How to connect an Italian Sauna to American electricity.

[Greg1707]

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.

 

[infinity]

You would need to find out if it can actually operate at 60 Hz.

 

[drcampbell]

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]

Here your biggest problem might be a lack of NRTL certification if the job is inspected

 

[petersonra]

Here your biggest problem might be a lack of NRTL certification if the job is inspected

Are saunas required to be listed?

 

[Jraef]

Are saunas required to be listed?

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).

 

[Greg1707]

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.

UPDATE There is an export model available for North America!

 

[topgone]

UPDATE There is an export model available for North America!

If the thing is not yet bought, might be good if you send the information to the richie rich client of yours to choose the export model available.

 

[JoeStillman]

Didn't know saunas were a thing in Italy. I woulda went shopping in Norway or Sweden for a sauna.

 

[drcampbell]

Didn't know saunas were a thing in Italy. I woulda went shopping in Norway or Sweden for a sauna.

Italy has several different climate zones, one of which is in the Alps.

 

[Besoeker3]

Italy has several different climate zones, one of which is in the Alps.

For EU it is 230V 50Hz.

 

[Jraef]

230V 50 Hz is a climate zone?

 

[Besoeker3]

230V 50 Hz is a climate zone?

That and others.

 

[gene6]

Plug in? No.
Hard wired? Yep.

Code reference?

 

[kwired]

How to connect an Italian Sauna to American electricity.​

get an English to Italian translator?