Oh, and it’s wired as 240 center tapped, so the hot leads are interchangeable and there should be a green earth lead. No neutral in this case, with this 6-15 plug, here in the US power system.?

Peter

On Nov 2, 2018, at 7:23 PM, Dr. David Kirkby from Kirkby Microwave Ltd <drkirkby@...> wrote:

Sorry, this is a bit off-topic for the HP/Agilent list, but I'm hoping someone, (probably from the USA), can help me.

I bought a Gamma high-voltage regulated power supply (0-15 kV, 0-12 mA).



from eBay.

The UK seller said it is 120 V, so needs a transformer to run from the UK mains, The mains voltage here is supposed to be 230 -6%/+10%. But I have my suspicions that the UK seller may be wrong, as the US manufacturer sent me a manual on the power supply, which says its 220 VAC. But they wrote it is a 20-year old custom design. (It's entirely possible someone has changed things.)

Am I right in thinking the plug attached to this is not designed for 120 V use, but instead for 240 V? When I look at it, with the earth pin at the top, the live/neutral are horizontal. The live/neutal pins are approximate 1/4" across, with approximately 1/2" between them, so there is approximately 1" between the two furthest edges of the pins.

I know one can always start at a low voltage, and I have a variac. But I'm also aware in some cases that using too low a voltage can damage equipment. So if this thing is supposed to take 220 V, I'd rather not start with 120 V.

The manual has no tolerance for the mains voltage - it just says 220 VAC. My own voltage is typically 235 V.

Some time ago the voltage was logged here for a period of 4 days and peaked at 255 VAC (RMS value), but the transformer taps have since been changed, and the voltage dropped 5%, so I think it might peak at 243 VAC RMS - and that would only be very occasionally.

One other thing. When I cut this mains plug off, what colour cables would I expect to see, and what would be live and neutral?

Here in the UK, neutral is very close in voltage to the earth wire - ideally, it is zero. Would there be an equivalent wire colour on this mains lead?

This thing can produce 15 kV at 12 mA, which I would guess would give someone a nasty burn at the very least, and could even be fatal. But my biggest concern at the minute is how to get power to this.?

Dave

--

Dr David Kirkby Ph.D C.Eng MIET
Kirkby Microwave Ltd
Registered office: Stokes Hall Lodge, Burnham Rd, Althorne, CHELMSFORD, Essex, CM3 6DT, United Kingdom.
Registered in England and Wales as company number 08914892

Tel 01621-680100 / +44 1621-680100

<Whats-this-mains-plug.jpg>