Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-spam!mordor!lll-tis!lll-lcc!lll-winken!uunet!unh!abc
From: abc@unh.UUCP (Avinash B Chopde)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Running 120V AC equipment off 240V AC.
Keywords: step-down transformer, resistive/inductive loads
Message-ID: <204@unh.UUCP>
Date: 9 Feb 88 18:41:44 GMT
Organization: University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Lines: 22


A question about stepping down voltage.

I went into a Radio Shack shop to get a transformer (primary 240V,
secondary 120V) so that 120V equipment can be run off 240V AC supply.

I thought only the wattage should be important in such a transformer,
but the salesman told me that the 1000W unit they have will work only for
hair-dryers, and cannot be used for motors (food processors, etc) even if
they are of lesser wattage.

Does this have something to do with resistive/inductive loads ?
Anybody have a simple answer (non-technical! - am an electronics ignoramus!),
or, (better still) a refutation of the salesman's talk ?

A specific question : will there be any burnouts if I use a 1000W convertor
specified to be used for hair-dryers for audio equipment instead ?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
-- 
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Avinash Chopde  (abc@unhcs.CSNET)
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