When you want a power outlet Even if we limit our discussion to Shinkansen and limited express trains, the installation of power outlets is not widespread in all cars. Newly built cars in recent years are usually equipped with them as standard equipment, but due to the circumstances that will be discussed later, retrofitting existing cars is not a simple matter. Fortunately, most railroad operators nowadays provide information on their websites about the rolling stock they use. By first checking their websites, it is often possible to confirm whether or not a power outlet is available. If the availability of power outlets differs from car to car, it is best to reserve a seat where you can be sure that there is a power outlet (for example, in the case of the N700 family of Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen trains, the window side and front and rear ends of a standard car, or in a green car).
Retrofitting a power outlet is surprisingly difficult. It is understandable to think, “If it’s done at XX, it’s done at other companies, too. In fact, however, the installation of power outlets is more difficult than it appears. The major reasons for this are “securing the power supply source” and “wiring installation. The power source is, of course, single-phase 100 VAC (frequency may be 50 Hz or 60 Hz), and the capacity is generally 2 A. Assuming that each car has a capacity of 60 passengers, if all of them use the car at its full capacity, the power consumption would be 2A x 60 = 120A (12,000W). 120A is equivalent to four households with a 30A contract. In reality, however, not all passengers will use the power outlet, so it is highly likely that the capacity is determined based on the assumption that a certain percentage of passengers will use the outlet. Besides, it is unlikely that they will use the full 2A power supply. Still, a reasonable power supply capacity must be secured. Supplying such low-voltage power is the job of auxiliary power supplies, which naturally require space and weight. The larger the capacity, the larger and heavier it becomes. In the case of the retrofit in JR Hokkaido’s diesel limited express train mentioned above, each car has a capacity of only 24 to 26 passengers. Even if all of them were to use the system, the power supply requirements would be negligible. However, it is a different story when all seats of a standard car are occupied. If auxiliary power supplies need to be replaced or added, the cost and space issues cannot be ignored. Then there is the issue of wiring. In addition to pulling the wiring from the auxiliary power unit to the individual seats, holes must be made in the floor to pull the wiring from under the floor to above the floor. Furthermore, unlike airplanes, railcars run in both directions, so the seat is designed to be rotatable. Therefore, electrical wiring must be installed in the seat so that it will function without problems even when the seat rotates. Such a modification would require a great deal of time and money, if not impossible at all. For this reason, vehicles that have been retrofitted with power outlets often have them installed near the wall. This eliminates the need to tamper with the seat and reduces the time and effort required to install the wiring. In some cases, such as the E5 series, the design was changed midway through the train and power outlets were installed in all seats. However, even the E5 series has not been retrofitted to existing cars because of these circumstances. If the cars are newly built, the auxiliary power supply and wiring can be designed and installed with this in mind from the beginning, so they do not have to face the problems associated with retrofitting.
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.