Supply voltages around the UK

[Steve D]

Hi All,

Our company is dealing with a very large korean appliance manufacturer (let's just call them GL for arguments sake !), as we are going to be selling some of their large commercial washing machines and dryers.

They are confused with the voltage in this country. We have explained that nominal is 230V +10%, -6%, and we have said that realistically, measured at the origin it's likely to be around 240V. After extensive Google searching, many places seem to say that the average is approx 242V.

What they've asked for is some sort of chart of average voltages in the various regions of the UK. Does anything like this exist on the web ? I certainly can't find anything.

I'm surprised they're asking all these questions about our supply as they sell all sorts of equipment into the UK market. It's not like the UK is a new market to them.

Anyway - can any of you guys help ?

Cheers
Steve

 

[mogga]

as you say Nominal is 230 most actualy reads around 240 but then theres places like myinlaws where its 229 max if they still require this information you could ask national grid but I assume all you would get from them is 230V as per the script

 

[stef]

Hi Steve,
I'm not an expert in this field but I think this differs from substation to substation. I measure 239V at home
and the nearest substation is behind the back yard fence. Try contacting the different DNOs might help.

 

[UNG]

Working on a property a few weeks back and the voltage was at 255v but I have seen voltage readings as low as 218v. Problem is as we all know the voltage is dependant on the load in the local area and as this is variable so is the voltage

 

[Steve D]

Cheers for your replies guys.

We have actually got a contact at national grid, and alarmingly in his reply said nominal was "230V single phase and 415V 3phase" !!. he also talked a lot about power factors etc , but didn't really give us any info with substance.

I suspect the DNOs will quote 230V, as the 'book figure', just like they would quote an unrealisticly high PFC if you were to call them.

 

[UNG]

I remember going to a manweb presentation on the voltage harmonisation many years ago the final comment from one of the network engineers was as 240v fell within the -10%/+6% of 230v they were going to do nothing to the network to reduce the voltage to 230v unless equipment failure occurred or equipment maintenance was needed and then they would reduce the voltage to 230v

 

[Yooj]

All you can do I think in this instance is quote the official 230 nominal with % tolerances...If you quote anything else, and then there are issues with the machines, then this could come back and bite your company.

Yooj

 

[pushrod]

I remember going to a manweb presentation on the voltage harmonisation many years ago the final comment from one of the network engineers was as 240v fell within the -10%/+6% of 230v they were going to do nothing to the network to reduce the voltage to 230v unless equipment failure occurred or equipment maintenance was needed and then they would reduce the voltage to 230v

Other way around. +10% - 6%


Even on the same transformer voltages wil vary according to load and the distance of the installation from the transformer.