110v carpentry tools in Australia 249

On Sun, 21 May 2006 18:11:37 +0100, Laura

Firstly, this is a bit confusing to me, as was pretty sure that the UK and Australia both use 240 volt RMS 50 Hz.

The USA uses 120 V RMS 60 Hz

As to plugs and sockets:

-------------------------------------------------- BRITISH STANDARD (240VAC-50Hz) British Standard BS 1363 requires use of a 3-wire grounded and fused plug for all connections to the power mains (including Clbutt II, two wire appliances) British power outlets incorporate shutters on line and neutral contacts to prevent someone from pushing a foreign object into the socket. The plug is rated at 3-13 amps, depending on the fuse. BS 1363 was published in 1962 and since that time it has gradually replaced the earlier standard plugs and sockets (BS 546). It's used throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, Malaysia and also in Singapore.

AUSTRALIA (240VAC-50Hz) Australiaâs standard plug-socket system is described in SAA document AS 3112 and is used in applications up to 10 amps. A plug-socket configuration with rating at 15 amps (ground pin is larger) is available. A plug and socket rated at 20 amps (all three pins are larger) are available on special order. The Australian system is also standard in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Although there are slight differences, the Australian plug mates with the socket used in the Peoples Republic of China (Mainland China)

So the basic standards of voltage and frequency seem the same, so don't know where the 110 volts comes in unless you are using 120 volt tools on a 240 volt supply with the aid of a transformer.

For the above, & photos of plugs and sockets, see

As will see from above, British sockets are shuttered. Australian sockets are not, but they do have a switch. Neither plugs nor sockets are normally fused except by the switchboard feeding their particular circuit, of course.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what a "site agent" is, unless some sort of a safety inspector on a construction site. :-)

I can see no physical difficulty in using either a different plug or a simple plug change on the lead to the transformer primary.

However, unlike the UK, Australia has several seperate states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory.

Going from one state to another would be like going from one country to another in Europe.

As one example, the railway gauges aren't even standard. Queensland uses 3 foot six inch narrow gauge, such as is used in mine use in the USA. They thought it cheaper to install.

NSW uses "Standard Gauge" as does the USA of 4 feet 6 1-2 inches, which most of the world uses.

Victoria, however, thought that wide gauge of 5 foot 2 inches, as they thought it was more stable and the "gauge of the future".

South Australia goes back to standard gauge. So, up until a few years ago, trains stopped at each border and both pbuttengers, baggage, and cargo changed trains.

In NSW, there are several sizes of standard beer glbuttes: 5 oz {"ladies waist' , 10 ounce "middy, 15 ounce "schooner" and 20 ounce "pint".

Go up to Queensland or down to Victora, and both sizes and names change. :-)

Suppose you have a canning company in NSW producing canned tomatoes? If just want to sell in NSW, fine. If want to sell in any other state, the labelling requirements change.

It is only in the last decade or so that traffic laws were reasonably standardized...but only "reasonably", as there are still some variations.

So, with these examples, you can see that I cannot answer your question reqarding "site agents" whatever they are let alone electrical rules and regulations in each state or even locality!

As to the transformer, it depends on the current it will handle and what you are trying to run off it.

I haven't checked on the other posts yet, but would suspect that you might be better off to either check the regs in the states etc where you plan to work, or just plan on buying new power tools. They may be cheaper here than there anyway, but you might want to check on this as well.

There are lots of little traps for visitors, migrants, etc. For example, in the USA 120 volts 60 Hz is standard, and would advise any American migrating here to simply buy new items, as transformer large enough to handle the current needed for an electric cooker is simply too expensive.

Since don't know who might be reading this post will also mention television standards. The US uses the obsolete 530 line NTSC standard. Australia and most of the rest of the world uses the modern 625 line PAL system, except France and some of their colonies which uses SECAM.

Channel frequencies also vary. Is it possible to convert one to another? Probably, but will probably cost a lot more than just buying a new set.

American cars have left hand drive, the driver sits on the left. In Australia, this is reversed. Possible to convert? Maybe, but usually not worth it.

In other words, things are often a lot more "standard" in England and the US than they are in Australia.

Computer gear, fortunately, is more standard. However, if planning on bringing or picking up the latest camera or video on the way, you might want check if it uses special batteries...as once you get out of the major capital cities, don't expect them to be available.

Thinking of bringing a new computer controlled car? Advise you check where the dealers are here if you plan to be far from a dealership, for they can only usually be diagnosed or serviced by dealers. So if, say, you are a 1000 km from the nearest dealer in Sydney and there is a minor fault, then plan to put it on a truck and have it shipped there and back...which is expensive.

Hope some of this will be of help.

In pbutting, slang also differs a lot. I usually try to post in reasonably standard English or American, and don't always manage this.

Cheers,

Cheers