8mm Forum: 115volts in Greece?

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Topic: 115volts in Greece?

Tassos Laudas
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 102
From: Viersen Germany
Registered: Mar 2006

posted May 17, 2006 09:04 PM

Hi, mr Question is back for a new...question! Today i won a projector in e-bay/Canada which is supposed to replace a friend's broken one but, as i was in a hurry, i negleted to ask wether it's 220v compatible. In case 115v is the only option, which i'm afraid is the case, are there any transformers -affordable ones - that convert 220v (that we have in Greece) to 115v or...should i search for a new buyer?
Thank you in advance.

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted May 17, 2006 09:41 PM

I don't think you should have any problem finding a step-down transformer to convert 220V to 110V. Of course, that leaves the 50Hz/60Hz issue... (I don't know which frequency Greece uses, though.)

Why not give us the link to the auction you won, so we can have a look at the projector and answer your question right there. [Smile]

--------------------
Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

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

posted May 17, 2006 11:14 PM

I'm betting Greece uses 50 Hz. It would be mighty exceptional for a European country to do otherwise.

I'm with Jan here: what kind of projector is it? A great many have provisions to adapt to wordwide electrical power, maybe yours is one of them.

You'll certainly need a new plug, but that's the easy part!

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

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Joerg Polzfusz
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 815
From: Berlin, Germany, Europe, Earth, Solar System
Registered: Apr 2006

posted May 18, 2006 03:16 AM

Hi,

most projectors do have a 220V/110V-voltage-selector and don't care whether it's 50 or 60Hz AC.

If your projector doesn't have such a selector, you'll need a transformator that can be bought in every electronic-shop. Make sure that your transformator delivers at least 300W (read the manual carefully to see whether 300W will do!). Such a transformator will cost approx. 45 EUR here in Germany.

There's another minor problem:
Most (All?) European countries have switched from 220V to 230V in the last 10 years, USA, Canada, ... have switched from 110V to 115V. This ain't a problem for 99% of all devices. Nevertheless some friends reported that the original 220V-transformator that came with their Commodore C=64 started to smell strange and then stopped working. This happened with several "Commodore C=64"-transformators right after Germany switched from 220V to 230V. ... to come back to the topic: When your projector says "110V", buy a transformator that transform the 230V to 110V! A 230V to 115V conversion will most likely work, too, but might reduce the lifespan of the transformators/motors in the projector.

Jörg

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 18, 2006 04:07 AM

Hi Jörg,
Thats all very interesting. I too have noticed that here in the UK the nominal voltage tends to be nearer 230V instead of the older 240V. Its important to also remeber that the mains voltage does have a nominal with a + or - of say 5% so keep a good tollerance on the transformers.
Here in the uk you get a lamp voltage nearer the 24v in the GS1200 if its set to the 230V setting. I find these days that if the machine is set to 240V the lamp is then being underrun.

While we are on this subject I would just like to say that Elmo machines tend to have transformers for the area they are being sold in ie transformers for either 110 - 120 or 200 - 240V. Some models do have a voltage selector for worldwide voltages. These tend to be the GS1200 and ST1200's but then that is not the norm on all of them.

Kev.

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GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Tassos Laudas
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 102
From: Viersen Germany
Registered: Mar 2006

posted May 18, 2006 03:26 PM

Ok, i'm keeping the projector! It's a st800

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7618826052&rd=1&sspa gename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

Your interesting answers make me wonder about another matter: in a country like mine where voltage is 230v which option is preferable-for my st1200 for istance-220v or 240v? Am i correct believing that the latter is less likely to cause trouble and therefore the correct one?

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 18, 2006 04:19 PM

Yes I would agree with that.

Kev.

--------------------
GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Steve Klare
Film Guy

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

posted May 18, 2006 06:34 PM

Interesting:

The ST-800 manual has a section on voltage selection and shows a plug that can be plugged into a connector on the transformer in different rotations to achieve multiple voltages.

The next paragraph down says that the machines are made specifically for the voltages of the countries they are sold in.

I guess this means the standard machines were single voltage and there is an option for multiple voltages.

Just for jollies, I popped the back cover off mine and it looks like it was built for 115VAC only.

Here's hoping yours is one of the international machines.

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

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Jan Bister
Darth 8mm

Posts: 2629
From: Ohio, USA
Registered: Jan 2005

posted May 18, 2006 08:39 PM

On the plus side, the ST-800 has a DC motor that is controlled electronically and thus runs at the correct speed regardless of AC mains frequency. So if yours does turn out to be a single-voltage unit, you should be all set with a 230V-to-110V step-down transformer.

P.S. Tassos, you got a really good deal here. Congrats. [Smile]

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Call me Phoenix. *dusts off the ashes*

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