Voltage Converters
 

Hi Everyone

I'm in snowy Muskoka and its glorious. (Two hrs north of Toronto):lol:

Anyway - wonder if someone can advise please. I bought a few UK applicances with me -inc. 1000 watt food processor and am now looking for the best step up/down transformer. Does anyone have experience of these please? and where did they purchase from and are they happy with the performance? As always, thanks in advance.

Re: Voltage Converters
 

will pm you

Re: Voltage Converters
 

Why not share this info with us all. I am sort of guessing it's not only the voltage, but also ampere which matters.

Re: Voltage Converters
 

You should get one that is at least 50% higher wattage than your appliance (to cover motor startup current, which uses more current than running):

Amazon are cheapest:

https://www.amazon.ca/Goldsource%C2%...onverter+2000w

https://www.amazon.ca/Simran-AC-2000...onverter+2000w

We have a couple of Simran ones in different sizes - one small one to run a 240V-only TV and a larger capacity one for other stuff.

As Canadian voltage is half UK voltage, a 240v appliance will require twice the current from your 110v circuit. That's why kettles and irons here top out at 1500-1800W compared to 3000W in the UK.

Your UK kettle or toaster would trip your breakers...

Re: Voltage Converters
 

Thanks Withabix. That Goldsource should do the job nicely. Only one appliance is 1000 watts, everything else is way less. Thanks again:)

Re: Voltage Converters
 

We used these guys and all the converters we bought have proved very reliable: Voltage Converters - Voltage Transformers and Converter

Re: Voltage Converters
 

Please check previous thread here titled Step-up/down Transformers.
Many experts there said it's OK to plug a UK appliance into the Canadian 240VAC 3 wire sockets and it works... so a transformer not needed.

I argued otherwise but was shot down.

Re: Voltage Converters
 

:goodpost:

agree, as well as post #4

Re: Voltage Converters
 

I don't think we were Davita... many people may be doing this but not, it would seem, the experts...

Re: Voltage Converters
 

I am an 'expert' that wired a 220/240 (OZ/NZ) socket in my kitchen back in the 80's from the split socket - consisting of the two 110v live sides & the ground. The neutral wire was insulated & not connected & it remained that way till we sold the house when I removed the 220

The socket accommodated all small AC appliances, hairdryer, blender, mixer, drill, shaver

Folks tell me that being a retired Professional Electrical Engineer (Canada, UK & Australia) as well as prior to retirement a licensed electrician in Ontario (309A & 442A) as well as being licensed in one other trade, that I don't know anything about Electricity... and they're absolutely correct

Having said that, I stick with my earlier post in this thread the OP get a suitable transformer & NEVER EVER muck about trying to wire a 220v socket from a split receptacle

Re: Voltage Converters
 

I'm very glad the above has been stated by a licensed electrician as I also advocated that....but other posters disagreed and said changing the UK plug to use the split 240VAC receptacle was OK.
I think that's dangerous.

Re: Voltage Converters
 

We said it was do'abel and it works
we did not tell anybody else to go an do it


http://internationalconfig.com/prod_shot/5651-i.jpg


and IMHO if your not sure DON'T DO IT




FWIW... I used to build and design my own high power Audio Amplifiers, and I also repaired a few Valve amplifiers and throw in a degree in Physics so I think I might know a bit about electricity and AC theory

Re: Voltage Converters
 

Haha that got the desire response!

Key points from Not2Olds post:

1/ He clearly know what he's doing being a previously licensed electrician_ I'll reserve judgement on the CEng/PEng/CEng(Aus) quals lol

2/ He took the receptacle out before selling

Then from Mike the golden rule:

Quote:

---

and IMHO if your not sure DON'T DO IT

---

You may not have followed the sinewave debate with Davita & Co on the long thread but you do need to understand what a voltage actually is rather than seeing as a number you just need to match/ get close to before effing around with this...

Re: Voltage Converters
 

LOL Amusing posts.

I am sadly completely ignorant of all things electrical. There are a few electrical items we would like to take over with us (items bought in UAE) i.e TV, Laptops, Playstation.
How would I know if I need a converter or not? Is the 'little black box' on some cables a built in converter?
And for the converters you buy......are they all that BIG??

Thanks in advance

Re: Voltage Converters
 

The 'little black box' will say 100-240v on it if it is a universal transformer.

For laptops they almost always are universal.

For Playstations they may not be. Easiest thing with those is to buy a new PlayStation power supply in Canada. Amazon, eBay, Craigslist etc...

Newer TVs are universal voltage. We only had 1 out of 4 that was 240v-only.

The converters vary in size depending on the wattage required. The small ones that look like a plug-in battery charger will only be low power,100 watts or so and aren't usually intended for continuous use.