Guru
Joined: 05/10/2019
Location: United KingdomPosts: 7820
| Posted: 11:14am 16 Sep 2021 |
The UK standard, pre-harmonization, was (by law) 240V i.e. 225.6 to 254.4 V.
The EU wanted harmonization across Europe with a 220V system, but that would have cost the UK millions to implement so an agreement was made to change UK law to allow 230V i.e. 216.2V to 253V. That allowed EU harmonization yet kept the 240V equipment that would have had to be replaced otherwise.
It was the only way really, changing everything from 240V to 220V for the sake of EU paperwork would have been madness. Our "nominal voltage" is now 230V, but the actual voltage in most areas is 240V or just above.