Device Suggestsions for Converting 220/50Hz to 120/60Hz While in Chile?

Converting from 50Hz to 60Hz is non-trivial (not difficult, but you need a solid-state inverter to do so and these aren't found at your local mall). However, most devices will be pretty happy on 120V, 60Hz and this is easy to obtain with just a transformer, which you *can* find at your local mall. Anything with a switching power supply will be perfectly happy with this (e.g., PCs, LCD TVs, most battery chargers, etc.). Depending on the motor design, tools may run more slowly and tend to get a little hotter, but unless you're planning to make continuous use of high-power tools, practically speaking this isn't a problem. Some clocks that rely on the frequency of the AC line will, of course, run slow, but they won't be damaged.

If you have purely *resistive* loads such as hair dryers (with small universal motors are OK), lamps, etc., you can find what are essentially just diodes at a travel store. These converters are cheap (e.g., 1500W versions are

If your device uses a wall transformer ("wall wart"), then just buy a new one at the destination, with the same output voltage as the origian, and the same current rating or more, but I wouldn't recommend having WAY much more capacity (maybe 10%-20% should be OK), especially if your wall wart is unregulated.

Hope This Helps! Rich

"Joel Kolstad"

(snip)

A diode will NOT reduce 230 volts AC to 120 volts AC, even with a resistive load. It will cut the *power* dissipation in half by removing alternate half cycles - so the rms voltage drops to 163 from 230. Plus there is an average DC value of about 104 volts. OK only if used to dim a

The device used in travel adaptors is a TRIAC - set to operate with a low conduction angle, about 66 degrees out of 180 in each half cycle. This DOES reduce 230 volts rms to 120 rms AC.

However, the TRIAC method WILL damage electronic loads ( whether transformer or SMPS) as the peak voltage is still around 300 volts instead of 170 as when sine wave AC power is supplied.

....... Phil

I don't know how backward the USA is now but in the rest of the world lots of Wall Warts for camera batttery chargers and such are mostley switching power supplies and rated for something like 100 to 240 volts and 50/60 hz so if camera batteries is all you need then a plug adapter which is available at RatSack and many gadget store at airports. For a short trip most anything else can be borrowed in hotels etc in the foreign country. If your wall wart feels as heavy as a lump of iron then it is a transformer but if it feels light then it is a switcher. Best READ the nameplate.

John G.