$\begingroup$ @BobD - I lived for a while in the Netherlands, with 240VAC plugs. The nearby Air Force base hosted a US squadron. At the Elektronika Dump (random electronics store) in my neighborhood it was easy to find nice 240->120 stepdown transformers for USAF personnel to buy to use their US appliances in the Netherlands. Wiring a 120/240 volt motor for 240 volts is as follows: A balanced electrical load which may save on electricity compared to an unbalanced electrical load. Faster starting power. 240 volt motors will have a stronger start compared to a 120 volt motor. Longer life may be found due to a stronger motor, where as 120 volt motors may heat up more Tighten down the screws and give the cable a tug to make sure it's secure. Finish up by tightening the cable clamp on the switch housing to hold the cable securely and replacing the housing cover. Advertisement. Before you wire a 230V air compressor, you should always check the manual for the proper wire gauge. Worf. Of course, if it requires a lot of power, it might be easier to run a 230V circuit directly from the panel. Remember the power the comes in is typically single phase 220-240V, it's just split phase so you get 110-120v. I've had a few circuits rewired this way to run 230V appliances and stuff. All of the French islands in the EC use 230V/50Hz, so you wouldn't be able to split off this, and the frequency would be wrong. You would need to avoid plugging in at French islands, or get a transformer and live with the 50Hz. The generator is no problem and can easily and quickly be rewired to 110V and the governed speed increased to 60Hz. 110V vs 220V. A lot of people are mistaken regarding 110 vs 220. They think that they save on electricity using 220V. Because it uses half the amperage compared to 110V. However, they don’t understand one detail. A lower amperage in the 220V is possible because it basically uses twice the voltage. Yes. 230V devices are rated for 230V±10%, so they operate as designed with anything from 207V to 253V. Out of that band, the appliance may not work. Janka Also, the mains frequency in both Germany and Vietnam is 50 Hz, so that will not present a problem. – Add a comment 1 Answer Sorted by: 1 In EU, it was not always the 230VAC, but also 220VAC. Romex Butcher. "220" and "240" are the same thing. "220" is what the unqualified use to describe 240 volt circuits. 208 can only be obtained from a 3-phase wye system. 240 volts can be obtained from either a 120/240 residential system or a 240 volt 3-phase delta system. Delta systems are quite rare nowadays, at least in my area where the poco ee80vQw.