harper@hope.UUCP (Larry Harper) (11/24/87)
While I'm over here in the States I want to stock up on all those neat peripherals that are coming out over here, and which are sorely lacking in France. But before going on a buying spree I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction for getting the transformer I'd need to run those peripherals on the old continent. Many Thanx to all the good people who will rush to answer! Frank the temporary transplant from France (...!sdcsvax!ucrmath!harper)
grr@cbmvax.UUCP (George Robbins) (12/06/87)
In article <69@ucrmath.UUCP> harper@hope.UUCP (Larry Harper) writes: > While I'm over here in the States I want to stock up on all those neat > peripherals that are coming out over here, and which are sorely lacking in > France. But before going on a buying spree I was wondering if anyone could > point me in the right direction for getting the transformer I'd need to > run those peripherals on the old continent. Any decent electrical or electronics jobber [ignore those wholesale only signs] should carry a generic 120/240 volt step up/step down transformer. A typical unit would be a Stancor P6385 a 250 watt transformer with a line cord, a switch for selecting 210/230/250 volt input and a standard female receptacle. This would be a bit wimpy for a A1000+A1080 combo - 2A+1A*120V -> 360 VA, but would be fine for powering some peripherals. The old catalog I have shows it going for around $60, with larger and smaller versions available at roughly porportional costs. Warning: there are other devices described as "auto-transformers". They are cheaper, but you must be extremely careful when wiring them up, since the windings are are partially common, and incorrect connection can result in your equipment being "hot", i.e. things that should be at ground potential being at 220 Volts. Better to avoid such trouble unless you can set up a permenant installation where noone will kick out the wall plug and reverse it. -- George Robbins - now working for, uucp: {uunet|ihnp4|rutgers}!cbmvax!grr but no way officially representing arpa: cbmvax!grr@uunet.uu.net Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
stever@videovax.Tek.COM (Steven E. Rice, P.E.) (12/10/87)
In article <2911@cbmvax.UUCP>, George Robbins (grr@cbmvax.UUCP) writes: > In article <69@ucrmath.UUCP> harper@hope.UUCP (Larry Harper) writes: >> While I'm over here in the States I want to stock up on all those neat >> peripherals that are coming out over here, and which are sorely lacking in >> France. But before going on a buying spree I was wondering if anyone could >> point me in the right direction for getting the transformer I'd need to >> run those peripherals on the old continent. > > Any decent electrical or electronics jobber [ignore those wholesale only > signs] should carry a generic 120/240 volt step up/step down transformer. > . . . Be VERY careful to get a transformer that is designed for 50 Hz operation! It takes quite a bit more iron to keep the core from saturating at 50 Hz than at 60 Hz (U.S. power frequency). An extremely painful lesson would be learned the hard way if one took a standard 60 Hz tranformer to France, plugged it in, walked out of the room, and came back an hour later to find it smoking! Steve Rice ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * JESUS Is The REASON For The SEASON! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year) * new: stever@videovax.tv.Tek.com old: {decvax | hplabs | ihnp4 | uw-beaver}!tektronix!videovax!stever
schaub@sugar.UUCP (Markus Schaub) (12/16/87)
>>> point me in the right direction for getting the transformer I'd need to >>> run those peripherals on the old continent. > > Be VERY careful to get a transformer that is designed for 50 Hz operation! You might have problems getting Amiga peripherials in France, but I'm sure they have appropriate 220 -> 110V transformers. I found mine easily in Switzerland :-) -- // Markus Schaub uunet!nuchat!sugar!schaub (713) 523 8422 // M2Amiga Developer trying to get back the money I paid for my \\ // Amiga by selling a few M2Amiga. \X/ c/o Interface Technologies Corp, 3336 Richmond #323, Houston Tx 77098