What makes electric motors in the uk run on 240volts and not on 110 volts and can I change it?

Question

What makes electric motors in the uk run on 240volts and not on 110 volts and can I change it

Answer 1

It is in the design of the motor, number of windings, placement and orientation of magnets, etc that sets its voltage. If you plugged in your 240 motor to 110 in the US it will turn much more slowly, draw a lot more current and burn up quite quickly.

If it is a small motor you could get a step-up, or step-down (depends on which way you are going) transformer. These transformers get pretty large for any device that pulls much current.

A problem you cannot overcome is the 60Hz of the US vs the 50Hz of the UK, so even if the voltage is corrected you still have the incorrect frequency which will make things like tape recorders and VCRs work improperly.

Best bet is to buy a device that is designed to work everywhere or one specific to the country where you are going to use it.

Mike

Answer 2

no count number if that's a classic AC one hundred ten volt motor, reversing the leads might desire to make it run any opposite direction. at the instant you have a "warm" and a "impartial" cord going to the motor. swap the wires so as that the "warm" is going the place the "impartial" used to pass and vice-a-versa. you do no longer might desire to p.c. out that's which, only swap them. be careful. some home equipment have a chasis floor that's imperative with the impartial. in case you opposite the leads to that kind of equipment then that's possible to reason a quick to floor which will holiday regardless of breaker you optimistically have, or it may charge the chasis so as which you will possibly be electricuted by touching the utilizing and a few floor like a water pipe.

Answer 3

Having read some answers this factual one will probably be dismissed, but here goes.
The higher the voltage the higher the load for the same size conductor. Or.- Halve the voltage and double the cable size for the same load.
The first method uses less copper, less cable structure and less volt drop for a given load,
Which ever way you cut it, 240 volts is the most efficient means of transmission.
Safety remains the same.

Answer 4

One huge difference that makes UK equipment hard to convert to run off US 110v is that the UK gets 13A at 240v so they can get about 3.1kW but the US system can only supply about 1.65kW.

One thing I really miss about the UK is decently powerful domestic electrical equipment. Most of the world uses 220-240v.

Answer 5

the u.k was engineered to provide 240V just like their cars were designed for right hand drive, or their light bulb switches turn on in the opposite direction from that of america. you can't change it but you could purchase a step down transformer, thier appliances will work just fine