Using US Appliance - 110V and high wattage
 

I want to know if anyone here has a US appliance that has high wattage, 1200w onwards

I know you can pick up a step down transformer, to get out 240v, 50hz to 110v 60hz which the US appliance use.
Seems that there's a huge price and chunkiness of the transfers as your wattage goes up
No issue with the size if its really the only solution to go

Anyone got experience with this, ie
1. Is there a way around using a transformer, would a sparkie be able to change the power on the appliance
2. If a transformer is required, anyone recommend a quality slim unit for 1200w onwards?

Thanks

Knowing more about the item would help.

Check to see what the appliance can handle. Eg. Some are designed to work from 110 - 250V and 50/60Hz, so they will work in both the US and Australia, with the correct plug installed, of course.

If not, a transformer is generally the easiest way to go. Remembering, if it's something involving a motor (fridge, washing machine, etc), there's the issue of frequency (US 60Hz vs. AU 50Hz) - there [I]shouldn't[/I] be a problem apart from it running slower if plugged into an Australian power point.

You're right, a 1200W+ transformer would be a descently sized piece of kit. Could be worth buying a new appliance if it's of low value?

Its a Nespresso Coffee Machine, was a belated Xmas present that arrived couple of days ago
Specs on the sticker states it runs on 110v (US voltage) and 1200W
I got a transformer but its only rated to 300w
I fear the big bang

And its not something i can return easily!

I would have thought the Manufacture would save money in production, and just make the one unit handle World wide power requirements and just change the plug to the country it's being delivered.

I'm guessing the Boiler/Twin Boiler consumes the 1200W as its a heating element.

Interesting! Well, I'd imagine finding a transformer to suit would be the solution, and the cheapest way about it, but there is still the issue of 50Hz vs. 60Hz. While the transformer won't care too much, the Nespresso's electronics could be affected (I don't know enough about the machine to comment). You could try it and pray, but I would advise against it.

Could be easier to put it up for sale on Ebay US and buy the Australian version locally? Otherwise, the machines are so popular, I'm sure someone out there has had the same problem and found a fix - could be worth a google search?

Good luck. Post up the fix if you find one - would be interested to know.

1200w @ 110v is 12 amps...... that's quite a bit!

1200w @ 240v is only 5 amps.

The transformer wouldn't be that big, if the appliance has a step down (110 volt to xx volts) transformer it would be cheaper just to get the equivalent 240v to xx volt transformer rather than using 2 similar devices to achieve the same result..... It would also be much more efficient.

Maybe see if the local nespresso repair agent can supply you the local transformer as a spare part?

Actually, it should read 120v, not 110V, so that should be 10amps
Most step down transformers I've searched online will also handle the different freq (50 to 60hz)

The Nespresso unit has no transformer (unless its built in).

I'm leaning on just getting a 2000w transformer - right way to go?
Need the nerdy electrical engineers or sparkies's feedback

[QUOTE=pmh;642635]
Need the nerdy electrical engineers feedback[/QUOTE]

Hello :D

What's the model number of the machine?

En660r

Delonghi US site is useless - no electrical specs on the machine apart from input power.

Anyway: The Australian machine can take both 50Hz and 60Hz, but no word on the American model. I would give it a shot and see how it goes with the transformer if you have nothing much to lose. If it works (could be very possible) then you're set.

A quick search on the net shows that some people have done it with other brand machines and had no major issues to note. Time will tell.

Good luck!