Projectors from overseas - power compatability?

[Philip Hamilton]

I have been looking at some ELMO projectors - from Japan - and they do not have the power plug setup as we do in the USA. What type of converter would be required to ensure proper power and running in the USA?

[Ken Souza]

Hi Philip,

What model projectors are you looking at to possibly get? I ask because I have some extra Elmo projectors.

[Philip Hamilton]

GS 800 or GS 1200 perhaps.

[Alan Rik]

For the GS800 and GS1200 all you would need is to switch the transformer settings from 100V to 110V. I found an Elmo GS800 from Japan that was designated as a 100v machine. When I plugged it in everything worked except the bulbs kept blowing. Then I removed the back cover and found that there were wires that you could move on the transformer to have it work on 110V. Voila-no more bulbs blowing.
For the GS1200 most of them have the same taps on the transformer to have it work off of 110. Some of them have an actual switch that you can just move-the multi voltage international GS models.
In terms of current ie: 50 or 60hz you don't have to worry about those because they use DC motors so speed isn't controlled by the frequency coming out of the wall. They are controlled by a motor board .
Elmo made so many of both those models you can get them pretty cheaply compared to here in the US. And some of them have come with the 1.0 lens too.
The power cable on the other end should be the same. Either 2 bladed or 3 prong but I have mainly only seen 2 bladed coming out of Japan.

[Philip Hamilton]

Interesting - one of the sellers said I would need to purchase a transformer here to make it work. I was hoping for a simple switch. Is it pretty apparent which wires to move on that internal transformer?

[Alan Rik]

It was for the model that I had. It was a GS800 and there was only one other set of taps that were available.
It makes sense from a manufacturing standpoint. This way Elmo didn't have to make a separate transformer for 100v and 110v. Just a switch of the wires and your good to go with either voltage.
The European voltage was a different matter-Elmo did make a European model only with a 220-240 transformer. If you check out the older threads there is a photo posted of where to switch the wires. No solder needed-just place them onto different clips/taps.
Here is one thread: https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-b...=010736#000000
In the photo there is a wire clip labeled P1 and one labeled P2. P1 is for Japan and P2 should be for the US. All you do is move one wire to the other clip and it was done. Make sure the power is unplugged while you are doing it. The photo may differ a little bit from your model but there should still be a P1 and a P2 clip there. Maybe you can ask the seller to take a photo?

[Jason Smith]

With the GS-1200s made for the Japanese domestic market, you do not need to do anything to them as Alan Rick stated. The Japanese domestic market GS-1200 all have a 120volt transformer built into them and you do not need to worry about changing belts to account for 50 or 60 hertz.

A made for a Japanese projector like the ST-1200HD is a different beast. It has a pin attachment that has three settings. 100v,105v,and 110V. The belt has a 60 hertz /50 hertz setting that must be changed over if you happen to get a ST-1200 HD from the eastern part of Japan.