john Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 has any one experience with american (not dual voltage) equipment (like receivers, dvds, computers) working in france? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 US is 120v 60HzFrance is 230v 50HzUnless the item of US equipment has auto voltage ranging or a voltage selection switch, then you will need a step down transformer to make it work without the risk of burning down your house....[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 And, from my experience, the transformers don't work very well. The few items we did bring over, fried out after a short time. Perhaps we had a crummy transformer, but it wasn't cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jc Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 And even with a transformer,some items would operate at the wrong speed because of the change from 60 to 50c/s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chezstevens Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Personally I have had no problems with my workshop tools on 110v. Our 9 year old 110v Kitchenaid mixer, after many moves by removal companies, started to sound a little odd after the latest move - we reckon it was dropped. It had previously spent over 2 years in France with no ill effects. The other Kitchenaid appliances are still working great guns.My work takes me to the States several times a year so I pick up the items from Walmarts, Sears, Canadian Tyre etc. I use a large yellow transformer (same as ones on construction sites) for the garage. In the kitchen we use small grey transformers constructed in germany (ranging from 300w, $15, thru to 1.5kw, $50) that I pick up at european USAF bases.I normally pay 30 - 40% of the european price for goods so the odd malfunction I can put up with.regardsVern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 We bought some expensive transformes which work fine, but we've had mixed results with our equipment. Our SelectComfort mattress works fine, but we only plug it in when we need to adjust the air. Various bits of computer equipment worked in different ways and we were the most disappointed with our photocopier, which we were sorry that we even bothered bringing, as it never worked quite right and we wound up having to junk it.I was told that if the speed of the motor is important, then you shouldn't bother bringing it (for example, we left our expensive vacuum cleaner), otherwise if you have the right transformer, you may be okay.The thing I miss the most is our TiVo! It wouldn't have worked here, of course, but the other PVRs don't come close.PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Hi PG, quick question if I may??? What is a TiVo and a PRV please? Your vac would not have worried about the frequency just as long as the voltage is correct, i.e. transformer if needed...I must admit that I never did work out why the States use 110v. 230 is not dangerous, if used properly, and the cables have to be a larger diameter to cope with the increased amperage on 110v? The only places that I ever came across in the U.K. that were near to 110v were the Coal Board and they used 230v with a centre neutral so that the external potential was only 115v to cut down explosion risks because of possible sparks. Sorry, rambling here a bit!!![8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 JJ, its PVR meaning personal video recorder, TiVo is a brand of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Does that mean that we would call it a VCR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Crikey, I just found this http://www.tivo.com/1.0.asp . Bit sad init? Mind you it would have saved me a lot of brain strain working out about recording all the U.K. soaps and then playing them when i was out. That way I managed to miss them twice or three times. I hate soaps [6][:'(]!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 [quote user="Jonzjob"]Crikey, I just found this http://www.tivo.com/1.0.asp . Bit sad init? Mind you it would have saved me a lot of brain strain working out about recording all the U.K. soaps and then playing them when i was out. That way I managed to miss them twice or three times. I hate soaps [6][:'(]!!![/quote]I'm lost for words (theres a first!), JJ you are seriously weird, good weird, but still weird [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Come on now Steve, next you are going to tell me that you actually like soaps???Bye the way I have always said that I may be totally MAD, but I try not to be stupid. Well it works sometimes [8-|]... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 [quote user="Chezstevens"]My work takes me to the States several times a year so I pick up the items from Walmarts, Sears, Canadian Tyre etc. I use a large yellow transformer (same as ones on construction sites) for the garage. In the kitchen we use small grey transformers constructed in germany (ranging from 300w, $15, thru to 1.5kw, $50) that I pick up at european USAF bases.I normally pay 30 - 40% of the european price for goods so the odd malfunction I can put up with.regardsVern[/quote]Hi Vern, sorry about hijacking the thread, but back on topic.If you can't get near the USAF bases it may well be difficult to get hold of transformers, especially the yellow work type ones. A mate of mine produced his to do some work on his house while it was being built. The local French workmen were confounded by it. They had never seen or heard of anything like it! All of their kit was 230v. Although I said that there is nowt wrong with 230 volt, I also know how much kit is abused on a building site and it is safer in that case. No kicks at builders, but they are not toooo well known for the finesse in treating electrifical things?In my time in the R.A.F. I came into contact with the USAF and the bases in Thailand. They were VERY generous to me, being R.A.F. You are very lucky being able to use the facilities!! I was also lucky enough to be able to help the USAF a couple of times when I was stationed at R.A.F Brize Norton. It nearly got me into trouble, but what the hell... That is what I was there for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 [quote user="Jonzjob"]Come on now Steve, next you are going to tell me that you actually like soaps???Bye the way I have always said that I may be totally MAD, but I try not to be stupid. Well it works sometimes [8-|]...[/quote]Just checked, its Imperial Leather at the moment, Pears is OK as well. Then theres that yellow stuff that I cant remember the name of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 [quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="Jonzjob"]Come on now Steve, next you are going to tell me that you actually like soaps???Bye the way I have always said that I may be totally MAD, but I try not to be stupid. Well it works sometimes [8-|]...[/quote]Just checked, its Imperial Leather at the moment, Pears is OK as well. Then theres that yellow stuff that I cant remember the name of? [/quote]Come on now Stephen, all that salt is going to yur bladder??[8-)]. You don't mean "Wright's Coal Tar" do you? Lovely smell if you like coal tar. Don't 'arf wake you up if yer mate stuck a cloth with the proper coal tar liquid on it![:-))] when you are in a nice drunken stupor?Have to be careful here or it will be censored out of your domain!!! I do know the sense of humour of your hosts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted April 2, 2007 Share Posted April 2, 2007 Sorry John,I was trying very hard to get this thread back on topic. Would I lie to you my boy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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