How are your appliances connected #2

[dj-gabriele]

We got more than 200 posts in the other thread! GREAT!
Even if I'm on DSL connection it takes around a minute to completely load the page, do you agree that it would be better to continue here?

I'm freely copying the last 3 replies here so we can keep reference to, hope is ok for everybody

 

[dj-gabriele]

Post# 272529-3/28/2008-06:44 ||| Toggleswitch (NYC & Long Island, NY)

~we can't get less than 26°C even after more than an hour of contiuous operation, shame on the double glass window that is 2,5x2,8 metres...

One hour is probably not enough time. In concrete buildings there is a tremedous amount of heat stored in the concrete.

Also air-condtioners must be properly sized. Too big, and they won't dehumidify. Too small and they won't cool enough.

In my own house I added central air-condtioning and purposely sized it a bit too small (dehumdification is most important here. Smaller units run nearly constantly and dehumidify better]. I left the through-the wall-units in [that the house came with] for quick cooling. Once the room is cooler, only the central system runs.

I understand that Europe as a whole has a more temperate and
reasonable climate, which of course varies county-by-country. But I also do remember that due to climactic changes there were a large number of deaths in France during a relatively recent heat-wave. Attributable, perhaps to lack of residential A/C.

Hey Louis *WAVES* don't you have air-conditioning?

My aunt (who has had central air-conditoing since before 1970) goes back to visit her native Greece. She was complaining bitterly that there are (were? )no window screens there and that the bugs ate her up! Open the wondows and die of noise from motorcycles, bugs and dust. Close them and die of heat. *LOL* she was also annoyed that the windows she saw open "INWARDS" making blinds and shades imposible. It's all what you get used to, I guess...... In all fairness she loved the wrap-around balconies (the size of a large room) and huge glass "French" doors.

Of course now there are split-sytem reverse-cycle units showing up!

Post# 272531-3/28/2008-06:52 ||| Toggleswitch (NYC & Long Island, NY)

~These sockets are the norm around here and are used for the 80% of white appliances and 100% of brown appliances.

OK white-good is major appliances. What are brown-goods?

Grey-goods (to me) means semi- or completely illegal products used in the U.S. that are inteded for other markets!
Ever seen cleaning-product brands (known in America) with Russian or Hebrew labels? I have. LOL

Post# 272535-3/28/2008-07:06 ||| chestermikeuk (Chester UK)
Colours of Goods...!!!

White Goods - Washers, Dryers, Cooking & Refrigeration etc

Brown Goods - TV`s, Video, Hi-Fi, Audio etc

Pink Goods - Haircare, Razors, Beauty prods etc

Now off to photograph my utilities!!! very educational thread!!!

Post# 272536-3/28/2008-07:07 ||| dj-gabriele (Bologna (ITALY))
Brown goods

Brown appliances are DVD, VCR, TV... all the electronics, everything that used to be "brown" in colour and now is silver or black LOL

Hahhahaha

Don't worry, our air-con are all properly sized by the engeneer and my house has fiber-glass insulatinon in the double wall all around the external permimeter, when I tought about "more than an hour" I meant all morning or afternoon after a switch off (like when we are all out)... even if we usually start them in may and the off switch is hit again in september/october.
The first time we had them, it was 1999 or 2000 I think, I was amazed that in only a couple hours of operation the units dumped something like 5 litres of water! I understan what you say about humidity! My parents live in an area where 90% RH is the norm for 300 days a year, terrible! So a dehumidifier runs almost costantly, at times even during winter time when radiators are on.

 

[panthera]

Cool with me

I am totally fascinated by the entire topic and am enjoying it tremendously.
By the way, anyone who is interested in these silly pencil, er, holders can find them at:
www.pearl.de

So the big question for me right now is, how do folks cope with running appliances and electronics from different regions in your area?

For instance: Right now, double hop induction plates in very good quality (2000w and 1500w) are well under 80€ in Munich. They are rated for single phase 230V AC, 16Amp circuits.
If I were to buy one and take it to the US, how best should I hook it up?
That inductive load is interesting; I am having trouble imagining a 20Amp 125V AC single phase circuit handling it...even if it weren't already too much for it.
Or, to reverse things - small window air conditioners in the US are much cheaper and better built that what we can buy here in Munich. Would one be happy if I put in a transformer at with primary at 230 and secondary at 115V hot to hot? or center tap neutral, split phase with hot to hot at 230V?
Or Miele Vacuums. Mine is on sale (ok, a very very unusually good sales price) of 149€ right now. It retails in the 'States for over 500$. What sort of voltage supply would keep mine happy in the US?
One thing which I find interesting about all the pictures and notes is how dependent we all are upon electricity and freely available energy. Has anyone noticed that? My energy and telecommunication costs are more than half my monthly rent!

 

[conate]

and 50Hz to 60Hz!

In addition to voltage, there's Hz issues...I have a teasmade I bought for 10 quid in UK -- but our 60Hz electricity makes the clock run too fast. Any thoughts?

Nate

 

[perc-o-prince]

"Grey-goods (to me) means semi- or completely illegal products used in the U.S. that are inteded for other markets!"

Also referred to as "grey market goods," as in it's not black or white (or cut and dry) as to whether they should be sold here or not. Often, they're "diverted" goods, meaning they were diverted (legally, though maybe not with permission of the makers) from the market they were intended for. For examples, Service Merchandise (RIP) sold Movado watches, though they weren't an authorized Movado retailer. BJ's Wholesale does the same with Movado and other brands. Perfumania sold some fragrances that were supposed to have been sold only at the counters in the big department stores (Lancome, Arden, Lauder, etc.). Or, the cleaning products you mention, Steve, may be grey. That, or they were purchased to serve a local, non-English speaking clientele.

As far as "completely illegal" goods, those are black, not grey, market.

Chuck (too many years in retail!)

 

[toggleswitch]

LOL

Technically another meaning for greige (prounounced grey) goods is fabric that is grey/beige that is yet unbleached, or otherwise un-dyed/ unprocessed!

 

[dj-gabriele]

Tomorrow I'm going to post a few more photos about our nice thread. As today we had USA, Holland and Italy, am I right? Other members, care to post something from your country?

 

[dj-gabriele]

Oh and I forgot, we had UK and Ireland too! What was I thinking!

 

[mielabor]

At my mother...

Today I was with my mother to help her with cleaning her apartment. A good opportunity to show a fairly typical 1980's layout (her apartment dates from 1983). Being more recent than my own apartment the building was fitted with provisions for a washing machine from the start. The machine is placed in the kitchen.

 

[mielabor]

Electrical and water connection:

 

[mielabor]

Drain pipe:

 

[mielabor]

She also has something that I don't have, a condensing water heater:

 

[mielabor]

The connections:

A. Drain for condensate.
B. Output hot water for heating the rooms.
C. Electric cord.
D. Output hot water for shower/kitchen.
E. Thermostat cable.
F. Gas supply.
G. Input cold water.
H. Return water used for heating the rooms.

 

[mielabor]

Pipework clutter under the water heater:

 

[mielabor]

One of the radiators. In this apartment the pipes have been buried into the floor which is very neat. In her previous apartment the pipes were running across walls, ceilings and even passing in front of windows. An awful sight and a complicating factor when wallpapering. I cannot understand why they did it that way, especially as that apartment was also fitted with central heating from the start and about the same age (1981).

 

[mielabor]

Oh, I almost forgot: the flues.

A. Efflux of combustion gases.
B. Influx of fresh air from outside.

The pipes are made of corrosion resistant aluminium to withstand the slightly acid condensate that forms inside the efflux pipe.

 

[mielabor]

These apartments have the gas and electricity meters placed in cabinets that can be reached without entering the apartment itself.

Note the rear wheels of a rollator just being visible in the background. These apartments are specifically for elderly people.

 

[mielabor]

The cabinet opened:

 

[mielabor]

Close up of electricity meter. There are three 16A circuits, two of them (green levers) are protected with a RCD.