Hello all,
At some time in the not-too-distant future I will be moving to Japan. I plan to bring my Tubelab SSE with me, and plan to continue building tube amps (TSE-II is next).
There is the obvious issue of 100v mains, which can be easily solved by replacing the power transformer (I wish I had originally bought the Hammond 374BX for the SSE, which is universal).
The bigger question for me is how do I ground my amp(s)? Japanese power outlets are two-prong, non-polar, with no ground. According to Japanese electrical standards, devices are supposed to implement their own short circuit protection. However, I have read that it is possible (common) to ground larger appliances.
I do not want to run an ungrounded tube amp in my home. There must be a straightforward grounding solution, as tube amps are quite popular in Japan, AFAIK. Also, is there something I could/should reconfigure or modify in the amp itself to ensure it is safe? Perhaps re-install it all in a non-conductive chassis, with non-conductive controls? Perhaps that is overkill (forgive the pun).
At some time in the not-too-distant future I will be moving to Japan. I plan to bring my Tubelab SSE with me, and plan to continue building tube amps (TSE-II is next).
There is the obvious issue of 100v mains, which can be easily solved by replacing the power transformer (I wish I had originally bought the Hammond 374BX for the SSE, which is universal).
The bigger question for me is how do I ground my amp(s)? Japanese power outlets are two-prong, non-polar, with no ground. According to Japanese electrical standards, devices are supposed to implement their own short circuit protection. However, I have read that it is possible (common) to ground larger appliances.
I do not want to run an ungrounded tube amp in my home. There must be a straightforward grounding solution, as tube amps are quite popular in Japan, AFAIK. Also, is there something I could/should reconfigure or modify in the amp itself to ensure it is safe? Perhaps re-install it all in a non-conductive chassis, with non-conductive controls? Perhaps that is overkill (forgive the pun).
Lucky guy! That is my retirement dream! Where are you moving to? For the full experience, take JAL flight to get there, not a crappy north american airline. 😉
To your question:
It's hard to know without getting into the way they wire mains lines in JP.
1/2: open a Japanese amp and see how they did it.
2/2: figure out the grounding layout when you get there. Open the mains panel and figure out how they do it. I venture a guess they ground the neutral at the panel and only carry the hot phases around on the poles. I guess the voltage is so low it works out.
To your question:
It's hard to know without getting into the way they wire mains lines in JP.
1/2: open a Japanese amp and see how they did it.
2/2: figure out the grounding layout when you get there. Open the mains panel and figure out how they do it. I venture a guess they ground the neutral at the panel and only carry the hot phases around on the poles. I guess the voltage is so low it works out.
Hi @grataku !
Somewhere on Kyushu for sure. My in-laws live slightly south of the center of Kyushu and we will want to be within an hour or two drive. We'll be buying an akiya for dirt cheap and renovating, then spending our time doing hobbies, helping the in-laws, and traveling. Maybe try surfing. It is my retirement dream, coming true! I'd love to move to Yakushima, but that's impractical because we really do want to support my wife's folks.
I do realize I have lots of time and I can figure out the grounding stuff when I get there. 🙂 My mind is just thinking about all this stuff non-stop. I already have renovation plans for a home we have yet to find.
Somewhere on Kyushu for sure. My in-laws live slightly south of the center of Kyushu and we will want to be within an hour or two drive. We'll be buying an akiya for dirt cheap and renovating, then spending our time doing hobbies, helping the in-laws, and traveling. Maybe try surfing. It is my retirement dream, coming true! I'd love to move to Yakushima, but that's impractical because we really do want to support my wife's folks.
I do realize I have lots of time and I can figure out the grounding stuff when I get there. 🙂 My mind is just thinking about all this stuff non-stop. I already have renovation plans for a home we have yet to find.
Some countries don't reference their power to ground. I was watching an ElectroBoom video and he was showing how Cuba runs 240 without a ground.
Italy has 220v phase neutral and ground. They carry the neutral all the way back to the distribution node and connect it to the star-wired 3-phase trafo secondary. The the high voltage primary is 3-phase triangle connected. This used to be very dangerous with thunderstorms because the neutral can become lifted from 0V in case of phase imbalance on the high voltage side. These were the good ol'days of blown TV sets. Maybe now they have voltage monitoring systems to prevent that. My parents still disconnect the TV during storms.. 😉
You might want to think about it the way Ham radio guys do, and make your own Earthing connection (actual metal in actual dirt) and might even consider some combination of mains isolating / voltage step-up transformer and spike protection and! provision for safety Earth / PE, with American sockets. Something that plugs into Japanese mains outlets and has an additional, isolated Earth connection, with Edison (American) sockets.
These are touchy issues in codes, so what's safest may not be what's code there. Don't know, but I'd never recommend going against local code; too much liability.
All good fortune,
Chris
These are touchy issues in codes, so what's safest may not be what's code there. Don't know, but I'd never recommend going against local code; too much liability.
All good fortune,
Chris
Thanks @Chris Hornbeck . Lots to think about. I've realized I will have to just figure it out when I am there. Probably best to consult a qualified electrician.
In my country mandatory to use local grounding point(s) as protecting earth.
It's 2m long stainless steel probe (one or many -connected together-, while grounding resistance doesn't reach 10R) knocked into the ground near electric cabinet.
The electric provider ensure 1-3 phase (black coloured) and one neutral (brown) line. The neutral line repeatedly grounded (every kilometre), the grounding resistance can not exceed 10R.
Obligatory connect incoming neutral to local protecting earth with thick (yellow-green coloured) wire.
In the house must apply phase, neutral and protecting earth wiring together.
Recommended to use residual-current device / ground fault circuit interrupter between the incoming phase/s/ and neutral an in-house phase/s/ and neutral.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device
This device unloaded, when phase/s/ and neutral current difference exceeds few ten (20-30) mA.
It's my incoming current breaker section. In the left is 30mA residual-current_device.
It's 2m long stainless steel probe (one or many -connected together-, while grounding resistance doesn't reach 10R) knocked into the ground near electric cabinet.
The electric provider ensure 1-3 phase (black coloured) and one neutral (brown) line. The neutral line repeatedly grounded (every kilometre), the grounding resistance can not exceed 10R.
Obligatory connect incoming neutral to local protecting earth with thick (yellow-green coloured) wire.
In the house must apply phase, neutral and protecting earth wiring together.
Recommended to use residual-current device / ground fault circuit interrupter between the incoming phase/s/ and neutral an in-house phase/s/ and neutral.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device
This device unloaded, when phase/s/ and neutral current difference exceeds few ten (20-30) mA.
It's my incoming current breaker section. In the left is 30mA residual-current_device.