AC converter vrom 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz for Krell HTS-5.1 or Sunfire Theatre Grand

[tiefbassuebertr]

Could anybody advise, what a convertor I can use to converte AC 220V/50hz to 110V/60hz for US audio components used in Germany?

US equipment, for example, operates on 110v/60Hz power, while in Germany the power is 220v/50Hz. So if you're taking US equipment to Germany, then one need a voltage converter kit, such as sold at Radio Shack or Wal-Mart.

It will step down only the voltage, and it also includes adapters for the different shaped plugs. What it does NOT do is change the frequency. For most electronics, it doesn't matter since internally, the power supply converts the power to DC which has no frequency (Hz). Unfortunately the internal MCU in certainly audio components preventing access to the operating functions, if the mains frequency isn't 60 Hz.
Thus I need a device like a motor control unit for synchronous motors (turntable/record player) like that one about the URL
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/anal...ve-vs-sine-wave-oscillator-motor-control.html
but appropriate for transformers instead synchronous motor.

Which commercial products are available in this matter and which diy projects are currently on the web? Thank you very much for advices.

An other possibility is the creating of a new software for the MCU appropriate for the German marked. But this is for normal user's much more complicated except in cases, where the user is a specialist for IT and software programming/developing.

 

[Sorento]

Unfortunately the internal MCU in certain audio components is preventing access to the operating functions, if the mains frequency isn't 60 Hz.

If that's the case then there should be a path from transformer AC to the MCU - a resistor, devider, opto, capacitor etc.
Once identified it could be verified with a scope and a little 60Hz oscillator could be wired in to fool the MCU ...

 

[simon7000]

What I use to give me 50 Hz. power is an Ashly PE3600 amplifier in the bridged mono mode which has an internal DSP oscillator. Although I do use my AP SYS 2 to drive it for testing.

You might want to look for a used Crown MA3600VZ, MA5000 or MA5002. These have a card in the back where you could insert an oscillator or use an external one. These are quite cheap as they are analog and all of the touring sound companies that used to use them have gone to switching power supply amplifiers.

Beware that there are current versions of the MA5000 with other letters that are not the same.

The amplifiers will work on 230/50 and around here cost less than $1000.00

Any stereo amplifier that can deliver a real 450 watts into 8 ohms will work. A QSC GX3 is on eBay for $299.00 new!

 

[hilli_billi]

Hi Tiefbass,
you could use a cheap 12V/DC to 230V/AC-Converter supplied by a 230V/ac => 12...13V/dc Powersupply like radio hams (Funkamateure) use. What are the power requirements?

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

If that's the case then there should be a path from transformer AC to the MCU - a resistor, devider, opto, capacitor etc.
Once identified it could be verified with a scope and a little 60Hz oscillator could be wired in to fool the MCU ...

That is indeed a good option for diy. But I want to know commercial products as describe in post #1

Hi Tiefbass,
you could use a cheap 12V/DC to 230V/AC-Converter supplied by a 230V/ac => 12...13V/dc Powersupply like radio hams (Funkamateure) use. What are the power requirements?

This I don't understand in order to the wanted 60 Hz sine wave.

 

[hilli_billi]

The 12V/DC to xxxV/AC-Converter must be of course one that generates 110V/AC at 60Hz. I think in USA this should be available, maybe an UPS (uninterruptable power supply).
Depends on the power you need.

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

The 12V/DC to xxxV/AC-Converter must be of course one that generates 110V/AC at 60Hz. I think in USA this should be available, maybe an UPS (uninterruptable power supply).
Depends on the power you need.

Yes, that is an interesting approach. Here in Germany we call such devices "USV" - this German abbrevation means "Unterbrechungsfreie StromVersorgung"
What is the colloquial term and the associated abbrevation in the United States?

 

[Mark Johnson]

What is the colloquial term and the associated abbrevation in the United States?

We call it a Power Inverter. Here is a search for the single word "inverter" on US amazon.com . Lots of devices that convert 12VDC (from automotive battery) to 120VAC 60Hz (for US home appliances). As far as I know, there isn't a commonly used abbreviation, people just say and write "inverter".

 

[duncan2]

While inverters will work they are not ideal for supplying audio equipment as they output a square wave meaning harmonics would need to be removed.
A better option would be a sine wave converter .These are dearer but you have a pure sine wave minus any mains noise/distortion.

 

[RJM1]

This would do it, but the price is more than you would want to spend.
http://www.behlman.com/pdf/p1350ces.pdf

$2995.00 used.
http://www.us-instrument.com/commerce/catalog/spcategory.jsp?category_id=1138&czuid=1200434988902

 

[duncan2]

Quite true about the price but in the US there is a company called Jameco [dot com] On their website you could take off nearly $2000 and still buy a 1500W sine wave converter with less than 3% distortion.

 

[tiefbassuebertr]

Quite true about the price but in the US there is a company called Jameco [dot com] On their website you could take off nearly $2000 and still buy a 1500W sine wave converter with less than 3% distortion.

Mean you this pdf?
http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/catalogs/c293/P140.pdf

 

[duncan2]

Yes its a big saving for basically the same thing as the industrial model.

 

[yairf]

Hi
I'm in the same situation right now.
How did you end up ?
Thanks, Yair