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How to connect an Italian Sauna to American electricity.

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G

Greg1707

Senior Member
Location
Alexandria, VA
Occupation
Business owner Electrical contractor
I have a customer importing an Italian high end luxury $$$ sauna (residential). It is designed for the European market and not an export model. What will be needed to connect this unit to American electricity.
 
drcampbell

drcampbell

Senior Member
Location
The Motor City, Michigan USA
Occupation
Registered Professional Engineer
A copy of the Collins' Dizionario Inglese-Italiano?

You'll also need to figure out whether it can tolerate an American center-grounded 120-120 circuit, or if it relies on a single-ended circuit.

Or if there's an American-export model available.
 
augie47

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
Here your biggest problem might be a lack of NRTL certification if the job is inspected
 
Jraef

Jraef

Moderator, OTD
Staff member
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
petersonra said:
Are saunas required to be listed?
Click to expand...
Plug in? No.
Hard wired? Yep.

Aside from that:
EU stuff, in my experience, is just looking for 230V between terminals, it will not "care" if that is L-L as we have here, or L-N as they have there. Sauna's are usually just heaters, no fans or pumps. So it's just a big resistor, maybe some lights, neither of which will care about frequency.

But in the offhand chance that they are misusing the term "sauna" and it is more of a hot tub with a pump, or there is a fan in the sauna, then the frequency difference will be a problem. 50Hz motors at 60Hz power will run at 120% speed, and due to the Affinity Speed Law for centrifugal pumps or fans, that results in the load on the motor becoming 172% of what it was designed for (1.20 cubed).
 
G

Greg1707

Senior Member
Location
Alexandria, VA
Occupation
Business owner Electrical contractor
Greg1707 said:
I have a customer importing an Italian high end luxury $$$ sauna (residential). It is designed for the European market and not an export model. What will be needed to connect this unit to American electricity.
Click to expand...
UPDATE There is an export model available for North America!
 
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