Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Running 120V AC equipment off 240V AC.
Message-ID: <1988Feb15.153838.5619@utzoo.uucp>
Keywords: step-down transformer, resistive/inductive loads
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <204@unh.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Feb-88 15:38:27 EST

> ... 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.

If you look carefully at the Radio Snack converters, you will find that
there are two kinds:  a low-wattage type for motors and such, and a high-
wattage type for heaters and such.  Only the low-wattage one is really a
transformer.  The high-wattage one is just a diode, which does a really
sloppy job of conversion that is only good enough for things that don't
care about the details.  Most anything electronic will care, as will many
motors.

A high-wattage transformer will not be cheap, or small, or light.

You also need to worry about another problem.  I assume you are thinking
about the flavor(s) of 240VAC found overseas, not here.  If so, note that
those awful furriners also run their power at 50 Hz rather than 60 Hz.
There is likely to be a little label on the back of your equipment giving
things like voltage and power requirements.  If it says something like
"47-63 Hz", as many of them do now, you're in the clear.  If it says
"60 Hz", then you are gambling if you hook up to 50-Hz power:  it might
work, it might overheat, it might fail completely.  There is no easy fix
for this one.
-- 
Those who do not understand Unix are |  Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
condemned to reinvent it, poorly.    | {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,utai}!utzoo!henry