BOLDUAN@oregon.uoregon.edu (Karen Bolduan) (03/03/90)
Hilfe! As a graduate architecure student, I am preparing to spend next year studying in Stuttgart, BRD (W. Germany). I can't imagine spending an entire year anywhere without my Mac, but I'm worried about power compatibility. Does anyone out there know what's involved in plugging an American SE into a European 220 volt outlet? I'd hate to fry my Mac! I've been told that the II series has an auto switching power source, but I've been told lots of other unconfirmed things as well... Thanks! Ross Sanders Univ. of Oregon
philip@Kermit.Stanford.EDU (Philip Machanick) (03/03/90)
In article <16721@oregon.uoregon.edu>, BOLDUAN@oregon.uoregon.edu (Karen Bolduan) writes: > Hilfe! > > As a graduate architecure student, I am preparing to spend next year studying > in Stuttgart, BRD (W. Germany). I can't imagine spending an entire year > anywhere without my Mac, but I'm worried about power compatibility. > > Does anyone out there know what's involved in plugging an American SE into > a European 220 volt outlet? I'd hate to fry my Mac! I've been told that the > II series has an auto switching power source, but I've been told lots of > other unconfirmed things as well... I've run SE, SE/30, II, IIcx and IIx US-sourced Macs on 220V with no problems. Also (for general info) the Apple monitors should be OK (I've only tested the color one, but there's no reason the others should be a problem). The earliest Apple device I came across with this feature was the pre-SCSI HD-20. The major conversion you'll need to make is replacing the power cord. As long as you have your own software, you shouldn't run into incompatibilities from localized setups. Exceptions: no Apple printers have this automatically switching power supply (maybe because of higher power requirements). Printers are pretty awkward things to carry around anyway. I recommend you find out if there's a shared printer you can use over there. > Thanks! Don't thank me, thank Apple. > Ross Sanders > Univ. of Oregon I've heard some vendors "fix" there software so it will not run on a machine with the wrong "nationality" (a trick to enforce different price structures in different parts of the world: "this package only for use in USA"). Does anyone have any definite proof of such practices? Does Apple have any official view on this? Philip Machanick philip@pescadero.stanford.edu
rcfische@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Raymond C. Fischer) (03/03/90)
In article <16721@oregon.uoregon.edu> BOLDUAN@oregon.uoregon.edu (Karen Bolduan) writes: >Hilfe! >Does anyone out there know what's involved in plugging an American SE into >a European 220 volt outlet? I'd hate to fry my Mac! I've been told that the >II series has an auto switching power source, but I've been told lots of >other unconfirmed things as well... If you're not the trusting sort who beleives everything people say (and I wouldn't be either when it's my $3000 Mac at stake) then look at the back of your Mac. Somewhere in that print it will say exactly what its power requirements are. My SE/30 says 50-60Hz, 100-240V Simple, eh? Ray Fischer rcfische@polyslo.calpoly.edu
Philip.Craig@p27.f22.n282.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Philip Craig) (03/06/90)
In a message to All [03 Mar 90 06:32:00] Karen Bolduan writes: >As a graduate architecure student, I am preparing >to spend next year studying in Stuttgart, BRD (W. >Germany). I can't imagine spending an entire year >anywhere without my Mac, but I'm worried about power >compatibility. > >Does anyone out there know what's involved in >plugging an American SE into a European 220 volt >outlet? What's involved is finding a socket that has the right pin shapes. The SE has auto-adapting power from 100-240V, 50-60 Hz, as you'll discover if you read the label on the back of your machine. -- Philip Craig - via FidoNet node 1:282/33 UUCP: ...!uunet!imagery!22.27!Philip.Craig ARPA: Philip.Craig@p27.f22.n282.z1.FIDONET.ORG
vossron@Apple.COM (Ronald N. Voss) (03/08/90)
Philip.Craig@p27.f22.n282.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Philip Craig) writes: >In a message to All [03 Mar 90 06:32:00] Karen Bolduan writes: > >As a graduate architecure student, I am preparing > >to spend next year studying in Stuttgart, BRD (W. > >Germany). I can't imagine spending an entire year > >anywhere without my Mac, but I'm worried about power > >compatibility. > > > >Does anyone out there know what's involved in > >plugging an American SE into a European 220 volt > >outlet? First, there is no universal European 220 volt outlet. >What's involved is finding a socket that has the right pin shapes. ... Not exactly. The power *plug* on the back of the SE is universal. What you need is the proper power *cord* for the country of destination. These are best bought at an electronics supply store when you get there. But watch out! *Because* the SE's power plug *is* universal, it's then very easy to mistakenly attach 110v equipment (like an ImageWriter II) to a 220v source. Not good. -- Ron Voss Apple Computer I speak only for myself.
guelzow@ccu.umanitoba.ca (03/15/90)
I have a platinum Mac Plus that I intend to take to Europe (Germany) soon. I assume it came with a 110V only power supply. (At least that's what the label says.) Recently I had the power supply replaced. (On Apple care, but the "bill" claims that is what they did.) Later I remembered to ask them what kind of supply they installed. The answer was: a switchable supply. How can I find out whether that's correct? I can open the Mac, but what would I be looking for? Thank you very much... Andreas Guelzow
rob@cos.com (Rob Clark) (03/20/90)
I was under the impression that Mac +'s came with an switchable power supply as standard (unless it was one of the very early ones). I think I read this in the Hardware Reference Manual somewhere. To change between 110 <-> 220, you just remove a switch on the analog board. Now to be charged for a switchable power supply...... -Rob- -- Rob Clark, Corporation for Open System International -- rob@cos.com -- ..!uunet!cos!rob Disclaimer: I don't work for these people anyway, soooo....