Using high-power US electrical device in Europe
November 27, 2023 1:26 AM Subscribe
I want to use a US-manufactured heating device with the specifications "Power: 3A, 365 Watt, 120V AC" in Europe. What kind of transformer do I need?
Obviously, it needs to be rated for at least 365 W/3 A, but will one with an output voltage of 110 V instead of 120 V be OK? Do I need to worry about the 50 Hz/60 Hz discrepancy? Local Amazon only carries transformers with the typical Amazon alphabet soup brand names for around 50-60 EUR, would these be safe to use, or do I need to find a professional electrical equipment supplier?
Obviously, it needs to be rated for at least 365 W/3 A, but will one with an output voltage of 110 V instead of 120 V be OK? Do I need to worry about the 50 Hz/60 Hz discrepancy? Local Amazon only carries transformers with the typical Amazon alphabet soup brand names for around 50-60 EUR, would these be safe to use, or do I need to find a professional electrical equipment supplier?
European voltage is 220 V, you need a step-down converter
posted by boudicca at 2:38 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by boudicca at 2:38 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
230V in Europe, universally I'm fairly sure. The acknowledgement of the need for a converter/transformer is contained in the question.
posted by deadwax at 2:57 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by deadwax at 2:57 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I appreciate that this isn't the question that was asked, but can you perhaps explain why it's worth converting current to you, rather than simply buying a device already intended for 220-240V@50Hz? I understand that this kind of pest mitigation measure is a very personal thing, but is there no available equivalent locally?
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:12 AM on November 27, 2023
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:12 AM on November 27, 2023
Response by poster: rum-soaked space hobo, I can't find a comparable device for sale in Europe. If anyone knows of a 230 V heating chamber that can produce a sustained dry heat above 60 C, please do link!
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 3:17 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 3:17 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I would not use a cheapo amazon transformer for this. Those are fine for like, things that draw less than 100 watts in my opinion and more importantly are not a resistive load. I would use one for a flat screen tv that wouldn't accept full range or an old game console or something, but not a heater. I saw someones setup who needed to do this for some really nice appliances, and they used a serious transformer from a reputable supply shop like these or these. More like the latter, actually.
I literally just do not believe that the amazon ones aren't just cargo cult boxes built to look like those with internals that will burn up after months of usage at real load, bad solder joints that will crap out, etc. Ever seen the difference between an amazon "replacement for" laptop power brick and a real OEM one? they weigh half as much, even when you pick a "nicer" one thats $30 instead of $15.
More importantly, these aren't that much more expensive to not get a sketchy seeming potential piece of junk.
I will say, looking at this heating box companies site, the spec sheet leaves... some things to be desired. Is the timer unit powered by the mains input, or does it run on a little watch battery? Any electronics here might not like being fed 50hz instead of 60, if the machine itself is only designed for 120/60hz. Not that i think they'd blow up here so much as they might just not run, or freak out. None of these step down transformers convert the frequency of the power, just the voltage.
posted by emptythought at 3:42 AM on November 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
I literally just do not believe that the amazon ones aren't just cargo cult boxes built to look like those with internals that will burn up after months of usage at real load, bad solder joints that will crap out, etc. Ever seen the difference between an amazon "replacement for" laptop power brick and a real OEM one? they weigh half as much, even when you pick a "nicer" one thats $30 instead of $15.
More importantly, these aren't that much more expensive to not get a sketchy seeming potential piece of junk.
I will say, looking at this heating box companies site, the spec sheet leaves... some things to be desired. Is the timer unit powered by the mains input, or does it run on a little watch battery? Any electronics here might not like being fed 50hz instead of 60, if the machine itself is only designed for 120/60hz. Not that i think they'd blow up here so much as they might just not run, or freak out. None of these step down transformers convert the frequency of the power, just the voltage.
posted by emptythought at 3:42 AM on November 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I don't know how long their heating chambers can sustain 60°C temperatures, but ZappBug has distributors in France and Switzerland and they're factory-equipped to run on 230V.
posted by pendrift at 4:34 AM on November 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by pendrift at 4:34 AM on November 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Any electronics here might not like being fed 50hz instead of 60, if the machine itself is only designed for 120/60hz.
With today's electronics that timer will be based on a small microcontroller which will have its own internal clock and not rely on mains frequency anyway. The (small) power supply feeding this part of the unit will not care about mains frequency either though it will very likely not be designed for both 110..120V AC and 220..240V AC like more universal supplies (laptop power bricks, for instance) are.
If that bag was just a dumb resistive heater with an equally dumb bi-metal thermostat it could run off 230V AC with just a beefy diode in between (like some of these cheapo step-down 'converters' are, with added shoddy construction). But it's not because of the electronics.
What you need is a 230-to-120 V , 500VA transformer. This one looks decent enough, and they show the actual innards and its weight.
posted by Stoneshop at 6:06 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
With today's electronics that timer will be based on a small microcontroller which will have its own internal clock and not rely on mains frequency anyway. The (small) power supply feeding this part of the unit will not care about mains frequency either though it will very likely not be designed for both 110..120V AC and 220..240V AC like more universal supplies (laptop power bricks, for instance) are.
If that bag was just a dumb resistive heater with an equally dumb bi-metal thermostat it could run off 230V AC with just a beefy diode in between (like some of these cheapo step-down 'converters' are, with added shoddy construction). But it's not because of the electronics.
What you need is a 230-to-120 V , 500VA transformer. This one looks decent enough, and they show the actual innards and its weight.
posted by Stoneshop at 6:06 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks to everyone who answered but a big SUPER-thanks to pendrift, I looked for ZappBug distributors in Europe but not thoroughly enough, I guess!
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 6:18 AM on November 27, 2023
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 6:18 AM on November 27, 2023
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110v will be fine, you'll get a little less heat output.
The frequency difference shouldn't matter, assuming it's just a resistance element and a switch and dumb thermostat. (It seems to be)
I'm much less qualified on the last question but follow the reviews would be my thought.
posted by deadwax at 1:53 AM on November 27, 2023 [1 favorite]