Xref: utzoo rec.travel:18695 rec.radio.amateur.misc:1154 sci.electronics:18963 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!wa4mei!ke4zv!gary From: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman) Newsgroups: rec.travel,rec.radio.amateur.misc,sci.electronics Subject: Re: large 110->220 transformers Message-ID: <2649@ke4zv.UUCP> Date: 31 Mar 91 18:28:19 GMT References: Reply-To: gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman) Followup-To: rec.travel Organization: Gannett Technologies Group Lines: 35 In article dh1s+@andrew.cmu.edu (Donn Hoffman) writes: >I am moving to Spain and want to bring several appliances (eg: >macintosh, fax, blender, stereo). >Power in Spain is 220v/50hz. The appliances are all 110v. Some are >labeled 60hz, some are labeled 50/60hz. >I have a couple of questions: >1. I am reluctant to trust my fax and mac to the cheap travel >transformers sold at Akbar & Jeff's Luggage Hut. Is there some sort >of larger, reliable transformer I can get to plug all (or several) of >my appliances into? >2. Can someone recommend a store in New York City (or mailorder) >where I can buy such a transformer (for best price)? >3. Is 60Hz going to screw up my 50Hz clock radio? If so, can anything >be done about this? Most things won't care about the 50 hz power. Motors and transformers designed for 60 hz will run hotter than normal, so if you've got equipment that runs rather warm *now*, I'd be a little concerned about running it on 50 hz. Syncronous motors will run slower of course. Switching power supplies generally won't care at all. In fact, many switching power supplies won't even care if you feed them 220 instead of 110 though some will have a switch or jumper that they would prefer that you set to the proper voltage. Your absolute best bet is to buy a full time sinewave UPS. You can charge the batteries with 220 50 hz with no problem and the inverter in the UPS will supply steady 110 volt 60 hz power to your equipment. Power in Spain tends to be a little unreliable anyway so this would probably be a good idea even if they produced 110 volt 60 hz. A 800 to 1200 watt fulltime UPS can be had new for around $1000 or you can pickup a rebuilt one for around $300 or you might scrounge one that needs a little repair for free. Check with the MIS departments of neighboring companies and schools. The shipping charges to Spain might break you though. These things tend to be heavy. Gary KE4ZV