American vs British Power voltage

[PelliX]

This lack of understanding is what leads folks to plug six 15amp devices into one six outlet power strip rated for 15amps. That 15amp rating is for the "TOTAL" amps drawn from the power strip, not each individual outlet!
Or Well,
Gene

As long as you only use one at a time... Over here 15A equates to around 3kW, and any typical domestic circuit has a 10 or 16 (more common) fuse, so such a power strip would be safe for just about anything, but I get your point!

Hmmm, I am going to interpret this to mean a sativa or sativa dominant hybrid.

Sativa generally, thanks. I certainly appreciate the liberal approach to such 'erbs 'n' spices here.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

The British 13 amp plug contains a built in ceramic fuse, a great safety feature. Typically that fuse would be either a 1 amp fuse, for example for a table lamp, a 5 amp for a TV or hifi, or the full 13 amps for an electric drill (or a Marshall Plexi).

13 amps was chosen to run a 3-bar electric "fire". Each bar generated or at least consumed about 1 kW, which, at 240 volts, the old UK standard, was about 4 amps. 3 x 4 = 12, so the fuse was set at 13.

I remember with horror, looking back, when, back in about 1970, my parents bought a brand new house with a wall mounted electric fire, right over the bathtub. First thing my dad did was to rip that out.

 

[PelliX]

The British 13 amp plug contains a built in ceramic fuse, a great safety feature. Typically that fuse would be either a 1 amp fuse, for example for a table lamp, a 5 amp for a TV or hifi, or the full 13 amps for an electric drill (or a Marshall Plexi).

13 amps was chosen to run a 3-bar electric "fire". Each bar generated or at least consumed about 1 kW, which, at 240 volts, the old UK standard, was about 4 amps. 3 x 4 = 12, so the fuse was set at 13.

I remember with horror, looking back, when, back in about 1970, my parents bought a brand new house with a wall mounted electric fire, right over the bathtub. First thing my dad did was to rip that out.

I've never understood why the rest of the world never caught on with fused plugs. Of course one can argue that it's a bit of a workaround due to the higher rating of the circuit itself. A star topology has its advantages over ring mains, but I'd still have expected more places to embrace fused plugs - it offers key advantages and requires no re-design of the existing circuits.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

The 13 amp plug is used in a few other countries, but the main reasons it never caught on, I suspect, are (1) cost (2) size and (3) because it's (relatively) difficult to wire. On that last point, last time I was back in the UK I found it almost impossible to find loose 13 amp plugs, even in B&Q etc. Plenty of pre-molded mains leads with the plugs attached, yes. Loose plugs, no. Probably some EUSSR safety dictat to stop idiots wiring them up wrong.

The ring main was a simple safety measure that also saved on copper, but it's my understanding that it's been dropped in favor of star wiring, at least with one feed to each room, not necessarily to each outlet.

 

[duster71]

Speakers sold in the US are intended for a different type of climate range. See, in the UK and most of continental Europe, the weather is fairly different and changes at different intervals and the pulp from which the cones are made is intended to compensate for this. That's why the 'British invasion' back in the day was so revolutionary; they were using British speakers in a US climate. The latitude and altitude also play a vital role in the tone of the amp itself because the pressure can cause drift in components and the magnetic field of the earth will influence the magnets in the speakers to behave differently.

...

Hey did you get into my stash,there's some missing.

I'm still not sure if we've figured out what "plug adapter" means in this context. Some people call a voltage convertor an "adapter".

British plugs are physically different and can't be plugged into US wall outlets. But some British devices can function properly on either 220/240 or 110/120, so simple plug adapters are sold. Those don't change the voltage, just physically allow a UK plug to connect to a US outlet.

If you're using a simple plug adapter, the amp is only getting half the voltage it was designed for. It should have lower output than normal, not be super loud. The on/off light should be dimmer. I'm surprised it's even working at half voltage.
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A voltage converter changes the voltage. Either a transformer or a switch mode power supply. A converter that turns 240 into 120 is a "step down converter" (lowers the voltage); a 120 to 240 converter is a "step up converter".

If you're using a voltage converter, your amp should be working as it was designed to work, and should be just like a US-spec Lead 12.

Converters often come with plug adapters, or have a variety of outlets to accomodate the various plugs from other countries.
---------------------------u
For the same wattage, it's possible for one speaker model to be twice as loud as a different model. Most speaker changes aren't that extreme, but most good speakers are a lot louder than stock Lead 12 speakers.

Yeah the lead 12 speakers are really crappy,I bought an American model new in 85 and it was horrible, I've had 3 other used ones that sounded the same was,but when I put the speaker from my lead 20 I it was a whole different amp. So I'm really using a plug adapter and you think that it's only making the amp work 50% or more,but if I buy a converter for $30-40 my Amy would sound even better.i see they have one that steps up and steps down in one unit for $35,is that what I need? And yes the power switch is fairly dim.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Old joke:

What do British soccer teams and 13 amp plugs have in common?

None of them are any f$#%ing use in Europe.