Psu's Power Cable

[Otev]

Hey there. I'm wondering if it's safe to use a 200+ V compared to my 125V Power cable that comes with my PSU.

I'm not able to use the 125V as the plug that it came with is american.

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Otev said:

Hey there. I'm wondering if it's safe to use a 200+ V compared to my 125V Power cable that comes with my PSU.

I'm not able to use the 125V as the plug that it came with is american.

As long as the PSU you have is capable to dual voltage it's safe to use the higher voltage rated power cord on a lower voltage.

[Cyberspirit]

3 minutes ago, Otev said:

Hey there. I'm wondering if it's safe to use a 200+ V compared to my 125V Power cable that comes with my PSU.

I'm not able to use the 125V as the plug that it came with is american.

Pretty sure that it will only pull as much power as much it needs but i'm not too sure honestly.

[Otev]

1 minute ago, W-L said:

As long as the PSU you have is capable to dual voltage it's safe to use the higher voltage rated power cord on a lower voltage.

My PSU is "https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=220-G2-0550-Y1"

EVGA g2 550W

[braaap247]

make sure your PSU is DUAL VOLTAGE. Voltage is a constant (as in it is always 110 or 220) Wattage is fluid (as in from 0 to around 5-6000 watts depending on your breaker) 

 

[mariushm]

yeah it will be fine. That psu is universal voltage, like  90v .. 250v ac, will work anywhere that has mains voltage in that range.

 

[STRMfrmXMN]

6 minutes ago, Otev said:

Hey there. I'm wondering if it's safe to use a 200+ V compared to my 125V Power cable that comes with my PSU.

I'm not able to use the 125V as the plug that it came with is american.

The 120V AC that America uses is different than the rest of the world. Your PSU, if half-decent, should automatically switch operating range. Simple get a plug with an IEC C13 lead into the PSU and whatever socket type the country you're in operates with.

[W-L]

1 minute ago, Otev said:

My PSU is "https://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=220-G2-0550-Y1"

EVGA g2 550W

Yes that unit will have no problems with another power cord that works in your region. 

[Enderman]

6 minutes ago, W-L said:

As long as the PSU you have is capable to dual voltage it's safe to use the higher voltage rated power cord on a lower voltage.

The power cords are identical.

The amount of wattage they can carry is what matters, and any device that works at 240v uses half the amperage of a device working at 120v.

That means the amount of power going through the cord is identical regardless of whether it is being used for 120 or 240V.

 

If anything, a power cord rated for lower voltage and higher current is safer to use than a high voltage low current cord.

[alexhelvetica]

Don't use the power cable that came with the PSU. if the cable itself is rated for 125V, it should not be used for higher voltage power. Also adapters are usually a big no-no. Buy a C13 Cable with the wall end using the socket that you use for your mains power.

 

I have never heard of a 100-125V only PSU, however I have never been to a 100-125V only country, so they might exist. Check your voltage compatiblities (and if it has a voltage switch or not, and if it is in the correct positioning), and you'll be good to go.

 

Also note, a PSU with a Voltage switch is basically guaranteed to either be very old or garbage. Two, a PSU that doesn't have support 100-125V and 200-240V is likely not a very good PSU.

 

[mariushm]

41 minutes ago, Comic_Sans_MS said:

Don't use the power cable that came with the PSU. if the cable itself is rated for 125V, it should not be used for higher voltage power. Also adapters are usually a big no-no. Buy a C13 Cable with the wall end using the socket that you use for your mains power.

 

 

It's good advice, but i just want to clarify something.

 

It's NOT the cable, it's the PLUG that's only rated for 120v +/- 10% or something like that.  That rating is defined by the separation between the metal prongs, their thickness and other things... and also mainly because it makes no sense to rate that connector to anything higher than 120v since it would make no sense. It could very well handle 230v just as well.

 

The cable between the plug and the C13 connector will be double insulated (a safety requirement in lots of countries) and will typically be thick enough (AWG 20 or thicker) and with an insulation that will handle up to 300v or so.

 

It's extremely unlikely that you'll find some power cable with less than 250v rating.

 

Cables for countries with lower voltages will usually be thicker than cables for countries with higher voltage because for the same amount of power transferred, the current will be higher and higher current means more losses in the wires, and losses mean heat.  So thicker wires will cause less heat to be produced.

 

The insulation (the coating used on wires) is what determines the maximum voltage... how dielectric the material is , which means how resistant the material is to electricity jumping over to other wires close to it.

If the voltage is high enough and insulation thin enough, in some cases electricity can arc over and even burn through the insulation of the wire

 

Here's an example of cable insulation rated for 15kV breaking at around 10kV .. some bad cable: