Sorry I'm so late getting in here, Doc; I've been working nights and it pretty much trashed me out.

As you have discovered by now, a self-switching power supply can handle a wide range of voltages, and line frequency of either 50 or 60 Hz.

At my lab, we test a lot of products that are intended for the European market, usually 230 VAC at 50 Hz. The cables we use are standard off-the-shelf stuff, because the wire used for North American products is usually rated for 600 Volts. The potential trouble is in the plugs and sockets.

Europe has a dismaying variety of AC mains plug and socket designs, but the common factor is that they are rated for much higher voltage than the North American hardware. I particularly like the UK plugs, which often have an internal fuse, rated for the device it powers. Brilliant!

Anyway, I strongly recommend changing all of the mains plugs to match the local hardware. The equipment that is downstream of the step-down transformers will be getting 110 to 120 VAC, and that's OK, but anything that has to deal with the full 240 Volt mains should be up to standard.

If you change the plugs yourself, be careful about the differences in colour codes applied to North American and European AC power cord wiring.

In North America:
Green = Ground
White = Neutral
Black = Line (Hot)

In Europe:
Green/Yellow = Ground
Blue = Neutral
Brown = Line (Hot)

Do NOT get things mixed up! :eek: