100-240V Rating and Power Cords

Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
1
71
Out of curiosity, on the vast majority of modern PSUs there is a rating of 100-240V.

Now if we were to use a 125V, 10A, 60C, 18/3 AWG, SJT 'standard' pc cord (not some knockoff Chinese crap) could there be a voltage spike that would go above the rating on the cord and potentially cause a hazard? I'm not sure if the majority of PSUs now have different cords but I am nearly certain that my Antec TP 380 has a cord similar (if not identical) to the one I noted above.

Reason being, I recently saw this being used in a FSP PSU for a LCD projector/computer.
 

SerpentRoyal

Banned
May 20, 2007
3,517
0
0
Good cable should come with 18 AWG...about 15A/120VAC. It's always theoretically possible to see huge voltage spike on AC circuit. I don't think there is much difference between these PSU/monitor power cables.
 

Sentinel

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2000
3,714
1
71
I think the application it was going to be used wasn't going to be pulling over 6A, so the 10A cord was fine. It was mainly the voltage rating I was worried about, but I guess that would have to do with the end user selecting the right voltage for the application (the switch at the back of the PSU). But the US standard socket is 15A, 125V.
 

SparkyJJO

Lifer
May 16, 2002
13,357
7
81
Its fine. The rating is for continuous and besides, the outlets are rated for only 120V anyway. A brief spike to say 150V won't blow through any of the insulation or anything.