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extrosonic anybody?!?


spaniel

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This is not technically a complex electronical problem but it is a big problem for me all the same. I was wondering if anybody had heard of a firm called Extrosonic as i have a power amp of their's which won't work in my backward country (england) and doesn't have the required info so that i can buy a power converter (it is on 110V, we use 240V). I have searched through the internet but not found the firm anywhere, maybe they've changed names or don't exist anymore? If anyone can help i would be most grateful.
Thanks
Daniel

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Daniel,
Why is your country "backwards" just because it uses 240VAC?
Your house-wiring is thinner, cheaper and easier to work with. Over here in my "forwards" country (Canada), my house wiring is so thick that it is difficult to push a flush-mount outlet to its wall-box. Also over here, flourescent light tubes don't last very long because they need high-power filiaments at each end to be on continuously. Without filiaments (they burn-out quickly), the tube doesn't turn-on with our measly little voltage. I guess that our ballast-makers don't know about transformers. Soon our government will ban those power-wasting old tubes, and we will go high-tech.

Your amp probably has a label that states its maximum "mains" current or power. Simply power it with a 240VAC to 110VAC transformer (converter) with the same, or more, power rating. If it doesn't have a label (required info?), then try it on a transformer, and if the transformer gets hot, then get a bigger one.

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Daniel,
Sounds like this is a US product. The US manufacturers normally use a spec like 110 - 120 VAC. In the US, it is standard to use 240 VAC, 200 AMP service to the house. The 240 VAC at the power box consists of 2 lines with 120 VAC each and a return. In your country, the only difference is that the 240 VAC is not split into two sets of 120 VAC after it enters the house. On the 3 prong plug for your country, it has two wires carrying 120 VAC and a return. The center line is the return. Your appliances are connected to the two 120 VAC lines to achieve the 240 VAC. If you are an experienced electronics guy, you will know to be careful around high voltages and you will be able to measure with a voltmeter (capable of high volts AC and set on AC voltage) to determine that this is so. (Mains voltage can be lethal. Be careful!) In the case that you can measure it, you can make an adapter plug that will only use one side of your standard AC plug and the return to give you the 120 VAC that you require. The other difference you might see is that the unit uses 60 HZ and you have 50 HZ in your country. This will not matter if you are rectifying the voltage to a DC level inside the instrument. You might want to open the case and look inside to verify that it is a solid state device and that the voltage goes through a transformer and has some regulation inside.
Good luck and be careful. If you are not sure about this, take it to someone in your area who is experienced with Mains power wiring and tell them what you want to do. It would be a shame to not use this device when it can easily be converted to use your mains power.

Also, a simple way to do this without wiring it yourself is to get one of those adapter plugs that you buy in a travel kit. These are available so that travelers can use their electric appliances abroad. They are very inexpensive and do just what I have described above.

MP

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Guest Kasamiko

Hi, I'll just take advantage of this topic.. ;D
I'm just wondering why there's a lot of VOLTAGE STANDARD in the world?? In the Philippines, it's 220VAC, in Japan 100, other 110-120 still others 240VAC..
What are the advantages of different standard from each other?
Just asking..

Rhonn ;) ;)

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Rhonn,

Basically a higher voltage gives lower losses and you can use thiner wires for the same power (W). And higher frequency will give you smaller transformers and a slightly better picture on the TV-set. AC is better than DC when switching (Less arcing 8) ) and changing the voltage at home with a transformer. (Don

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