Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!snorkelwacker!spdcc!merk!alliant!linus!nixbur!nixpbe!peun11!josef From: josef@nixpbe.UUCP (Moellers) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: American electronics on European power? Keywords: power, Hz, transformer, Europe Message-ID: Date: 2 Aug 90 07:13:15 GMT References: <1990Jul31.154929.27950@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> Sender: news@nixpbe.UUCP Distribution: sci Lines: 32 In <1990Jul31.154929.27950@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> slbg6790@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Mephisto) writes: > I might be moving to Europe (namely, 'West' Germany) in >the near future, and I would like to bring my thousands of dollars >worth of stereo, computer, and music synthesizer gear over to keep >me company. All of these are designed to run on good old 60 Hz/120 VAC >power. Is there some way I can use the European 50 Hz/220 VAC power >grid to set up my own little Ameri-friendly power grid? A monstrous >transformer might solve the voltage conversion problem, but the cyclic >base is beyond me. Is the cyclic rate really that important? I'd >really rather not leave my toys behind. 1. Look at the back of Your equipment. Some devices can be switched between various voltages. 2. Although most power supplies, after tranforming the line voltage down to whatever is needed, rectify it, the transformers themselves are dimensioned to the Herz rating. They will work less good when given the wrong number of Herz. It's not that they won't work at all, they'll just get hot and You might not get out of them what You need. 3. I recently had American VCR and TV at my home here in Jerryland. A freindly colleague (sp?) borrowed them to me so that my mum could view a Video cassette that was taped on an NTSC camera. Apart from the transformer (small plug-in one for the VCR, large one for the TV), no problems. But then the TV was a portable one and might also work on 12V= (I didn' look). -- | Josef Moellers | c/o Nixdorf Computer AG | | USA: mollers.pad@nixbur.uucp | Abt. PXD-S14 | | !USA: mollers.pad@nixpbe.uucp | Heinz-Nixdorf-Ring | | Phone: (+49) 5251 104662 | D-4790 Paderborn |