Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!randvax!edhall
From: edhall@rand.org (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Japanese Equipment in USA
Message-ID: <1991Jun11.183032.10750@rand.org>
Date: 11 Jun 91 18:30:32 GMT
References: <JIM.91Jun10093326@fuji.eng.Yale.edu> <1840047@hpsad.HP.COM>
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In article <1840047@hpsad.HP.COM> frankb@hpsad.HP.COM (Frank Ball) writes:
>/ jim@fuji.eng.Yale.edu (James J. Szinger) /  2:33 am  Jun 10, 1991 /
>*We will be having a visitor from Japan in out lab this summer,
>*and he is wondering if his 100V Japanese electrical equipment
>*will work on North American 120V/60Hz electricity.  What's the
>*line frequency in Japan?  Can his equipment tolerate this much
>*deviation from nominal without undue risk to life, limb, and
>*property?  If not, is there an easy way to get it to work.
>
>I think they use 50 Hz in Japan.  The voltage difference is more likely
>to cause problems than the frequency difference.  I wouldn't try to use
>anything with with electronics in it, the filter capacitors are likely to
>explode.  You need to get a step down transformer to convert down to 100 V.

Have him check with the manufacturer(s).  Chances are he'll have no
problem, at least for electronic gear.  But you'd best have him check;
some gear might overheat (although I doubt the filter caps will
pop...)  Of course, if it says something like "100-120V 50-60Hz" on
the back right above the power cord (or thereabouts), he has nothing
to worry about.

Frequency-sensitive gear (clocks, etc.) may or may not have problems; part
of Japan is on 50Hz, while part is on 60Hz!  It will depend upon where
he lives now, and whether the gear is easily re-configured for 60Hz (if
it happens to be 50Hz).

		-Ed Hall
		edhall@rand.org