Parasound HCA-3500 USA to UK power supply

[Abe]

I have a HCA-3500 and I would like to change the input voltage to 240v. I have seen that some Parasound amps have this ability built in like the HCA-1206 which was manufactured at the same time as the HCA-3500.

Does anybody know how to go about this?

I have seen the method for the HCA-1206 and this is pretty straight forward but no luck for the HCA-3500.

 

[glen65]

240 volt conversion not option on this model

Here is a link to their site for the owners manual if
you want to check for yourself.
http://www.parasound.com/service_information/owners_manuals/ownersmanuals.html

 

[Abe]

I know the Parasound web site does not describe any method of simple switches or wire swapping but I have a friend who can do all the work for me I just need to to know what needs swapping and where to get the components from. At the moment I have a step down running it but at 3000VA it has trouble if the voltage supply to the house dips below 240V as 13amps at 240V gives 3120VA but when the voltage dips to 220V which it can often 13.64amps of current kills the fuse and changing the fuse 4 times a week is getting a bit silly. I have thought of hard wiring the step down to its own 15amp MCB but this isn't an ideal situation.

 

[glen65]

Whether or not you can convert it internally is going to depend
on the power transformer. If the one they are using has two idenical primary windings connected in parallel "Which is
the case with the hca-1206" then its just a matter of changing
it to a series hookup then going to a smaller fuse. However
if the primary has only one winding you wont be able to convert it in this manner.




Good Luck

 

[Abe]

Sounds like a challenge. So it looks like I'm gonna crack this baby open and see what damage I can do and what ever I do I'm gonna have to do twice cos it's got two.

How hard could it possibly be?

Any more advise will be greatly appreciated, and I'll let you know how it goes.