Step down units

[dweeze]

Hi,

Is there anyone here who has any experience with step down units - where to find them, what size, pros and cons etc.

I've recently bought a boat from the US which has a number of 110 ac units on board. I need to plug it into shore power over here and am looking at whether I can get hold of a step down unit to run shore power through.

Thanks - Tim

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[Talbot]

Most plant machinery places will have them (like <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010713300&r=2105&g=114>machine mart </A>) as 110 is used for tools on sites

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[dweeze]

Perfect. Thanks. I'd only ever heard them referred to as step down units.

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[AndrewB]

Maplins sells them for small appliances - <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/module.asp?moduleno=31899>voltage converters</A>. Converts the frequency as well as the voltage.

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[Talbot]

frequency UK to USA is not a problem UK = 50 Hz, whereas USA = 60 Hz, therefore equipment expecting 60 HZ and only getting 50 would run a bit slower. The step down unit you show will not convert frequency, in fact the only way to do so is to convert to dc and then invert to AC. The losses of such a system would be enormous.

if you were using a 50Hz equipment with a 60Hz supply it would be different, and the equipment would eventually fail.

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[DaveS]

According to Maplin's description this is an autotransformer. An autotransformer does not convert frequency. The 50/60Hz description simply means that it will operate on either 50Hz or 60Hz.

An autotransformer is cheaper than a normal transformer because it only contains one tapped winding rather than two electrically seperate windings. While this is fine for many applications - such as correcting voltage for foreign equipment - it cannot be used as a safety isolation transformer.

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