From: dj@ssd.kodak.com (Dave Jones)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Voltage converter
Date: 28 Jul 92 14:03:53 GMT
Article-I.D.: pixel.1992Jul28.140353.28467
Organization: :noitazinagrO

In article <1992Jul28.035843.309@software.org> antonson@software.org (Todd S. Antonson) writes:
>
>Hi,  I was wondering if there might be someone who knows about voltage
>converters for US products in britain.  The only converters I have been
>able to find are voltage converters from 220V -> 110V but I don't know anything
>about the cycles (Hz).
>
>In the US the cycles are 60Hz.  What is it in the UK?  I have a friend who
>has a portable CD player from the US and it only works with batteries.  What
>kind of converter should I look for so she can plug it in to the wall?  Will
>these voltage converters work?  They have warnings about using them with
>"electronics" but that electric razers are OK.
>

The mains frequency in the UK is 50Hz.  Anything that uses the frequency
to control its operation will be affected: that covers mostly electric
motors that work directly from the mains, e.g. shavers with cords.

Decide what you're going to want to operate in the UK.  See if it can
already handle 240V: usually the voltage range will be written on a
plate or sticker somewhere on the device.  For such a device, all you
need is a plug adapter to go from US twin spade to UK 3-pin.  The UK
plug, face on, looks like this:

  |
 - -

 The big vertical pin is the ground, the horizontal pins are live and
 neutral.  The typical adapter has the two US spade (| |) sockets on
 the back.  The ground pin on the UK side is usually a dummy.  Sometimes
 you get a kit with a UK adaptor that has two round sockets (o o) on the
 back: you plug the US plug into an adaptor to two round pins, then
 plug that into the UK adaptor.
 
 The place to start looking for adaptors is Radio Shack.  Places like
 those executive gift shops that sell briefcases, shaving kits and stuffed
 gorillas will also stock them, but at greater expense.  You might
 get a good deal in the Bored Executive section of you favorite catalog
 store (Best, Service etc.)

 Any appliance that requires a transformer/rectifier, such as a cordless
 shaver, or a portable CD player, will probably work with a voltage
 converter, but some products don't even need that.  Again, check the
 voltage range specified on the appliance, or on the transformer.  If
 the appliance needs 9V DC, and the transformer/rectifier can convert
 240V AC to 9V DC, then everything's fine.  Cycles, 50 or 60 Hz, are not
 an issue.  If the t/r only does 110V to 9V DC, then use a voltage
 converter (Radio Shack again).


If you wish to take anything that uses the US grounded plug, then you
are an extreme masochist and are unlikely to succeed.

For UK lurkers, the US grounded plug is:
  o
 | |
 with ground on the round pin.  For unknown reasons the sockets that
 accept it are usually upside down, so the round socket is beneath the
 spade sockets.


-- 
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||Dave Jones (dj@ekcolor.ssd.kodak.com) | Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, NY   |