Convert 220 Volt German Plug To 220 Volt USA

To do this safely, one must know in very full detail how the saw and its wiring are (or are not) grounded. There are too many possible variations to describe briefly.

4-wire plugs are with separate ground...The ground wire is connected to the electrical box(or separate ground wire in receptacle) and to the chassis of the saw...You must determine max amperage draw, to match electrical wire size to receptacle, plug and circuit breaker...These plugs and wire are sold at any hardware store...Which plug pictured matches your existing receptacle? What is the max amp draw on the saw? Is your existing receptacle 220v? If this is single phase you may need to replace motor or add VFD or transformer...

The problem if this is German is that they have 220v@50hz on one leg and one neutral...We have two legs of 110v to make 220v@60hz...So you might have to replace the motor, or use a voltage converter...

http://www.voltageconverters.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=VC2000W

electric motor source...

Those numbers look like NEMA designations, but the pictures don't look very accurate.

Yes I think you're right, I was about half asleep...Please disregard picture of receptacle types in #2 and use these instead....thanks for the heads up

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector

If the motor cannot run at 60Hz, then the project is a non-statrer. So sort that out first.

The chances are it's a universal motor. Don't worry about frequency.

Being German on a two pin plug, it will be double insulated.

Chop the plug off a fit a US 220V plug, ignore the earth (ground) pin.

"The chances are it's a universal motor."

Errrm, there are even more chances that it's a 230v DC motor fed off a full-wave rectifier array, if it's the German saw I suspect you're talking about (Proxxon). Check and find the rectifier array on a separate PCB inside the electrics area closed with a green plastic plate. And if it's a Proxxon FET or FKS/E saw, it most certainly IS earthed, you have just not noticed the earthing contacts on the plug at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock.

Cut off the German plug, Use BROWN to line, BLUE to neutral and YELLOW/GREEN to earth. Contact me off list if you need more.

Mark Bingham
Relativity PL

I don't think that's quite right. On a U.S. 240-volt 3-pin circuit, there is no neutral.

Then he can safely apply the blue wire to the "other" line.
Mark

That lack of a neutral for 220VAC actually doesn't really matter in the US.

The motor requires 220VAC (it would also run happily on 220VDC too if needed if it's a Universal type), it will get that when placed between the two live connections in the USa, neutral not required at all.

In Europe, you only get 220VAC between Live and neutral, live to live gives a far higher voltage, but that is not easily available in some countries at home/house though....the UK for example. Germany has 3 phase coming into each home.

If earth was supplied, it should be connected. Some electric saws have it, many don't....as they are double insulated.

Sir,

European standards are 220V line to neutral. US standards are 120V line to neutral and 240V line to line. You said BLUE to neutral, but I think you meant "Blue to L2". Our OP really needs to give us more information so we don't end up giving him a false answer.

--JMM

I very much disagree with this being a good answer. The LAST thing anyone should do with a plug is disconnect or pull off the ground terminal! That is asking for a short in the device connected to it to flow through the person handling the the tool. If the situation does happen the person WILL get shocked.

I have given that GA to Andy.

Nowhere in his post you will find a direction to disconnect the ground terminal.

mfG

Snel

You appear to have either misunderstood my post completely (you did reply to my post, maybe you meant a different one!), please be so kind as to point out where I said to do what you claim!!!

Thanks in advance.

This was in reply to post # 17. The pictures did not show the 2nd half of the plug being inserted into the grounded receptacle. I was concerned about anyone doing something that appeared to be dangerous.

Your concerns are not valid with regard to either of my posts.....you should learn to reply to the post in question as well, it simply demonstrates that you are not following the run of this blog fully or correctly, so please learn to read and (fully) understand before replying as it just causes offence and bad feeling the way you appear to do it.

Another person also queried your idiotic post, so I am not alone either.

Now please show me where I said what you claim in post #17!!!! I have read it again through and I cannot see where I recommend what you claim.....

I am VERY safety conscious (some here may say TOO much so!!) and I would never recommend anyone removing an earth connection......furthermore, you give the impression that you know nothing about European connectors and their possible uses.....

Such hand tools as this is are almost never sold with a 3 wire cable here in Germany (I would say never nowadays) as they are double insulated for safety. I assume you know what that means.......

An apology for your error is still missing. So let us see how good your manners are with respect to your lack of understanding of the English language!!!

I may add:

The plug:

This also fits French Power socket

Regards

Thanks for that, completely correct. That is the plug usually supplied on German equipment that needs a ground connection.

I did not mention it before as some people here are already completely confused.....and can read into my comments strange new things that do not exist!!!

Alternatively if you really don't know what you are doing you could go and buy a German to US travel adaptor (the sort of thing you get at the airport for travel). Just make sure the current carrying capacity of the adaptor is greater than the motor current.

Surely the Germans would require a schematic to be attached to the saw. Start there. If there is a ground on the schematic then you didn't notice it on the plug or it's not the original plug.

Next you can check the name plate on the motor to see if it rated 50/60 Hz. If it is then in should also have two current ratings. They should be in the same order as the frequencies. Even if it is only rated for 50 Hz it should still work on 60 Hz, it will draw less current and have less Horse Power but shouldn't overheat unless you overload it. (Could an actual electrical engineer confirm this as this is personal anecdotal information. Your mileage may vary.)

Unfortunately, my experience with running 50 Hz motors on 60 Hz power is limited to three phase motors.

Since yours has a two pin plug it is most likely a universal AC/DC motor or has a starting capacitor although it could have a starting coil and centrifugal switch. I don't know what's common in Germany. I have seen all three here in Canada. I doubt anything that size would have a VFD in it. I suppose it could have a separate rectifier feeding a DC motor but I think a universal AC/DC motor would be much more likely.

If it has a starting capacitor (...usually strapped to, or under a semi-cylindrical cover on, the side of the motor depending on how exposed the motor is) then the capacitor is probably not ideal for 60 Hz although it may still work. Proceed with caution.

Your comments are excellent, but in all my years in Germany (europe), I have never seen a portable electric saw with anything other than a universal motor.....

Other motor types would need to be physically larger and heavier to achieve the same torque.

Naturally they will be on larger fixed position circular saws...

It is amazing, how many different opinions can be produced on a simple matter.

First, we have to get the presumptions right. The german industry is export oriented. It produces double insulated, 50/60Hz capable devices (at a minimum). Those can be sold about anywhere.

The Yellow/green is a Protective Ground. The other two can be connected any which way, as long as the voltage adds up something like 220VAC. This is for devices with power motor. Low power devices have universal power supplies, working well from 90VAC and up. You do not need to know anything, but to get a converter plug and plug it in.

That's it.

Scout's honor.

Now that you mention presumptions and export oriented... The saw could have come from the orient if it was intended for household use. Then it would almost certainly be a universal AC/DC motor and might be marked 50 Hz even if it is designed for 50/60 Hz.

As has been mentioned The product if originally supplied in Germany with an unearthed plug is likely double insulated. (Symbol is a square inside a square) But the motor may not work well at 60 Hz.

It is not just replace the end cap. You will need to get a new SO cord, being 2 conductors with a ground. Next you will need to locate the start contactor which drives the motor when it is turned on for usage. Inspect how the contactor is wired, being a terminal block that distributes the input power to rest of the internal components of the saw. If it is just to the switch and onto the motor, check to see how the motor is actually wired, and some might have a special switch to be set for 50Hz/60Hz usage. This switch is usually wired into the motor for U.S.A. or European usage. Have a qualified electrician that understands the difference from U.S.A. and the European theater of electrical devices. Good luck, it is actual simpler than it sounds on this forum. 8-)

Well, you don't; your table saw plug has two wires, that means it is double insulated, unless it has a ground terminal screwed directly to the chassis (usually a green screw) in that case you run a 12 AWG green wire from there to your electrical instalation's ground.

Regards

Phew!!

The KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid, rules. Both Yahl.. and I say the same. The green/yellow is a Protective Ground. The other two ought to add up somewhere near 220VAC, and I do not care which way, as a double insulated equipment does not care either. Never mind contactors etc. in industrial installation. The principle is still the same. Get complicated in a complicated matter.

This is not.

WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!

He is in the USA, he needs to connect live to live, Neutral/Blue wire to other live and if an earth wire is used (VERY doubtful, most likely double insulated), connect that to ground.

US neutral will NOT be connected to as you appear to suggest.

The saw is possibly double insulated & there may not be a need for an earth to be connected directly to the saw but that is something that needs to be assessed by a qualified person when fitting the new cord. You have not given enough information about the saw for any 1 to be able to give an accurate assessment on what should or should not be connected

I think if you are unfamiliar with how to do such a simple job as this, then I think you should be getting a qualified person to do the job.

I've been in the electrical field for more than 30-years and, although I'm no expert on European wiring practices, I really don't understand how anyone could've misunderstood the advice initially offered in Post 17 and, in fact, I didn't read anything in this particular thread that seemed unsafe to me. Obviously, all of us are obliged to practice any electrical procedures safely -- and reading written advice doesn't negate that.