Blues Junior UK mains voltage connector swap

noisepolluter

I did this yesterday (carefully after leaving the amp off for 24 hours first and ensuring the amp was unplugged from the mains!) And the amp runs noticeably quieter and cooler. It was previously wired for 230v. Found the info on the Rat Valve Amps site. Thanks to ICBM for the guidance. Must say I'm a bit surprised that Fender don't do this as standard on their UK shipments given all it entails is unplugging and swapping two connectors, given the benefits for both performance and valve/circuit reliability.

ICBM

They're not allowed to. Because the EU has decreed that the supply everywhere in Europe is now 230V regardless of the true voltage, that's what any amp sold in Europe must be set for.

noisepolluter

It's voltage incorrectness gone mad!

Richardj

If you set it for 240 how would it cope with running on 230?  Just thinking as I flit between the UK and jolly old France.

ICBM

Richardj said:

If you set it for 240 how would it cope with running on 230?  Just thinking as I flit between the UK and jolly old France.

No problem, it will just run cooler. It's very unlikely to go into being too cold, since it's quite a hot-running amp anyway.

But if you want to be really thorough you could replace the power switch with a centre-off DPDT and be able to select the voltage from the outside.

ecc83

What IS surprising is that Fender don't just supply the EU (and most of the "civilized" world) with amps wound to just nominal 230 V and 50Hz.

115/120 60Hz is quite the minority and there is only a very few places now that are very different with 100V and 240.

Dave.