Hi there,

I have sort of a physics background so I get the idea of a voltage converter/transformer (I know their mechanism of voltage change is different) however they scare me.. My cousin lives in Russia, and their life has been rather umm.. Terrible. So I know her favorite thing in the whole world is cooking (primarily baking) so I bought her a kitchen aid mixer here in the states. The 220 volt versions of the mixer I bought cost almost 3000$ there, so that was completely out of the question. So I've been looking at these voltage converters, and the reviews on the ones on Amazon are confusing. I won't post links, as that will probably get me banned, so I'll give you model numbers. The highest rated one there is the ELC t2000. It's a 2000 watt step up/step down converter (the mixer is 575 watts, so three times the wattage of the appliance).

So getting to my main questions..

The reviews on this transformer (and a few others) have great reviews, and then.. Reviews like "it keeps blowing my fuses!" "It trips my breaker!" "It made my wall plugs not work!!!" This scares me to death, because I don't want to destroy my uncle's house and make my cousin disappointed. Being from a medical background (medical student) I want to know the mechanism of action of these converters. What are causing these problems? Are there things I could do to prevent this? Are there brands/ added things (surge protectors or regulator type things) that is needed? Or is this improper usage on their behalf? This search of a converter has really reawakened my interest in electronics and analog equipment, so besides trying to sort this out with what I should do with my cousin, I really and curious what is causing these problems and how to mitigate such things.


Thanks for the help!

John

 

Welcome to AAC!

In their simplest form, they're just transformers that either step line voltage up or down. They don't do anything to change line frequency, so you need to make sure anything with a motor will work at the target frequency.

When used properly, they shouldn't trip breakers, blow fuses, or make other outlets not work.

 

Go ahead and post the links; we can't really discuss what we can't see.

Generally speaking, there is nothing less convenient, but more reliable, than a big-assed hunk of iron. Ebay has some with a built-in carrying handle and circuit breaker, nice features. One way to lessen the potential for damage is to use one closer-rated to the load than 3x. This way, if there is a problem on the secondary aide, the core is not large enough to pass through enough energy to damage the primary side house circuits. For 575 watts I'd go no larger than 1 kVA.

What is the voltage/frequency standard where she lives?

ak

 

A rather indirect, but very safe and cost effective solution is sending her that mixer, and an "inverter". They sell at auto parts stores. Get a 1000 Watt (approximately) model. She can undoubtedly get a car battery fairly easily, and a simple "plug-in" charger for it.

She'd keep that car battery in her house, charge it, and should probably disconnect one of the charger leads to it when she's using the mixer plugged into that inverter.

One of several advantages to such a system is that the inverter will produce 120V, 60Hz AC power, which is precisely what the Kitchen Aid Mixer you send her is designed for. Transformers and most power convertors don't do that.

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071NZ8DSB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_7.0oAb352K90G

 

The inverter approach has one problem, reliability. The $50 wonders at harbor Freight and on ebay are not even close to what I would send to a relative in rural Russia, and something that actually works costs more than the mixer. The company where I worked went down this road with one of the "high end" Chinese devices. 10% failed in the first 6 months, 33% over the first 2 years. That was a looooot of RMA's.

If you really want to go that route, consider this: instead of a car battery, a universal AC input to 12 V or 24 V single output switcher that drives the inverter. The supply will be way more reliable than the inverter, and is way more convenient than a car battery. Basically, the guts of a UPS without the battery.

ak

 

Russia uses the same electricity standard as the U.K.
Why not buy the appliance in the U.K. and send it to Russia?

 

The reviews on this transformer (and a few others) have great reviews, and then.. Reviews like "it keeps blowing my fuses!" "It trips my breaker!" "It made my wall plugs not work!!!"

When I see reviews like that, it makes me wonder about how the reviewers are using the item. We don't know if they are trying to power items that are higher amperage than what the 'converter' was designed for. Like trying to use a 2000W item with a 1000W converter. In a situation like that, of course it will fail.

 

Go ahead and post the links; we can't really discuss what we can't see.

Generally speaking, there is nothing less convenient, but more reliable, than a big-assed hunk of iron. Ebay has some with a built-in carrying handle and circuit breaker, nice features. One way to lessjen the potential for damage is to use one closer-rated to the load than 3x. This way, if there is a problem on the secondary aide, the core is not large enough to pass through enough energy to damage the primary side house circuits. For 575 watts I'd go no larger than 1 kVA.

What is the voltage/frequency standard where she lives?

ak

And this second one (it's 1750, but still is 3x wattage)addhttp://www.voltagesuperstore.com/powerspark-diamond-series-1750-watt-step-up-step-down-voltage-converter.html



So why exactly do you say closer to the used wattage is better? I'm just confused, as I read earlier, and it said for most appliances to use 2x greater rated, than that of the appliance, and for heavy duty appliances use 3x. Now I'm really really confused..

 

It won't let me post the first one.. You can see it on amazon, Elc-2000 step up step down transformer. It's the easiest and cheapest to send...

 

A rather indirect, but very safe and cost effective solution is sending her that mixer, and an "inverter". They sell at auto parts stores. Get a 1000 Watt (approximately) model. She can undoubtedly get a car battery fairly easily, and a simple "plug-in" charger for it.

She'd keep that car battery in her house, charge it, and should probably disconnect one of the charger leads to it when she's using the mixer plugged into that inverter.

One of several advantages to such a system is that the inverter will produce 120V, 60Hz AC power, which is precisely what the Kitchen Aid Mixer you send her is designed for. Transformers and most power convertors don't do that.

But I thought inverters were a no-go for delicates motors/appliances? Aren't the power outputs of them not so stable?

 

Russia uses the same electricity standard as the U.K.
Why not buy the appliance in the U.K. and send it to Russia?

The U.K. Does not have the model I bought, and also, the base line cheap model (with plastic gears) costs as much as it will cost to pay for and send this top model and the transformer... Also, after I graduate,
I'd like to to help her and her sister come here, and in our culture... This mixer will me in their family for 100 years... Just it will be put together with wood and buble gun ahaha.

 

When I see reviews like that, it makes me wonder about how the reviewers are using the item. We don't know if they are trying to power items that are higher amperage than what the 'converter' was designed for. Like trying to use a 2000W item with a 1000W converter. In a situation like that, of course it will fail.

So if you what wattage would you find appropriate?


And a general question to everyone here.. Would a regulator aid in the prevention of destruction of my uncles house?

 

Oh yes and one more thing, will it cause problems to use a plug converter on the voltage converter? Like to put a Russian plug adaptor on the American plug?

So how does the current transfer between these plug conversions? I know that with every conversion of energy, there is a loss, so is there some loss here? And is that loss dangerous?

 

I don't buy Harbor freight crap. I haven't had trouble with several inverters I've used, none of them costing more than a couple hundred dollars, and have used them with power tools presenting a motorized load approximately like that mixer, and higher. DeWalt has a fine inverter (with a great reputation world wide) I saw on Amazon for something like $200. That may be about the same price as that mixer, but your cousin (?) will simply recieve 2 very nice gifts from you, for far less than you say the 220V 50Hz mixer would cost you.

 

So how does the current transfer between these plug conversions? I know that with every conversion of energy, there is a loss, so is there some loss here? And is that loss dangerous?

Most plug converters are purely mechanical. Female contacts for one standard and male contacts for the other standard are stamped out of metal, grouped together, and plastic is molded over them. No electronics of any kind.

ak

 

I don't buy Harbor freight crap. I haven't had trouble with several inverters I've used, none of them costing more than a couple hundred dollars, and have used them with power tools presenting a motorized load approximately like that mixer, and higher. DeWalt has a fine inverter (with a great reputation world wide) I saw on Amazon for something like $200. That may be about the same price as that mixer, but your cousin (?) will simply recieve 2 very nice gifts from you, for far less than you say the 220V 50Hz mixer would cost you.

Well, see the problem with this is the need of a car battery... Acquiring a battery is umm. A problem.. If you have a car, you can have a car battery. However, I'm sure out in like Siberia or in some places like this people have them often, but in the republics things like this are used by bandits, and therefore it's not really something normal people have, or are really wanted to have..

Could this be used with say the electricity in the wall? Like plugging the inverter directly into the wall?