Running a 110v ac watermaker from a 220v ac generator?

[davethedog]

Hi all, as our schenker modular 60 watermaker is awaiting some spare parts for me to strip it down and hopefully repair it, have been looking at redundancy options. One of these is there is a used 110v ac rainman portable watermaker near us for sale at the moment BUT it is 110v ac (we are 220v ac). Plan could be to purchase it as a spare and then either keep it or sell it on before we leave the Caribbean for the UK.

So, could this unit be run from our 3.5kw 220v generator via a step down transformer if required? Here are the specs:

 

[HissyFit]

The specs mention both 230VAC and 115VAC current ratings. Is that for two different models? Are you certain that it isn't capable of running off 220v directly?

 

[davethedog]

2 different models unfortunately

 

[PaulGooch]

The specs mention both 230VAC and 115VAC current ratings. Is that for two different models? Are you certain that it isn't capable of running off 220v directly?

It's either/or

 

[HissyFit]

2 different models unfortunately

I was just going to strike through my reply, having seen the Sail Life YouTube on this.

If the current rating on your step-down transformer's secondary is sufficient, you should be OK to go that route.

 

[RupertW]

Yes a step down transformer will do the job. If you were in Grenada now I’d say take the one from our boat as we rarely use it.

But there may be a difficulty with frequency - is the 110v unit expecting 50 or 60Hz?

 

[vas]

it's a plain motor running it. Chances are that once you open the connector box on top (or on the side) of the el.motor, there's going to be a wiring diagram that explains how to swap a bar and wire it differently so that it operates on either or with the same motor.
I'm not saying that it's going to be definitely like that, but there are serious chances it is.
My 2kw HRO watermaker motor was like that (I'm also 230V)
can you get the specs of the motor (a pic of the metal label on it will do) to check?

of course with a decent size old school transformer (you know the ones that weigh 15kg!) it's going to be fine.

 

[davethedog]

Thanks all and thinking going to give it a miss as would only be, hopefully, a temporary fix until I get the parts for the schenker watermaker we have installed already. In the meantime have bought some 20ltr water containers and can fill them up each day as required.