[Coco] 110V computer stuff on 240V (was Usergroups / Hardware Hunt)

[farna at att.net]

Or if you have some basic electric skills you can do what I did with a German DMP printer I bought yeas ago -- change the transformer. After the transformer the electrics are pretty much the same. Open the case of whatever you're using and find the transformer. Find the output leads (pretty easy) and measure the voltage with an ohm meter. Some will have more than one output. Get a 240V transformer that has the same voltage and swap them. In some cases you won't be able to find a transformer that will fit where the old one was. you're still not out of luck -- mount the transformer externally. You might be able to find a "wall wart" or other external power supply (old laptop, etc.) that provides the right output. That would be the ideal situation if you have to go external, but if not you can mount the "regular" transformer in a project box. Better that then leaving it open, though I've seen that done when I was in Okinawa 15 years ago (110V to 100V). Just put a connector on th
 e devi
ce for the external power supply and attach the wires. You do have to be able to do some soldering, of course, but in most cases we're not talking about multi-layer cirsuit boards -- single layer mostly. Many times you can cut the legs of the old transformer instead of de-soldering, then solder the new wires to the stubs.  

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AIM.html
(free download available!)

 -------------- Original message ----------------------

> Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 13:19:05 +1000
> From: David Roper <dave at ebonhost.com>
> Subject: Re: [Coco] Usergroups / Hardware Hunt
> 
> Bob Devries wrote:
> > John T Chasteen said:
> >> Will the printers work at 50 Hz if the voltage is stepped-up to 240Vac?
> >
> > A printer rated at 110 volts will work using the 50Hz AC stepped 
> > *down* to 110 from 240, but the transformers will run hotter.
> > Anything rated at 50 HZ will similarly run cooler on 60Hz.
> >
> > -- 
> > Regards, Bob Devries, Dalby, Queensland, Australia
> 
> So, for those of us without an engineering degree, "it won't work, buy 
> one from Australia" ?
> 
> - David
> 
>