Sparky help - Can I use a USA table lamp in NZ?

[Hitcher]

Real men aren't afraid of the dark.

[mossy1200]

doesn't matter what diameter the wire is it still needs to be rated to carry 240 volts whether it's 1 ampere or 100 amperes, voltage is the 'pressure' of the power supply and 240volt is over twice the 'pressure' of 110 and needs to be rated accordingly otherwise it's not got the correctly rated insulation
mr usarka I'm in the hutt valley if you want to show me it i'll tell ya whether it's right or not.

Agree with what your saying but in general term due to 110volt requiring the double the current as 230 to provide the same energy in a lamp it will create more heat in the cables therefore the insulation rating of the cable is better.I couldnt imagine mega testing at 1000volts will fail any appliance flex unless its very damaged.If he has time to take a nz plug and drop it round to your house or mine in welly would be better than doing it himself.

The biggest issue might be that if it has a inline switch it may not be on the centre pin of the edison screw holder as they arnt worried about polarity in usa.

[Usarka]

Real men aren't afraid of the dark.

I'm afraid of dark americans. Apparently they are from the 'hood.

[Hitcher]

Apparently they are from the 'hood.

Or, more correctly, from the bonnet, as we call it here in New Zealand.

[BMWST?]

prolly easier to just gut the thing and convert totally to NZ

[davereid]

Agree with what your saying but in general term due to 110volt requiring the double the current as 230 to provide the same energy in a lamp it will create more heat in the cables therefore the insulation rating of the cable is better.I couldnt imagine mega testing at 1000volts will fail any appliance flex unless its very damaged.If he has time to take a nz plug and drop it round to your house or mine in welly would be better than doing it himself.

The biggest issue might be that if it has a inline switch it may not be on the centre pin of the edison screw holder as they arnt worried about polarity in usa.

Mossys advice is sound, as long as the globe is swapped, and the 3 pin plug is wired so that the switch, and centre terminal of the edison screw lamp are live not neutral, the lamp will be fine.

[avgas]

The biggest issue is the correct polarity as the cord most likely has both conductors(live and neutral)in black rather than red and black or brown and blue like we are used to seeing.This is because american plugs can be inserted either way up into the plug if the appliance is a 2 pin or double insulated type.

Sorry I bit my tongue on your previous statement..........but I can't no longer.

Which is live - Phase or Neutral?

Also which way does a POWER connection need to made to a BULB Filament for it light? Does it need to be AC?

While I understand where your coming from (MEN, Earth-tied-Neutrals...etc) - your explaining it wrong (literally in the electrical sense). And incorrect advice in the electrical industry is lethal.

Rant over.
Back to the OP - how about an actual photo so we know what the hell this lamp looks like?
and what could be dangerous on it rather than going off half cocked.

[Flip]

The USA uses another type of power distrubution system. In NZ we tie N and E together at the switch board so there is 2 paths for fault currents, Multipule Earth Neutrals or MEN. The US uses a floating N so theroretical you could get a boot from a neutral because it might have a potiential to ground. This is why all our plugs have 3 pins.

As long as the wire, switch and lamp socket holder is rated for 230v you will probably be fine. The issue you would have is if you were supplying these for retail you would come unstuck with the MED ESS as they might not be compliant with the NZ regs.

I found a heated towel rail at home in the weekend that was being switched in N. I know that with double insulated appliances it makes little difference, I just would hate to chop the lead and find that the P was still live.

[bogan]

If you've got a newer house you'll have switchboard RCDs anyway right? If not, plug in ones are about 15 bucks. Just don't go running 5kW through em, they don't like it RCDs aren't actually a "safe" solution anyway, cos you could still burn the house down, but good enough if its under observation I reckon.

Then again, aren't new table lamps only about 15 bucks anyway? It sounds like the easiest way to be safe might be to gut one of those and put it in your fancy US lamp.

[jellywrestler]

If you've got a newer house you'll have switchboard RCDs anyway right? If not, plug in ones are about 15 bucks. Just don't go running 5kW through em, they don't like it RCDs aren't actually a "safe" solution anyway, cos you could still burn the house down, but good enough if its under observation I reckon.

Then again, aren't new table lamps only about 15 bucks anyway? It sounds like the easiest way to be safe might be to gut one of those and put it in your fancy US lamp.

RCD's aren't worth 'a cunt full of cold snow' when it comes to stopping a phase nuetral shock path, only an earth fault besides who wants a bright orange RCD in their lounge.
Maybe the table lamp has some character that Usarka would like to keep?

[bogan]

RCD's aren't worth 'a cunt full of cold snow' when it comes to stopping a phase nuetral shock path, only an earth fault besides who wants a bright orange RCD in their lounge.
Maybe the table lamp has some character that Usarka would like to keep?

I'm just trying to think how a US lamp would increase the chances of a phase-neutral shock?
You can get white ones too...
I did suggest gut the electrics from a new lamp to put in his one.

We're probably going to find out soon that it is some whorey neon sign transformer requiring lamp anyway

[jellywrestler]

I'm just trying to think how a US lamp would increase the chances of a phase-neutral shock?
You can get white ones too...
I did suggest gut the electrics from a new lamp to put in his one.

We're probably going to find out soon that it is some whorey neon sign transformer requiring lamp anyway

don't think the chances are more, just don't think the hype around RCD's is telling people the truth.
Been a sparky for 33 years and it's always entertaining what people's ideas are...

[BoristheBiter]

Or, more correctly, from the bonnet, as we call it here in New Zealand.

like this

[avgas]

Still no photo, still half cocked comments about how it should be setup.

For all we know its an OLED table lamp that runs on hopes, dreams and kittens.

[Usarka]

I haven't seen it - it's a friend who's asked me, but it sounds like a vintage thing. I took the easy route based on the replies and said "too hard!".