European Power Standards
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frenchelectrican
Senior Member
- Location
- Nord'est Wisconsin et Paris France
There are few of the " European " standard i know the IEC is one of them and there are few other i don't have the list ATM but i think there is someone here have the listing here.,
I am sure someone will chime in with the rest of details. I oringally from France and we used the IEC , Electricque De France [ French Electrical Code very simuair to the NEC in North Americia used ] and few others anyway the standard common voltage is 240 volt Line to Netural and 415 volt Line to Line at 50 HZ -10% to +5% range.
Each European area it have own regulations they will varies a little depending on what location it will be used.
Merci, Marc
I am sure someone will chime in with the rest of details. I oringally from France and we used the IEC , Electricque De France [ French Electrical Code very simuair to the NEC in North Americia used ] and few others anyway the standard common voltage is 240 volt Line to Netural and 415 volt Line to Line at 50 HZ -10% to +5% range.
Each European area it have own regulations they will varies a little depending on what location it will be used.
Merci, Marc
frenchelectrican
Senior Member
- Location
- Nord'est Wisconsin et Paris France
R2EG said:
Thanks for letting me know the update info but do you have a link for the NFC15-100??
Merci,Marc
broadgage
Senior Member
- Location
- London, England
The nominal voltage throughout Europe is now 230 volts phase to neutral and 400 volts phase to phase.
In mainland Europe the actual measured voltage will often be nearer 220/380, and in the UK the actual measured voltage will often be nearer 240/415.
( these voltages used to be the nominal voltages, but in most cases the actual voltages were not altered when a nominal 230/400 was adopted throughout)
A few non standard supplies exist, including 3 phase four wire at 127/220 volts, 3 wire delta at 220 or 230 volts and 3 wire single phase at 240/480 volts. such supplies are now rare.
In mainland Europe the actual measured voltage will often be nearer 220/380, and in the UK the actual measured voltage will often be nearer 240/415.
( these voltages used to be the nominal voltages, but in most cases the actual voltages were not altered when a nominal 230/400 was adopted throughout)
A few non standard supplies exist, including 3 phase four wire at 127/220 volts, 3 wire delta at 220 or 230 volts and 3 wire single phase at 240/480 volts. such supplies are now rare.
brother
Senior Member
just curious, as to why do want to use higher voltage in european areas?
broadgage
Senior Member
- Location
- London, England
Higher voltages are often slightly cheaper, in both instalation and running costs since smaller cables are required.
Higher voltages are potentialy more dangerous though, less of a consideration now with RCD/.GFCI protection, but definatly a consideration in the early days.
The USA system of a 3 wire supply giving both 120 volts and 240 volts has much to commend it, the drawback is additional cost and complexity.
An advantage of the UK system of 230/400 volts is that power can be economicaly distributed up to about half a mile at this voltage. This results in fewer, larger transformers to step down from the primary voltage, which is typically 11,000 volts here.
Ten transformers each of say 1,000kva will be a lot cheaper and more efficient than perhaps 200 smaller ones.
The USA system of 120/208 or 120/240 requires many more transformers.
The American practice of useing 277/480 volts in larger premises, though useful, adds to cost and complexity, since a 120 volt supply is still required for portable appliances.
Mnufacturers have to make equipment suitable for 208 volts, 240 volts, and 277 volts, requiring either three designs of everything, or equipment able to accepct a wide range of input.
Whilst DIY is not to be encouraged here, it may be noted that risks are much greater in the USA due to the risks of unqaulified persons connecting 120 volt circuits to 208/240.
Could not happen here, its all 230/240!
Higher voltages are potentialy more dangerous though, less of a consideration now with RCD/.GFCI protection, but definatly a consideration in the early days.
The USA system of a 3 wire supply giving both 120 volts and 240 volts has much to commend it, the drawback is additional cost and complexity.
An advantage of the UK system of 230/400 volts is that power can be economicaly distributed up to about half a mile at this voltage. This results in fewer, larger transformers to step down from the primary voltage, which is typically 11,000 volts here.
Ten transformers each of say 1,000kva will be a lot cheaper and more efficient than perhaps 200 smaller ones.
The USA system of 120/208 or 120/240 requires many more transformers.
The American practice of useing 277/480 volts in larger premises, though useful, adds to cost and complexity, since a 120 volt supply is still required for portable appliances.
Mnufacturers have to make equipment suitable for 208 volts, 240 volts, and 277 volts, requiring either three designs of everything, or equipment able to accepct a wide range of input.
Whilst DIY is not to be encouraged here, it may be noted that risks are much greater in the USA due to the risks of unqaulified persons connecting 120 volt circuits to 208/240.
Could not happen here, its all 230/240!
What are the standard wire color codes over there? I've worked on equipment that came from Europe. It didn't have black and white but brown and blue. They did have green with yellow stripe for EGC. They also seem to use different plugs and receptacles in different countries. England has nice, heavy ones. The others remind me of banana plugs.
peter d
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
broadgage said:
There is definitely something to be said for that....I've often heard people recoil at the mention of working on the higher voltages we use here like 240, 277 and 480, but think nothing of 120 volts.
frenchelectrican
Senior Member
- Location
- Nord'est Wisconsin et Paris France
NC5P.,,
The common european phase colour is
Brown
Grey
Black
Those above is phase conductor colour
Bleu is used for netural
But however in UK and other area they don't have uniform code colours and UK did have few other colour code the ditto with main land in European { sure i am from France and we did have oddball combation before as well }
I will post the link from ECN they have very good listing of colour codes
http://www.electrical-contractor.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/148731/page/1#Post148731
that one and i will look for other one as well later but the above link should cover majotry of them
Merci,Marc
The common european phase colour is
Brown
Grey
Black
Those above is phase conductor colour
Bleu is used for netural
But however in UK and other area they don't have uniform code colours and UK did have few other colour code the ditto with main land in European { sure i am from France and we did have oddball combation before as well }
I will post the link from ECN they have very good listing of colour codes
http://www.electrical-contractor.net/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/148731/page/1#Post148731
that one and i will look for other one as well later but the above link should cover majotry of them
Merci,Marc
broadgage
Senior Member
- Location
- London, England
The UK has now adopted the European standard color coding of
BLUE=NEUTRAL
BROWN=L1
BLACK=L2
GREY=L3
GREEN/YELLOW FOR EARTH/GROUND
These colours have only been used very recently, and most installations are still wired in the old colors which are
BLACK=NEUTRAL
RED=L1
YELLOW=L2
BLUE=L3
GREEN YELLOW=EARTH/GROUND
Many years ago, L2 was white, not yellow, and ground (known as earth here) was green not green/yellow striped.
Many years ago, flexible cords on appliances were red for live, black for neutral and green for earth.
For about 40 years though, flexible cords have been brown for live, blue for neutral, and green/yellow for earth
Direct current is not much used, but the new colours are
2 wire floating DC supply POSITIVE=BROWN NEGATIVE=GREY
2 wire DC negative ground POSITIVE=BROWN NEGATIVE= BLUE
2 wire DC positive ground POSITIVE=BLUE NEGATIVE=GREY
3 wire DC
POSITIVE OUTER=BROWN
NEUTRAL/CENTER WIRE=BLUE
NEGATIVE OUTER=GREY
BLUE=NEUTRAL
BROWN=L1
BLACK=L2
GREY=L3
GREEN/YELLOW FOR EARTH/GROUND
These colours have only been used very recently, and most installations are still wired in the old colors which are
BLACK=NEUTRAL
RED=L1
YELLOW=L2
BLUE=L3
GREEN YELLOW=EARTH/GROUND
Many years ago, L2 was white, not yellow, and ground (known as earth here) was green not green/yellow striped.
Many years ago, flexible cords on appliances were red for live, black for neutral and green for earth.
For about 40 years though, flexible cords have been brown for live, blue for neutral, and green/yellow for earth
Direct current is not much used, but the new colours are
2 wire floating DC supply POSITIVE=BROWN NEGATIVE=GREY
2 wire DC negative ground POSITIVE=BROWN NEGATIVE= BLUE
2 wire DC positive ground POSITIVE=BLUE NEGATIVE=GREY
3 wire DC
POSITIVE OUTER=BROWN
NEUTRAL/CENTER WIRE=BLUE
NEGATIVE OUTER=GREY
DanZ
Senior Member
That's cause they know the switch they just got shocked by was only 120V!:grin: :roll:peter d said:
If you're trying to get something certified for use in the US, you might want to try to contact the manufacturer. It could have some EU certification that would translate to the US.
dbuckley
Senior Member
- Location
- Canterbury, New Zealand
broadgage said:
You can see here that European sparkies will need to keep their eyes open essentially forever, as there is now a possible confusion over what exactly a blue (or bleu, as Marc noted!) wire does...
kingpb
Senior Member
- Location
- SE USA as far as you can go
- Occupation
- Engineer, Registered
You will see European Standards start with EN, as a comparison to US which is predominantly driven by IEEE standards. EN standards are approved by CENELEC.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Although many countries will have there own standards, e.g. UK uses BS, Germany uses DIN & VDE, the number that follows is in most cases consistent with the same number as IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee). The reason they will have there own is due to in country nuances that are too prevalent to ignore or try to modify to be 100% consistent with the IEC standard, or in some cases local conditions require modification, although my experience has been that the differences are usually minimal.
For installation practices, most non-US countries follow the IEE wring regulations (BS-7671), which is their equivalent to the NEC here in the US.
However, the OP asked for color standards, which in many cases do not exist. Typically, they have been generally accepted by location, but even the NEC does not set a color code, except for orange for the high-leg, gray or white for grounded conductor, and green for earthing.
The practice of Brown/Orange/Yellow and Black/Red/Blue has been widely used, but is not required. And the orange commonly used for the middle phase on a 480Y/277V, IMO actually conflicts with the NEC 110.15.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Although many countries will have there own standards, e.g. UK uses BS, Germany uses DIN & VDE, the number that follows is in most cases consistent with the same number as IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee). The reason they will have there own is due to in country nuances that are too prevalent to ignore or try to modify to be 100% consistent with the IEC standard, or in some cases local conditions require modification, although my experience has been that the differences are usually minimal.
For installation practices, most non-US countries follow the IEE wring regulations (BS-7671), which is their equivalent to the NEC here in the US.
However, the OP asked for color standards, which in many cases do not exist. Typically, they have been generally accepted by location, but even the NEC does not set a color code, except for orange for the high-leg, gray or white for grounded conductor, and green for earthing.
The practice of Brown/Orange/Yellow and Black/Red/Blue has been widely used, but is not required. And the orange commonly used for the middle phase on a 480Y/277V, IMO actually conflicts with the NEC 110.15.
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