8mm Forum: Buying Projectors from UK

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Topic: Buying Projectors from UK

Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 13, 2018 01:50 PM

Has anyone living in the US ever bought a projector from the UK? Just wondering if the voltage difference is an issue? I'm not knowledgeable enough to re-wire anything so if I do buy anything it would have to be able to work right out of the box. I know the shipping would be as big as an expense as the unit(s).

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted April 13, 2018 02:58 PM

Brad
The UK declared voltage is 230. Most projectors here have a limited voltage range, although there are some which do have a larger range of voltages.
Also, our mains are 50 hertz, whereas yours are 60 hertz.
If you are considering buying from the UK you should ask the seller for the fullest details of the projector before you make a decision.
.

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Maurice

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Will Trenfield
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 506
From: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK
Registered: Mar 2016

posted April 13, 2018 07:21 PM

My Eumigs and Sankyos can be run at as low as 110 volts by simply re-connecting to the appropriate terminal on the transformer. The Eumigs have a simple switch inside to switch from 50 to 60 Hertz although this only seems to affect the speed.

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

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

posted April 14, 2018 12:15 AM

Regarding the frequency things (50hz vs 60hz), it is good to know it will impact to the speed accuracy. You are OK if buying a projector run with a DC motor because the speed can be altered. However if it is using an AC motor CMIIW there is no way to change the speed so the projector will not run as it is supposed to be.

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Winbert

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted April 14, 2018 04:24 AM

I have in front of me my 16mm Bell & Howell 2592AX which will run on 120/220/240 volts and 50/60Hz.
Voltage change is by selection, and the Hz change is by moving a lever which slips across the drive belt.

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Maurice

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

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

posted April 14, 2018 05:22 AM

Even if you can get past the power problem the shipping is a little scary. I don’t like shipping projectors state to state and have gotten parts machines from doing that. This is the same thing to a higher level.

It would have to be for a good reason and done right too.

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

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Alan Rik
Film God

Posts: 2211
From: New York City, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 14, 2018 11:29 AM

Unless the shipper really knows how to pack properly and will insure for the full amount it isn't worth it. Ritter Media from Germany, the incompetent numbskulls damaged a very pricey machine of mine which is still being repaired and this occurred almost a year ago now.
As previously stated if the machine is multi voltage it should not be a problem but motor consideration would be. DC motor your fine..AC a little trickier. What model is it? Do you have a link?

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 14, 2018 12:13 PM

No specific link. I just see many cool machines on non-US Ebay sites and was curious if anybody ever took the plunge. I agree, the shipping would be mucho dinero and there’s much risk of damages occurring while in transit. Steve makes a goid point about how projectors often don’t make it across town lines forget about across the pond.

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Stuart Reid
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 720
From: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Feb 2009

posted April 14, 2018 01:08 PM

Alan, what's the prognosis for your Beaulieu, did the company agree to pay towards the repair?

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Chip Gelmini
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1733
From: Brooksville, FL
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 14, 2018 02:05 PM

Don’t forget you could buy a rectifier that could take USA current at 115 and up it to uk 240 for just under 200 usd I have never done this but have heard they work quite well As long as you have a good rectifier

current power 115 to 220

Google the above these are on amazon

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

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

posted April 14, 2018 09:59 PM

Cmiiw, Chip you don't need a step up/down (transformer) if the built-in transformer can accommodate that. I have 3 projectors bought in the USA/Canada which has stated 110v (only). But by opening the back cover I can change the voltage manually. A transformer can alter the voltage but not the frequency.

But hertz is something you cannot deal with a domestic device. I knew there was a frequency converter but that is just too way expensive.

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Winbert

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Alan Rik
Film God

Posts: 2211
From: New York City, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted April 15, 2018 04:31 AM

I once purchased a Bauer T600 thinking it was the same as the T610. They are not the same. The T600 uses an AC motor while the T610 uses a DC motor. So even though I could set the voltage properly by a spinning dial in the back, the T600 always played at the incorrect speed because the speed was determined by the HZ of the country you were in. I tried everything to get it working- even our beloved Derek Simmonds placed an ad in the Derann newsletter to see if anyone had a spare US 110v AC Motor for the Bauer. In the end I sold it and got a T610.
And Stuart-no the company just stopped communicating with me after I sent them pictures and asked them to pay. Because they are crooks. And incompetent.
Sorry to go off on a tangent....but if you see an item that you want and you can get the seller to insure it, you could get a nice machine at a cheaper cost than getting the same machine here in the states. I have purchased no less than 4X Bauer T610's from Germany in the past and they have all arrived in one piece -completely working.

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