I'm moving to Germany in a couple of months and have a few questions about using various 110V US-purchased appliances on the local 220V power. Specifically the 50Hz/60Hz issue - how big of a deal is it? My understanding is that anything with a motor may have a shorter lifespan and run somewhat less efficiently (and of course anything that uses AC for timing will run slow), but any other issues?
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posted by photo guy
on May 13, 2013 -
10 answers
Why is my oven crackling and sparking at the on/off switch and will it start a fire in my wall?
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posted by fruitopia
on May 4, 2013 -
11 answers
Nearly 12 years ago I underwent cranioplasty, which involved dissimilar metals being added to the inside of my skull. Could it be possible that I'm generating a low voltage current? This would explain roughly 90% of the unexplained symptoms I've noticed since that time. This seems like a case of electrochemical capacitance to me. I understand that YANMD; in fact, it may even be the case that YARNAD. That's just fine, I don't really want anyone's 'medical' advice. What I need is some advice on what questions to ask and which specialists I 'should' actually be seeing to properly diagnose and resolve these issues.
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posted by schade
on Jan 15, 2013 -
11 answers
I know this question is a little bit arbitrary, but any response will be helpful.
I live in a 2 family spilt house/condo. I noticed that my electrical box is powering the OTHER unit's gas boiler. I assume that the electrical just feeds the thermostat and maybe triggering the pilot to boil the water?? (My knowledge here is limited.)
Without knowing too much about their heating use, I am trying to determine the urgency of getting an electrician to switch it from my electricity to the other unit's electrical box.
posted by lccslug
on Jan 13, 2013 -
8 answers
We've been in our new house about 3 months, and our power bills
feel a lot higher than they should be, based on our perceived usage. Looking for ways to track down errant usage.
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posted by hanov3r
on Jan 10, 2013 -
35 answers
I get painful static shocks to my hands where they touch the cart as I'm pushing it around at Costco. As far as I can tell this happens while wearing various kinds of shoes, although I haven't experimented rigorously. Help me devise a method to prevent this that I can realistically implement during impromptu trips to the store.
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posted by fingersandtoes
on Dec 19, 2012 -
20 answers
Explain to me the technology of charging devices. Is it mainly about voltage? About current? How close to the "required" values must you be?
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posted by Obscure Reference
on Nov 16, 2012 -
9 answers
My computer cycles off without warning, and it's on a battery pack/surge protector UPS. What gives?
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posted by Chris4d
on Nov 14, 2012 -
13 answers
How do I keep my iguana alive during an electric blackout? All of her lighting and heating elements demand electricity. I don't have a generator or the funds to purchase one. I'm most concerned about her getting too cold. Under 80*F for extended periods is the danger zone.
posted by pupus
on Oct 27, 2012 -
29 answers
I have a question about my house's ground wire, and may need recommendations for an electrician in Minneapolis.
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posted by COBRA!
on Oct 12, 2012 -
9 answers
I want to buy a fabric steamer to iron curtains, but not sure which model to choose (details inside)
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posted by usertm
on Aug 11, 2012 -
1 answer
Will turning up the thermostat on my central air and buying a window AC unit for the one room I use the most make a significant difference in my electric bill?
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posted by Vorteks
on Aug 8, 2012 -
14 answers
I am considering changing my electricity provider and I have never done this before. What I want to know are what things should be considered before making a switch such as this. My basics reasons are cost and that
Comed, the local provider has treated me like crap over the years and I am tired of their corporate doublespeak and crappy service.
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posted by lampshade
on Jun 26, 2012 -
6 answers
In 2009,
91.2% of Seattle's electricity was from hydroelectric sources, and in 2010,
87.9% was hydro. Is the hydro capacity maxed out, or will it scale up to meet additional demand and maintain that ratio? Here's what I'm getting at: If I were to use more electricity than now, will that incremental power effectively come from non-renewable sources rather than ~90% hydro?
posted by hodgebodge
on Jun 6, 2012 -
14 answers
We've swapped out a three-prong dryer cord with a four-prong one but not wanting to plug it in and potentially blow something up. Approach from here?
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posted by jgunsch
on May 17, 2012 -
12 answers
Explain alternating current distribution across "the grid" to me in terms an educated layman can understand. Specifically, I have a question about how to talk about which power plants are providing power to a particular consumer.
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posted by 256
on May 17, 2012 -
20 answers
Want to install an ungrounded hanging light fixture in place of an existing grounded flush-mount dome light. Controlled with existing three-way switches.
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posted by reeddavid
on Mar 27, 2012 -
4 answers
In a bid to prolong bed-time, my four-year-old just asked me, "What is electricity made of?' I told her to close her eyes and go to sleep, which has bought me 9-10 hours till she wakes me up and asks me the same question again. What's the most accurate answer I can give her that she will understand and not be bored by?
posted by Hogshead
on Jan 22, 2012 -
22 answers
Help me understand the national electric code with regard to rewiring and updating several rooms in my 1940s-era house.
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posted by JohnFredra
on Dec 6, 2011 -
8 answers
Why does my electric range trip the circuit breaker when the oven and all burners are used? This behavior is new.
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posted by wnissen
on Nov 14, 2011 -
17 answers
What can I do to reduce static cling on my glass coffee grinder hopper so less coffee sticks to the sides and makes a big mess?
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posted by leahwrenn
on Nov 11, 2011 -
20 answers
What is it like to work on a tree/line crew restoring power after a big storm?
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posted by mskyle
on Nov 1, 2011 -
8 answers
So I'm watching The Stand, and I noticed late plague, the power's still on. So how long will the power run without maintenance.
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posted by garlic
on Oct 9, 2011 -
31 answers
Need a step-down converter for plugging a printer sold in the US (110V power) into a 3rd-world socket (240V power). I get the voltage part but watts and amps and such are a bit beyond my electronoobicity.
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posted by allkindsoftime
on Jul 27, 2011 -
18 answers
There's a downed cable/wire in my building's backyard. It is similar to
this previous question, but there is no serial number on the wire so I can't confirm what it belongs to. Also, one side is attached to our building and the other end is attached to...nothing. What do I do with it?
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posted by bibbit
on Mar 29, 2011 -
7 answers
I got a mild shock while putting together a seed starting light set-up in the unfinished basement of my rental apartment. The light was
unplugged when I received the shock. What gives?
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posted by Knicke
on Mar 26, 2011 -
6 answers
Please help me find the lamp I want (or tell me that the one I can find is hackable).
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posted by dame
on Mar 18, 2011 -
11 answers
Do natural gas and oil fired power plants release radiation in the form of radium, or otherwise? How much radiation per MW would be released by a typical plant? Would the release of such elements be reduced by cogeneration of steam?
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posted by evidenceofabsence
on Mar 15, 2011 -
10 answers
I want to convert a wall switch into a door switch (for a wardrobe light). Is this easily feasible?
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posted by ddaavviidd
on Feb 16, 2011 -
5 answers
How much current does an AC adaptor draw when it's plugged in but not powering anything, or the device to which the adaptor is attached is powered off?
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posted by RockyChrysler
on Feb 9, 2011 -
18 answers
Does anyone know of detailed instructions for building the kind of microbial fuel cell described
here? Or know enough to explain to me how it's done?
posted by ryanshepard
on Dec 18, 2010 -
2 answers
I want to install solar panels when I replace my roof next summer. What do I need to know about manufacturers, incentives, and costs? I am in Washington state.
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posted by bq
on Dec 14, 2010 -
10 answers
What are the potential risks of leaving things plugged in on one end (to an outlet, to a computer) and free on the other end?
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posted by neuromodulator
on Sep 26, 2010 -
8 answers
My laptop power cord's ground prong (the third prong) broke off, and it stopped working in most wall plugs. I ordered a new one and when it came, it didn't have a third prong, but it works fine. Why is that? And more importantly, is there some future situation where I'm going to regret not replacing the old one with a new, three-prong plug?
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posted by malapropist
on Sep 20, 2010 -
4 answers
After a move, our computer (an older aOpen desktop) can't sleep through the night. It's fine if we leave it powered on, but if we put it to sleep, it seems to lose power sometime in the night and does not wake up properly in the morning. Will a cheap UPS (
this one, for example) solve the problem? Any other ideas?
posted by Xalf
on Sep 12, 2010 -
19 answers
Our overhead bathroom light fixture flooded from above earlier. The water's been dumped out, and the leak in the bathroom above ours has supposedly been fixed. But now I'm hearing this sound...
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posted by limeonaire
on Sep 3, 2010 -
8 answers
How can you run a large appliance (e.g. a washing machine machine) off of a running automobile? What's the best way to convert the huge amount of power generated by the car into 110V A.C. at a high wattage?
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posted by grizzled
on May 23, 2010 -
5 answers
Does leaving my phone's car charger plugged in to the car at all times significantly drain my car's battery?
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posted by Vorteks
on May 20, 2010 -
22 answers
What are the options for monitoring our household electricity usage using Google's PowerMeter service?
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posted by SueDenim
on May 1, 2010 -
2 answers
