I have acquired an 8 yo Elektra A3( ) interstate but won't get to see it until next week. The previous owner bought it new 8 years ago, has only ever used it for home, has the original receipts and insists it ran off the mains 10 amp power.

I thought the A3 runs 20 amp. I haven't sighted the plug yet so can't confirm.

As this machine supposedly has a fast heat up time and has only one element - must he mistaken or is there a way the thing can work like this?

I'm very excited by the way! This is my "no more upgrades" dream machine.. The person who picked it up for me says it looks like a new one! I think it will look very nice next to the Semi and the Aurora.

Breakers trip fast on a short circuit, but more slowly on an overload. At 15 amps draw, it may take a while. He may have had one that didn't quite trip over the period the machine warmed up.

It requires a 20A circuit on 110/120v but isn't everything 220/240v in Australia? If so 10A sounds right.

T1/A3 requires a 16amp circuit on 230/40 according to Elektra. But it can easily run on a 13amp circut.

10 amp circuit might be overloaded, so I don't think one should even consider using one on such a circuit.

Yes Australia Is 240v

The only way to know for sure is to know what wattage heater is installed in the unit. The formulas below will give you the answer for any one missing amount of three but you must know what two amounts are. IE, voltage, wattage, or amperage. Australia is also 50hertz but this has no bearing on this question it only effects solenoids.

AC SINGLE PHASE ~ 1ø

AMPS= WATTS÷(VOLTS x PF) I=P÷(E x PF) A=W÷(V x PF)
WATTS= VOLTS x AMPS x PF P=E x I x PF W=V x A x PF
VOLTS= WATTS÷AMPS E=P÷I V=W÷A
VOLT-AMPS= VOLTS x AMPS VA=E x I VA=V x A
HORSEPOWER= (V x A x EFF x PF)÷746
POWERFACTOR= INPUT WATTS÷(V x A)
EFFICIENCY= (746 x HP)÷(V x A x PF)

The U.S. T1 model is listed at 2200W according to 1st-Line's ad which would be 20A on 110v & 9.1A on 240v/9.5A on 230v.

I am only referring to what Elektra are demanding.

I would personally not use a machine on a circuit that just barely can handle its power consumption.

Yes it will be able to run on 10amp circuit.

The model is rated at 2300w (230v= 10amp, 240v=9,6amp)

I'm not disagreeing & I'm not recommending that anyone do anything but it is interesting that the U.S. recommendation for this machine is a 20A circuit. My old Vivaldi S1 was rated at 2200W according to the spec decal yet the standard recommendation for that machine is a 20A/110v circuit over here. Since these machines seem to be doing fine on 20A/110v U.S. circuits I don't find it hard to believe that the A3's previous owner had no issues running it on a 10A/240v circuit if indeed that was the case.

Well he didn't say, how many times he had to switch on the circuit breakers.

Yes it would work on a lower amp circuit, as you would rarely get to use the machines max capacity.

But I prefer to be on the safe side, I guess.

All circuit breakers have a a 25% short duration reserve. Fuses have some as well. Either should be accepted at the stated rating as normal and safe in continuous duty. Also, every time the appliance heater or heaters is turned on you are drawing max capacity of the unit and its circuits. If you use more steam you are only extending how long it draws at its fixed capacity. A watt is a watt is a watt and nothing can change that. I did test an Italian machine once that seemed to get more out of a watt???? After a lengthy discussion with the designer at a trade show, he revealed that through electronics he kicked in a larger heater at precise intervals over several minutes to use the breaker reserve without kicking the breaker. Only an O-scope could catch it. I was floored. In the US you DO NOT mess around with safety devices. I advised my client, the machine was not purchased and the designer was never seen in a booth again.