dual electricity in kitchen

[vig]

Hello,

We are thiking of rewiring the house and I really want to have 110 and 220 V in the kitchen so that I can use all my appliances from the USA. I know it would probably be cheaper to rebuy some stuff, but I do have a wonderful collection of gadgets I have collected over the years and really don't want to let them go...

Is this possible...and if it is, will it be super expensive?

My husband just shakes his head when I mention this

[fulcrum]

I would suggest that you wire the house as to the correct French standards (Norms France) and then buy separate plugin transformers/Voltage converters for each appliance or set of appliances. Doing it this way would allow any future reversion to normal French wiring very simple.

You may still need to consider the Hz rating of each device as America still uses 60Hz and Europe is 50Hz.

[Nick Trollope]

[quote user="vig"]Hello, We are thiking of rewiring the house and I really want to have 110 and 220 V in the kitchen so that I can use all my appliances from the USA. I know it would probably be cheaper to rebuy some stuff, but I do have a wonderful collection of gadgets I have collected over the years and really don't want to let them go... Is this possible...and if it is, will it be super expensive? My husband just shakes his head when I mention this[/quote]

Using any non-approved appliances, methods or parts is illegal here (as it is in the UK, and I suspect, the US). Consequently there is no "norm" for 110V domestic wiring and it can't be done. US standards for safety are also different (lower, IMHO).

Fulcrum is right. Use transformers, but expect any motor-based US equipment to run under power and noisily. Or forget it - most US kitchen equipment is available in Europe.