230VAC 50Hz-120VAC 60Hz Step Down Transformer

[RandomRando]

Hi Guys.

Hoping for some assistance. Trust that every has enjoyed a good festive break and are applying their minds 100% at work? lol.

My uncle was given a gift from a relative who was out from the US. Its one of those wall mounted signing bass fish things that one normally has in a pub. you know, those ones that flap about on the board and sing a song etc. Anyways, this one is a 120V Ac input @60hz and a 6V Dc 800mA output.

Ive been to my normal suppliers (AC/DC; Electro mechanica; ARB; North Side) looking for a plug in step down transformer like the 220V-12vDC 2 pin types. nobody seems to know what i need nor which transformer i need. One even tried to offer me a pool light type transformer which is not what im looking for. surely there has to be one that is similar to those 230-12v plug in types? perhaps ive been explaining it incorrectly to them, who knows.

Can anybody point me in the right direction here please? my uncle would like to mount the fish on the wall and just be able to plug it in possible, without having to hide a bulky transformer somewhere.

TIA

 

[Magnum]

Is that AC or DC? you provided both.

 

[Geoff.D]

Assuming the required power for the gadget is 6V DC at 800 ma, All you have to find is a suitable power supply, that will work from 100V to 240 Volt with a 6V DC output of at least 1 A. The frequency of such a power supply would not matter at all as most of the power supplies available would, in any case, be able to handle 50 - 60Hz. try a hobby shop, or specialised electronic supplier.

 

[Stokstert]

Something like this will do. Could be had at Communica, Electronics123 and even some hardware shops.

 

[Magnum]

Get a China shop. they sell 1A variable adaptor for R50.

 

[dillinger]

http://www.mantech.co.za/ProductInfo.aspx?Item=372M0779

 

[RandomRando]

Thanks guys. Will check out the options, much appreciated.

 

[RandomRando]

Assuming the required power for the gadget is 6V DC at 800 ma, All you have to find is a suitable power supply, that will work from 100V to 240 Volt with a 6V DC output of at least 1 A. The frequency of such a power supply would not matter at all as most of the power supplies available would, in any case, be able to handle 50 - 60Hz. try a hobby shop, or specialised electronic supplier.

well i have some feedback. I went to AC/DC, bought one of these plug in transformers ( MD1606 under 'mains power supplies' in their catalogue pg 84). Plugged it in and nada. Put batteries into the fish and it works so I'm assuming that, short of me dismantling this fish for confirmation, that it has its own transformer built in to it to step down from 120VAC to 6VDC, so inputting 6VDC is not going to work.

The rep behind the counter says that they do not have any power supplies that have 230VAC input and 120VAC output like i need. Looking in their catalogue and it seems he is correct although i refuse to believe that this item does not exist?

 

[Jola]

The rep behind the counter says that they do not have any power supplies that have 230VAC input and 120VAC output like i need. Looking in their catalogue and it seems he is correct although i refuse to believe that this item does not exist?

Mica used to sell cheap ones like this for R49, just a few years ago, but don't seem to have them any more.

Of course, with those the output was still 50Hz, which is ok for the electronic stuff since they convert it to DC anyway.

A 230VAC to 6VDC 1 Amp brick would be the best solution. You can get that anywhere, just make sure that you set the centre pin polarity correctly.

 

[|Trix|]

Hey guys,
I'm just going to revive this thread and ask a question.
So when it comes to electricity I'm half retarded
My wife decided to buy a vacuum sealer from Amazon and it came with a USA 2 flat pin plug.
The specs at the back says 120VAC 60Hz 130W
What adapter/converter would be required to power the sealer up without burning down our house or putting someone in a coma when trying to operate it?
Your responses/knowledge will be appreciated.

 

[PUP Backup]

I presume this product is made in the US??
If so then it is likely that it can only accept 120V.
Does it have a heater built in? If so that will have a 120V element..
What is the power consumption ( Amps or Watts)??

 

[dillinger]

You say vacuum sealer, does it have a motor of some sorts?

Easy enough to get the Volt down from 240 to 120, your problem is the Hz.

I once imported a bowl screw feeder from the states, it was 120V, so I had a transformer made to take 240 down to 120V switch on the machine and nothing. So I put in a Variable Speed Drive before the transformer and set it to 60Hz and the machine came alive.

 

[PUP Backup]

The US is on its own not only with their mains voltage and frequency.
They have never adopted the SI system which means they talk in degrees Farenheid and inches..
Their threads for screws etc. is still totally incompatible with the rest of the world.
On the positive side they are on the way out as far as a manufacturer is concerned so we will be seeing less US products going forward.

 

[Magnum]

You say vacuum sealer, does it have a motor of some sorts?

Easy enough to get the Volt down from 240 to 120, your problem is the Hz.

I once imported a bowl screw feeder from the states, it was 120V, so I had a transformer made to take 240 down to 120V switch on the machine and nothing. So I put in a Variable Speed Drive before the transformer and set it to 60Hz and the machine came alive.

Frequency has more of an impact on inductive devices than most people realize. For that vacuum machine. It's gona die if you plug it in here. All commercially imported devices have a 120/240 selector switch. Grey market imports don't allow for that as they assume it is a US only sale. Some of the elevators use a motor generator to convert from 50Hz to 60Hz at lower voltages. A bit overkill to power a 130W device.

At 50Hz you are over volting the coils and using the internal copper resistance as current draw in stead of frequency induced resistance. Switch mode power supplies the switching MOSFETS are too low rated as converting AC to DC gives SQRT2 times the ac value. meaning you get 340V. vs the 170V on US standards.

 

[upup]

Maybe if you open the thing, you might see a 12 power supply in there, then goes directly 220 to 12, eg.

Back then I saw a 220 to 110 supply, and then a 110 to 9 volt supply on that for a device.