Shore Power Conversion

[andrewa]

Can anyone help I have been advised to post on this site from the MBM one.

I have shore power on my boat but it is American, i.e 110V 60Hz, I can convert the power fairly easily or so I thought by using a heavy duty builders transformer, unfortuately these output 110v 50hz not 60, has anybody had the same problem and could they advise how they overcame it. Also my input on the boat is 30 amp heavy duty cable and flat pinned.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[steve_cronin]

Where do you intend to use it? Here exclusively, or US/UK combined?

Steve Cronin

 

[bedouin]

Firstly, there is no realistic way to convert from 50Hz to 60Hz - but don't let that worry you too much.

If you intend to keep the boat in Europe it would seem sensible to convert the mains wiring to 220/240V, with UK or continental plugs, as that will enable you to use 240V mains equipment.

Then you will have to treat any existing equipment on a case-by-case basis. What mains appliances do you have that you want to run? Most won't worry about the difference between 50Hz and 60Hz (the obvious exception are any that use the mains frequency as a timing mechanism).

It may well be that some of the equipment can be altered to run directly from 220V, if not the industrial transformer would be a good solution.

 

[andrewa]

The boat will be kept in Europe, I bought in the USA, mains equipment onboard as follows, 2 ring electric cooker, water heater, couple of mains sockets, microwave and 12/110v fridge and the most important thing a battery charger. I would have thought that the transformers for 110 would output 60hz as I thought 110v equipment all that frequency, all site transformers I have found don't state the hz on them just the input and ouutput volts and amps

 

[andrewa]

Hi Steve

Hi UK it was bought in the US.

Andy

 

[philip_stevens]

With the equipment you have mentioned, frequency should be no problem. I spent 25 years as an Electrical Officer in the Merchant Navy, and most of that time the ships that I server on had 50Hz. Whenever we went to dry-dock, the frequency was usually 60Hz with no noticable difference to onboard equipment. Motors ran a bit faster, that's all.

So long as you change the voltage down to 110/120, the frequency should not matter - except (as someone has already stated) to timing equipment, like the clock on the microwave. Though then again, this may probably be timed through an IC/oscillator/crystal at a lower DC voltage.

Most electrical equipment is very versatile as regards frequency.

regards,
Philip

 

[bedouin]

Transformers can only change the voltage - not the frequency - so if you feed it from a 50Hz supply then you'll get 50Hz out.

All the equipment you list should work happilywith the lower frequency.

 

[andrewa]

Thanks for all the posts. Getting the old grey matter working I remember back to my physics and now remember changing voltages is easier than the frequency. Also I work in the computer business and for a good few years our pc's, routers etc all come with 110-240V AC 50/60hz on the back of them therefore I presume they can work on either flavour because there is no way that this kit has in a frequency converter it would make them far to big and expensive.

Many tks for the posts.


Andy