Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

Hi,
I am moving the US at the end of the month and am looking for some advise.
1) I have a UK LCD TV that I would like to take to the US as it cost quite a bit when I bought it and handles fast moving sports like soccer very well - the main reason I bought it. Anyway I am aware that I would need a step down transformer but as long as I connect it to digital or cable outputting via an HDMI cable I don't think I should have a problem watching US TV. Its also not costing me to ship it so I don't have that as a negative. I was told today in passing by the person from the company who is arranging my move that a lot of people take their TV's to the US these days, but she ahs heard that the TV should not be left on overnight. I'm assuming this is bassed on the extra heat generated by the transformer and the fire risk. Is this something I should be concerned about?

2)I was also planning on transporting my subwoofer but given the heat issues with the transformer mentioned above I am having 2nd thoughts.

3) I have a DAB radio. As the US doesn't support DAB AFAIK there is no point me bringing this.

Thanks.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

Check the specifications of the units to see if they are dual voltage. That is quite common.

DAB does not exists in the US.

Also, check out US prices -- the prices have dropped dramatically.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

You'll get better results with a step-up transformer.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

Transformers do get very hot. It's been mentioned on here before...check out your house insurance policy...the use of one may invalidate a claim if there's a fire.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

We use the UK tv with the uk games systems. The transformers are expensive, make a constant whirring sound and get hot. We have them on for the bare minimum. They would really annoy me if we had to use it with our main tv.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

To add to the reasons not to, TVs don't travel well.

Sell it and use the money to buy a new one here.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

That's crazy, loads of electrical items use a transformer of some type.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

As with pretty much everything else, US went with its own standard - HDRadio

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

Yes - the problem isn't the use of a transformer - it is the use of one that isn't adequately rated and isn't mounted in a proper enclosure with sufficient cooling - ie most of the ones that people end up buying ... :(

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

Moving electrical items to the US just doesn't make sense. Sell it and get a new one when you get here, save yourself an awful lot of hassle!

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

The transformers that came with my last 3 laptops all produce a significant amount of heat!

The transformer on my current laptop could probably be used to fry an egg.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

Blimey....good luck with that :lol:

As for the gear, ditch it, all of it.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

And multiply that up to something sucking the power of a tele and you've got a massive fire risk, especially if it's left on standby.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

We had one so we could use our UK TV. It was the size and weight of a brick and got very, very hot. We always made sure it was unplugged from the mains after it was used. It was used approx 4 hrs per week.

Re: Advise on electrical equipment (Transformer heat)
 

If you mean the laptop power supply, then that isn't simply a transformer but a switched-mode power supply.