230v converter for lamp in U.S.

February 10, 2009 6:17 PM

I bought a great lamp in Denmark, but I live in the U.S. Apart from rewiring, has anyone had any luck with a converter/transformer that would allow me to use this stateside? The plug notes it's 230v, 50 hz (inductor type BL1); I believe it's a "C" type plug with the two pins. It's a very small lamp, I can't imagine it uses much power. Anyone had any luck with this sort of thing?
posted by dearleader to technology (7 comments total)

what kind of bulb goes in it? i suspect this is not the case, given there's some kind of inductor in there, but a simple incandescent bulb would imply that you could just stick a bulb designed for 110v into it, provided the threads are the same. (no idea if they are, possibly not, but you could probably get an adapter.)
posted by sergeant sandwich at 6:39 PM on February 10

It's actually got a little 7w "radium" flourescent, not standard 'threaded' style. The shade is a self-enclosed form, so theoretically I could buy a U.S. cord/small flourescent fixture and just stick it inside the lamp, and no one would see it. But it'd be easier to keep the existing light. The power cord is attached to a big chunky box, I wonder if that helps with any conversion.
posted by dearleader at 6:44 PM on February 10

your best bet then is probably to get one of these, or something similar. 50w should be plenty sufficient, and they work just fine.
posted by sergeant sandwich at 6:50 PM on February 10

If the power cord is attached to a big chunky box, like this:

plug      box      lamp
=)-------[==]------=(+)

Then the big chunky box is probably a transformer that takes in 230V and puts out some DC voltage.

The box should be marked with the voltage it puts out. Once you know this, you can replace the box and plug with a 110V transformer of equal output.

The transformer may already be able to accept 1100V input [again, the markings will say so]; if that's the case, all you need is an adapter widget to make the plug on the lamp fit into your US outlet.

In either case, Radio Shack [or equiv.] should have everything you need.
posted by chazlarson at 7:38 PM on February 10

1100 s/b 110. Darn this Ubuntu machine with the overzealous auto-key-repeat.
posted by chazlarson at 7:42 PM on February 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't know much about smaller fluorescent bulbs, but my guess is that the 'big, chunky box' is a ballast, not just a transformer. I doubt you'll be able to simply replace the existing box, because a 110v ballast for a bulb that's not normally marketed in North America may not exist. I would just buy a step-up transformer like the one Sergeant Sandwich linked to.
posted by jon1270 at 2:25 AM on February 11

See if you can source replacement bulbs in the US. If you can't, might as well convert the thing to a US based solution.

I wouldn't be surprised if the box thing said that it accepts 110v/60hz already. If it does, just change the plug.
posted by gjc at 5:33 AM on February 11