Hi all
Does anyone use a transformer? Are they a terrible/good idea?
If not terrible, can the forum steer me to one that is worth purchasing/considering
best
Airlink Transformers in Essex make good stuff.
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Can you explain why you want one? Remember that it’s not just Voltage but also frequency that is important
We have friends in Japan. For various personal reasons, they are downsizing-so have a turntable they want to gift us.
So trying to work out if practical in UK
The frequency of electric current is 50 Hertz in eastern Japan and 60 Hertz in western Japan, so I would imagine tis might be an issue for a turntable. Ideally you would want 50Hz to match UK, and it might be that the TT has a switch
Thanks, I am not technical at all-what’s does this mean?
would a transformer work?
A transformer should work if the turntable is 50Hz, but not sure if it’s 60Hz - others might know - it might end up playing too slow. Do you know if they are in east or west Japan?
East Japan - 100Volts at 50 Hz
West Japan - 100Volts at 60Hz
UK - 220 Volts at 50Hz
They say it’s dual hz 50-60z and are checking, but may be 110-240v.
Excellent, so you may not need a transformer then. You may find there is a voltage switch on it to set it to 240
If you find you do, just search for “Japan to UK voltage converters (230 to 100v converters) airlink”, but call them when you do. Very helpful people.
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What turntable is it?
UK never moved to 230V? As I understand it all countries within EU back in 1995 changed to 230V.
A kenwood of some sort. May be a biggest cost in postage than it’s worth
230V is just a nominal figure. Actual voltage in the UK was 240 before the EU standardisation at 230 was introduced and that was deemed close enough to comply, so it remains at around that level.
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You can get a Kenwood turntable on
EBay for about £40 so might not be worth shopping cost plus you might have to pay customs , I’m not sure
Yeah I think you’re right. Nice gesture tho’
Thanks everyone for quick help as always
The UK kind of fudged the EU standardisation but all countries systems have a supply that delivers within a range of voltage to a point.
The UK works on an average of 230v and an acceptable range for a Distribution Network Operator (DNO) of plus 10% i.e. 253v and minus -6% i.e. 216.2v. If the grid voltage is out of this range in any area the DNO is legally bound to resolve this.
The voltage during the day can be anywhere in this range depending on factors like demand (high demand on the grid brings voltage down) and low demand or solar generation exporting making the voltage rise for example. I see the grid in my local area range from 228v to 245v. Until I got the DNO out to adjust the transformer that supplies our and a couple of other houses (remote rural location) it could rise to over 255v.
Yes, as I understand it when EU standardised at 230v they increased tolerance to 10% so our UK 240v nominal would comply. It used to be 220v +/- 6% which placed UK out of tolerance.
So the choices were either adjust UK voltage or increase the EU’s new 230v rating tolerance to +/-10% (the +10% / -6% was changed to +/-10% now, again as I understand it)
Guess which was cheaper and complies on paper?
And now we all pretend we are 230v too! (UK)
If it’s an L-O7D it’ll be worth it!
Indeed but the standard is 230v -6% or 216.2v and +10% or 253v as the acceptable range. It was a fudge in order to save a lot of network adjustment and cost to do it.
Supply to our house since midnight has had a low of 222v (charging domestic batteries and car overnight) and a high so far of 242v, currently running at 239.2v . Usually the average will be closer to 240v than 230v especially in the summer.