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What are the details about the difference between USA and European Electrical systems?
More precisely, USA has 110V to L1 and 0V to L2 and Earth/Ground on the third prong. Is Europe 220V to L1 and 0V to L2 or 110V to both L1 and L2? And if the later is the third prong used for both neutral and ground? I am just trying to understand the converter issues. My wife says that a small converter for a laptop would not work for a hair dryer. That just doesn't make sense to me.
Let me be more specific about the laptop/hairdrier. I was told the converter that would be used to plug the laptop cord into would not work as a converter for a hair drier. Why would that be a problem. If the output is 110V US why would it matter if on had higher wattage usage?
2 Answers
- SthlmLv 68 years agoFavorite Answer
Typically in Europe, 3 phase, 230 V AC is delivered to buildings. 230 V is the nominal voltage between one of the phases and the neutral conductor. Just like in the US, a standard outlet only has one phase, the second conductor being neutral and the optional third earth. The voltage between two phases is 400 V. In the US where nominal voltage now is 120 V, voltage between two phases in a standard 3 phase system is 208 V.
- LesusLv 78 years ago
I'm not sure but I think if they used two opposite phase 110V wires like we do in the US, then it would be easy to provide 110V outlets along with 220. The laptop adapter won't work for a hair dryer because a hair dryer usually takes 1000-1500 watts.
