Hello,

I am completely new to electronics and I got a book from the library the other day that gives a general overview. However, the book was published in USA in San Fransisco and I am based in the UK in London. I have heard that there is a different voltage in the UK compared to USA so I wonder if the electronic pieces the books suggests to buy might not work here in the UK. If anybody know if that is the case or not i would really appreciate.

 

Yes, the mains Voltage and Frequency for mains supply is different. But electronics deals with lots of voltages and frequencies regardless of what the mains supply is. In other words. NO the parts are the same.

 

Generally, electronics work the same independent of what the local electric company supplies.

However, you need to be aware of when it could and would make a difference:

1) Any wall clock that relies on the AC Line frequency, 50Hz or 60Hz.

2) Any motor that is synchronized to AC Line frequency.

3) Any electrical appliance that is dependent on the different AC Line voltages, i.e. 120VAC or 230VAC. And this means almost all household appliances such as fridges, stoves, ovens, toasters, washers, driers, hair driers, clothes irons, etc. Plug a 120VAC appliance into a 230VAC outlet and you have instant toast.

4) Many modern electronic appliances are designed for dual voltages, such as radios, TVs, computers, audio equipment, smart phone chargers, etc.
However, always check before plugging in!

5) TVs, VCRs, DVD players etc. are synchronized to the AC Line frequency. There are different video formats, namely NTSC and PAL, that are not compatible.

 

I am completely new to electronics and I got a book from the library the other day that gives a general overview. However, the book was published in USA in San Fransisco and I am based in the UK in London.

Your power is 230VAC at 50Hz. For most electronics, that doesn't matter unless you're designing power supplies. As a novice, you shouldn't work with line voltage. Just use ready made power supplies to power your circuits.

 

I

I am completely new to electronics and I got a book from the library the other day that gives a general overview.

Since you are new to electronics and are interested, I would suggest you start the excellent electronics course this site offers. From the home page just click on "EDUCATION". Joe

 

I’m with @dl234 - mains power specs are largely irrelevant for most “electronics”. A few pieces of equipment (like oscilloscopes) might not be compatible but the first thing most beginners need/want to do is power their lab bench. That’s the common denominator for all projects that follow. Once you’re working with 12V DC or whatever your project needs, the mains power doesn’t matter.

 

Just use ready made power supplies to power your circuits.

IE batteries if you don't want to spend money on a bench power supply at first.

 

TVs, VCRs, DVD players etc. are synchronized to the AC Line frequency. There are different video formats, namely NTSC and PAL, that are not compatible.

VCR? Are you in a time-warp?
That may have been true a decade or two ago for the old analog NTSC and PAL systems, but I doubt that modern HDTV sets use the line for any sync purposes.

 

Hey, my vinyl record player uses a motor synchronized to AC line frequency. I guess there are still some folks who know what a 78rpm record looks like.

 

I guess there are still some folks who know what a 78rpm record looks like.

Yes, I do.
And I have some that I can play on an old wind-up, acoustic gramophone (similar to below).
Not synchronized to anything.

 

Yes, I do.
And I have some that I can play on an old wind-up, acoustic gramophone.
Not synchronized to anything.

Ain't it synchronized to your arm cranking?

 

Hello,

I am completely new to electronics and I got a book from the library the other day that gives a general overview. However, the book was published in USA in San Fransisco and I am based in the UK in London. I have heard that there is a different voltage in the UK compared to USA so I wonder if the electronic pieces the books suggests to buy might not work here in the UK. If anybody know if that is the case or not i would really appreciate.

Yes voltage and current from your local utility is different. That does not however have anything to do with learning electronics. That is just a quantity that you will learn how to work with.

Look for or obtain this book:

Title: Understanding Basic Electronics, 1st Ed.
Publisher: The American Radio Relay League
ISBN: 0-87259-398-3

 

Ain't it synchronized to your arm cranking?

Since the crank winds a spring, it's synchronized only in the crudest sense.

 

Ain't it synchronized to your arm cranking?

Mine is!

 

Ah! The good ol’ His Master’s Voice.
I would love to get my hands on one of those.

 

Actually, it is a cheap replica from India. I used it as a prop in a dance routine.

Bob

 

Hey, no dog??!

 

Look for or obtain this book:

Title: Understanding Basic Electronics, 1st Ed.
Publisher: The American Radio Relay League
ISBN: 0-87259-398-3

Why buy a book when the electronic courses on All About Circuits are free? Allbeit the new format of this site is now confusing [to me] but the TS sounds young and can probably navigate with no problem. Also there are a lot of folks around here that can answer any question about electronics should he ever need something answered.

 

Hello,

I am completely new to electronics and I got a book from the library the other day that gives a general overview. However, the book was published in USA in San Fransisco and I am based in the UK in London. I have heard that there is a different voltage in the UK compared to USA so I wonder if the electronic pieces the books suggests to buy might not work here in the UK. If anybody know if that is the case or not i would really appreciate.

On a different note, in my library, ton's of books are at graduate level, and I found it dis-heartnening the # of times I pick up a book and get lost in the 1st few pages.

Don't forget there's a lot of good newb level info on this site under the "education" section, not a form.

As for books, I just ordered a couple of real EE textbooks, can't wait till they get here. But actually I already have Gigabyte's of .pdf EE books, from torrent sites. A lot of them are graduate level tho.

I should stop wasting so much time jumping from topic to topic online, and just work through some of those books. I have a good 1 in mind. Free online EE book, I'll post link later when I find it on my PC

 

RE:""I have heard that there is a different voltage in the UK compared to USA""
Yes, sure, this is the most irritating thing for me on this Planet that humans cannot agree for ONE type of network voltage and plug dimensions.
Americans come with absolutely destructive 60 Hz and 110 Volts, Britts come with all things killing 240 Volts and hundred fuses in each kilogram sized plug (what, they not learned to put fuses into walls?), Polaks are murmuring about 230 Volts, all other lands are stick to 220/380 and 50 Hz, but soviet plugs are not valid for EU, and vice versa, Polish plugs may not be used in EU but EU may be used in PL, Pan Baltic plugs may be used in PL and rusia but no vice versa, Israel plugs may be used at Balticum but Baltic plugs may not be used in Israel and so on so on so on. Therefore I being rather easy movable human must have a full collection of hundreds different cross-plugs or how we call it "thieves". Its so damn heavy to take all time it with me!