If you purchased a chandelier in the Czech Republic that was made for 240V houses is there any type of conversion or rewiring required to reuse it in the US?

Answer 1

== == (LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]

Electricity is dangerous!

You can be injured or killed!

Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!

Should you be doing this yourself?)

The only time there is a real issue is when buying foreign 220-240 Volt lights when you have purchased a fixture that uses low-voltage (usually 12 volt) lights with a transformer, as you will have to get a 120 volt transformer or the low voltage lights won't work.

Wire rated for 220 Volts will carry 120 Volts just fine thanks.

The only thing to check is that the number of lamps doesn't overload the wire's ability to conduct current without overheating and damaging the insulation. A 60 watt 220 Volt lamp requires half the current of a 60 watt lamp runnings at 120 Volts. Ten 60 watt lamps at 220 Volts draw about 3 amps, while they require 5 amps at 120 volts.

Manufacturers make 110 Volt lamps that will fit in the European lamp sockets.

They can be found or ordered at most high-end lighting stores.

Remember that the center terminal of the light is supposed to be the "hot" when hooking up your new light.

(LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]

Electricity is dangerous!

You can be injured or killed!

Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!

Should you be doing this yourself?)

<><><> Wiring is not the problem. If the light sockets work for you so will the wiring. Just figure out which wire connects to the center contact of the bulb and connect the HOT (black or red) wire from your house to that wire of the chandelier. Make sure that the White House wire connects to the screw portion of the bulb socket and be very certain that the chandelier has a Ground wire and connect it to the house Ground. If these steps have been followed, you should be ok. I'm sure the laws of physics aren't any different in the Czech Republic, so electricity will be conducted through the wires much the same over there as it is here. If you have any doubt, have a good electrician check the quality of the wires that were used internally. If you must change the light sockets, have someone do it that has a little experience with these things.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the power

at the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND

always use an electrician's test meter having metal-tipped probes

(not a simple proximity voltage indicator)

to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.