8mm Forum: US market GS1200 is actually also capable for 220v (international)

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Topic: US market GS1200 is actually also capable for 220v (international)

Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 25, 2010 06:38 AM

I was cleaning my GS1200 that I purchased last year from the Ebay US.

When I opened the the back cover to my surprise, although the plate (specification) stated for US market only (115v and 60hz) but on the board I found a switchable voltage. I opened the switch cover showing 115v and found all international voltages were there. Just need to turn the cover to 220 v and it will be playable at 220v countries.

ps: the back cover does not have a window glass to show what voltage is set but the switch is actually there behind the cover

So, is that also found at your GS 1200 (US market)?

If so, why many members here warned European buyers if they were watching GS1200 sold at bay US for the voltage problem they might face upon the arrival of the projectors.

Reconfirm this please.

thanks

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Winbert

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 25, 2010 09:13 AM

Usually things like this happen because a manufacturer doesn't want to fork over the money for international safety agency certifications. Not that the GS-1200 wasn't certified around the world, it's just that every unit shipped with a safety agency stamp on the nameplate(UL, CSA, TUV...)costs the manufacturer a fee to each of those agencies. They probably thought the American market big enough it was worth having a seperate "model" (really only a nameplate and a stock number) so they didn't need other countries' stamps on there too. The particular class of appliance they certified for is 115V only: what it really can do is besides the point.

A company I once worked for actually de-certified one of their older models with UL and CSA. It's not that it became dangerous all of a sudden, they just didn't want to pay the fee anymore and the sole customer for this unit didn't need the cert.

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 25, 2010 01:52 PM

PS: The fact that you saw that voltage selector switch on the board doesn't mean for sure the machine is capable of line voltages other than 115VAC.

Usually voltage selectability came from the main power transformer having several different primary windings that could be swapped around in different combinations to make it work all over the world. They could be combined in series for 230VAC, or put in parallel for 115. There could be taps on the primary windings to allow for 100VAC and other voltages.

A power transformer is expensive, so simplifying down to a single 115V primary and simplifying the wiring in the machine could squeeze out a couple of dollars in cost.

Having different boards either with the switch or not could actually create expense from making, stocking, distributing and installing different things that look almost the same. Maybe so much they got the switch whether they needed it or not.

-or it may be configurable anyway…not something to be learned by trial and error!

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 26, 2010 07:01 AM

quote:
…not something to be learned by trial and error!

I knew it Steve, GS 1200 is too expensive for a trail and error [Big Grin]

By following many threads, it seems to me that you have a good knowledge on electronic things. May I ask something?

On my experience it would not make any harm to put my hometown domestic bulb (220v) into North American lamp fitting (110v), the only impact is dimmer light.

So do you think I can do a trail and error with my GS by setting it up into 220v and plug in to 110v outlet and see if everything goes slower or dimmer it means the projector works on 220v electric supply?

cheers,

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Winbert

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 26, 2010 08:34 AM

Hi Winbert,

If you plug a 220V bulb into a 110V outlet nothing bad will happen. You will get something less than 1/4 of the brightness, and the light may not be white either, but nothing (and nobody) will be harmed.

The projector is another matter. It's too complex to guess what may happen...and it may be too late once it has happened!

What I would do with the GS-1200 before anything is get an ohmeter and stick it on the two power prongs (not the ground pin) of the unplugged power cord and record the measured resistance. Now switch the machine to 220V and look at it again.

If it's set up the way I think it should be for voltage conversion, I'd expect the resistance reading to quadruple. If it's 115 only, you should see no change in readings because the switch isn't switching anything.

I guess you are concerned about what you will do with this machine once you take it back to Indonesia. (I kind of wonder about the jukebox and the old TVs! -Awkward on the plane, at the very least!)

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted October 26, 2010 10:23 AM

Thanks Steve, I will take someone knows electronic around my friends. I will also take a picture of the switch once I got a better camera (with zoom facility) so you or other member can justify whether it is a true voltage selector or just a dummy ones.

quote:
I kind of wonder about the jukebox and the old TVs! -Awkward on the plane, at the very least!

He...he...he I got another jukebox for $75 with full of records (160 selection) and it has a visible record changing. One of my dream jukebox. But it does not work, while everything is there (nothing missing). The seller just did not want to keep it. I hope it is only about fuse....please....please [Wink]

cheers.

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Winbert

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