be transformed into unified 230V.
- glogla 14y ago
  Also lot of electronics nowadays uses switched-mode supply so it doesn't really matter all that much.

plaguuuuuu 14y ago

Seriously? Which machine is that?

leoc 14y ago
It's not that amazing. Any decent $60 kettle in the UK will do 3000W these days http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?&field-keywords=3000w+kettle http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?&field-keywor... (viz. the electrical consumption surges during TV ad breaks http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5018560 ).
stephen_g 14y ago
It's a used commercial 2 group machine. I got it for less than $1000 and it makes better coffee than the $2000-$3000 automatic domestic machines in the shops. It is a little cumbersome though (had to plumb it to a tank, etc) A bit like this one: http://www.cafeideas.com.au/product.asp?pID=3620&cID=211 http://www.cafeideas.com.au/product.asp?pID=3620&cID=211
- plaguuuuuu 14y ago
  Not bad! I'm after an espresso machine myself in Sydney. Never thought of looking for ex-commercial stuff.