Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

[Jason Raboin]

I had my first show in Norway last night, at the Grieghallen in Bergen. I have a rack of mic pre's that only run off 110v power, so I use a transformer. I carry one and ask the promoter to supply one as a backup.

Last night, I had 110v between hot and neutral, 110v between hot and ground, but 55v between neutral and ground. It was explained to me that in Norway they get 220 by having two legs of 110 and a ground. They have no neutral. My transformer was cutting one leg of 110 in half, but that's it. They assured me that this was all any transformer would do, and would not harm my gear. I was apprehensive, but used it and it all worked.

I guess my questions are - why did it work, and is there a transformer out there that would take this power and output a proper 110v?

 

[Helge A. Bentsen]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

In Norway, you have three kinds of power available:

2 hot phases and earth. 230v phase-phase, 115v phase-earth. Normal 16A wall socket.
3 hot phases and earth. 230v phase-phase, 115v phase earth. Blue CEE 3-phase, or square three phase connectors.
3 hot phases, neutral and earth. 380(400)v phase-phase, 230v phase-neutral, 190v phase-earth. Red Cee 3-phase connectors.

There are transformer options available from major rental houses that will work with 115v gear, just never, ever earth-lift anything. If they already provided you with something that works, you should be fine.

Hope this helps

Btw: welcome, hope you enjoy your time here.

 

[Jason Raboin]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

The transformer supplied by the promoter did not have a ground attached on the 110v side, making it absolutely useless.
Hopefully the one provided at Sentrum Scene here in Oslo tomorrow will fare better.

When you say there are ones available that will work with 115v gear, do you mean there are ones that will give me 115v between hot and neutral, hot and ground, and 0v between ground and neutral, or just ones that will work, though meter oddly, as I pointed out above?

 

[Rob Timmerman]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

In Norway, you have three kinds of power available:

3 hot phases and earth. 230v phase-phase, 115v phase earth. Blue CEE 3-phase, or square three phase connectors.
3 hot phases, neutral and earth. 380(400)v phase-phase, 230v phase-neutral, 190v phase-earth. Red Cee 3-phase connectors.

These 2 don't make sense to me. The first one, 230V L-L and 115V L-E can't possibly be 3-phase, as the math doesn't work. And in the second one, is there really supposed to be 40V between netureal and earth?

 

[Helge A. Bentsen]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

When you say there are ones available that will work with 115v gear, do you mean there are ones that will give me 115v between hot and neutral, hot and ground, and 0v between ground and neutral, or just ones that will work, though meter oddly, as I pointed out above?

Most common transformer option I've seen gave me 115V phase to phase. Didn't measure hot to ground, and it didn't contain any neutral. Our power grid is usually without a neutral.

 

[Helge A. Bentsen]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

These 2 don't make sense to me. The first one, 230V L-L and 115V L-E can't possibly be 3-phase, as the math doesn't work. And in the second one, is there really supposed to be 40V between netureal and earth?

The first one, 230v L-L and 115v L-E is our most common 3-phase(Isolated Terra). Second one is the "new" 3-phase they slowly roll out nationwide as our power grid is renewed. The math on the second one is off, I'll admit that. 380(400)V, 230, 230 are the correct numbers

 

[Rob Timmerman]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

The first one, 230v L-L and 115v L-E is our most common 3-phase(Isolated Terra). Second one is the "new" 3-phase they slowly roll out nationwide as our power grid is renewed. The math on the second one is off, I'll admit that. 380(400)V, 230, 230 are the correct numbers

115V L-E gives 200V L-L in a 3-phase system. 230V L-L would give 133V L-E in a 3-phase system. I'm guessing that you have the former, but I could be wrong. 115V L-E with 230V L-L is single-phase center tapped (split-phase)

 

[Helge A. Bentsen]

Re: Norwegian power - help transforming to 110v

115V L-E gives 200V L-L in a 3-phase system. 230V L-L would give 133V L-E in a 3-phase system. I'm guessing that you have the former, but I could be wrong. 115V L-E with 230V L-L is single-phase center tapped (split-phase)

Actually, it's anything between 105 and 130v L-E most places due to earth leakages. I have several times measured 230V L-E on a 230V 3 phase system due to earth leakages....