220/50Hz to 110/60Hz converter

[opmal7]

Hi. I'm working on a project where I need to convert power from 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz. I've looked around but haven't seen anything readily available to purchase. Does anyone know of a converter available for this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[berkeman]

Hi. I'm working on a project where I need to convert power from 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz. I've looked around but haven't seen anything readily available to purchase. Does anyone know of a converter available for this?

Thanks in advance.

I googled the title of your thread, and got lots of hits:

http://www.google.com/search?source...enUS301US302&q=220/50Hz+to+110/60Hz+converter

Here at work we have a high-power converter similar to what you are asking about, and it is motor/generator based. If your power needs are not too high, then the unit will probably be more like an inverter-based supply.

 

[Thekingwc]

I once transformed 110/50hz to 110/60hz using an old computer power supply and a car inverter. I was tired of the loud sound of my electric hair clipper. It worked great until the cheap inverter died. I'm surprised that they don't have converters available on the market. You can use one pole of the 220/50hz thus making it 110/50hz then do what I did.

 

[NascentOxygen]

Hi. I'm working on a project where I need to convert power from 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz.

This comes up regularly. First, are you sure that 110V/50Hz won't do the job? Many electronics gadgets will happily work off 50Hz as well as 60Hz. Many power packs will work off both voltages and frequencies. Once you have established that you really must have 60Hz, then the solution is comparatively quite elaborate.

 

[mr.degger]

Hello...
Have little problem...I have 60 HZ machine, single phase, 208-230V, 3500 w, running Amps 25 max 30 Amps. Buy in USA.
But power supply here is 50 HZ.
Is it possible to convert 50 to 60 HZ.
Tnx for helping me.

 

[NascentOxygen]

Hello...
Have little problem...I have 60 HZ machine, single phase, 208-230V, 3500 w, running Amps 25 max 30 Amps. Buy in USA.
But power supply here is 50 HZ.
Is it possible to convert 50 to 60 HZ.
Tnx for helping me.

Hi mr.degger. http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5725/red5e5etimes5e5e45e5e25.gif

And the machine you have is what, exactly?

 

[Bobbywhy]

Hi. I'm working on a project where I need to convert power from 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz. I've looked around but haven't seen anything readily available to purchase. Does anyone know of a converter available for this?

Thanks in advance.

opmal7 and mr.degger,
There are two ways to convert 220V/50Hz to 110V/60Hz, the motor-generator and the solid-state converter, both already mentioned in posts above. Most manufacturers provide units that convert from either frequency and voltage to the other. Here are four companies that may have what you both need:

http://www.info.com/Converter50hz60hz
http://www.50hz.com/
http://www.advancedpowercontrols.com/products.htm?gclid=CJaShMSnw7ECFSHftgodFTYAEA
http://www.hzfrequencyconverter.com/50Hzto60Hz.html

 

[mr.degger]

Tnx NascentOxygen
Its a soft ice cream machine.
Tnx Bobbywhy for links...hope they can help me.
Best to all

 

[NascentOxygen]

Tnx NascentOxygen
Its a soft ice cream machine.

Can you get a good view of the motor? Take a few photos and post the links here. Close ups showing details of the motor and the wires to it. Is it a small domestic machine, or a big brute for a commercial outlet?

 

[mr.degger]

Can you get a good view of the motor? Take a few photos and post the links here. Close ups showing details of the motor and the wires to it. Is it a small domestic machine, or a big brute for a commercial outlet?

Sory can't post pictures...have problems with net here.

I think is quite big, FOR COMMERCIAL USE have two motors inside,
Beater drive motor 1,8 HP
Compressor motror 2,0 HP

Eletronic and Hard-O-Tronic
Electrical Requirements
Single Phase 50-60 HZ 208-230V
Max Breaker/Fuse size 30Amps
Running Amps 25Amps

Tnx for hepl...

 

[NascentOxygen]

I think is quite big, FOR COMMERCIAL USE have two motors inside,
Beater drive motor 1,8 HP
Compressor motror 2,0 HP

Electrical Requirements
Single Phase 50-60 HZ 208-230V
Max Breaker/Fuse size 30Amps
Running Amps 25Amps

With 3.8 hp total, and at 760w per hp, that comes to around 2800w. At 220V, when both motors are operating that´s about 13A. The plate indicates it runs at about double that current. What else is there that could be gobbling up the power?

This aside for the moment, it still looks like good news. The plate details indicate that it will operate off 60Hz. So all you need to find is a transformer to step-up your 110V to around 220V for the machine. The transformer needs to be 30A or more on the 220V side, so that equates to 60A or more on the 110V side. I´d expect that no ordinary power outlet (or wiring) will provide such a high current, so you´ll be looking at a special industrial outlet?

I´m not in the USA, but if you are I have read how your power companies can often provide an industrial 220V outlet as well as the usual 110V. Without considering installation cost, that would neatly solve your problem; not even requiring that you buy a transformer.

It sounds like you intend this for a commercial installation, so you´ll have an electrician supervising the conversion and installation? It would be very wise.

Converting to 60Hz at this power level would have been very expensive. Looks like you don´t need to go that route. (Had you needed to, it may well have been more economical to exchange the motors for 110v 60Hz motors.)

 

[mr.degger]

With 3.8 hp total, and at 760w per hp, that comes to around 2800w. At 220V, when both motors are operating that´s about 13A. The plate indicates it runs at about double that current. What else is there that could be gobbling up the power?

This aside for the moment, it still looks like good news. The plate details indicate that it will operate off 60Hz. So all you need to find is a transformer to step-up your 110V to around 220V for the machine. The transformer needs to be 30A or more on the 220V side, so that equates to 60A or more on the 110V side. I´d expect that no ordinary power outlet (or wiring) will provide such a high current, so you´ll be looking at a special industrial outlet?

I´m not in the USA, but if you are I have read how your power companies can often provide an industrial 220V outlet as well as the usual 110V. Without considering installation cost, that would neatly solve your problem; not even requiring that you buy a transformer.

It sounds like you intend this for a commercial installation, so you´ll have an electrician supervising the conversion and installation? It would be very wise.

Converting to 60Hz at this power level would have been very expensive. Looks like you don´t need to go that route. (Had you needed to, it may well have been more economical to exchange the motors for 110v 60Hz motors.)

Tnx for replay...
Power here is stabil 220 V but not more than 50+ HZ...amps are fine.
So only HZ can make problems...
Is HZ really so importand for normal operation?

 

[NascentOxygen]

Power here is stabil 220 V but not more than 50+ HZ...amps are fine.

EDIT: Oh, I see—I'd gone off at a tangent on the matter of volts. You already have 220V and the manufacturer´s plate indicates the machine does run off that. (Your title on this thread planted the seed of confusion in my mind. )

So the machine does not claim to be able to operate off 110V, and to your knowledge it never has? Despite buying it from the US, it has been designed for 220V? So I should totally forget about 110V operation?

So only HZ can make problems...
Is HZ really so importand for normal operation?

The electronics side is relatively easy to design to be independent of frequency, but motors of that size probably will run a bit slower on 50Hz, but that can often be of little consequence.

It may not be wise to sidestep the question: With 3.8 hp total, and at 760w per hp, that comes to around 2800w. At 220V, when both motors are operating that´s about 13A. The plate indicates it runs at about double that current. What else is there that could be gobbling up the power? I feel that it´s best that this be addressed before you commit the machine to 220V, rather than after, amid smoking ruins.

 

[NascentOxygen]

I think is quite big, FOR COMMERCIAL USE have two motors inside,
Beater drive motor 1,8 HP
Compressor motror 2,0 HP

Eletronic and Hard-O-Tronic
Electrical Requirements
Single Phase 50-60 HZ 208-230V
Max Breaker/Fuse size 30Amps
Running Amps 25Amps

Can you take a close look at that big blue motor and see whether there's a label somewhere on it indicating its ratings? You might need to use a small mirror. (A precaution in case the previous owner installed a 110v motor and didn't bother making a note on the cabinet's label. https://www.physicsforums.com/images/icons/icon6.gif )

I'm still wondering why you labelled this thread as converting to 110v. Was there something told to you by the previous owner that the unit has been running off 110v?

attaching photos that OP had difficulty

 

[NascentOxygen]

I think is quite big, FOR COMMERCIAL USE have two motors inside,
Beater drive motor 1,8 HP
Compressor motror 2,0 HP

Could you explain where you got that figure of 2.0 hp? It seems to be missing from the label.

 

[jim hardy]

i looked up a spec sheet for that Copeland comperssor and its usual runing current should be around ten amps


MCC amps is the current that will open the motor's internal protection when house voltage sags, so it could draw that much for a short while ... 19.5 on the datasheet i found... so your branch circuit needs that capability plus room for the stirrer motor.


See if this link offers you a specsheet for the compessor in PDF format. That's where i found it, i hope Google takes you there too.


http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=..._oCoCQ&usg=AFQjCNHAkGZmnMv3xnZKb-EMur1CF-PMIQ

I take it to say near bottom that with R404A refrigerant and and 50hz power that compessor should be operated at nominal 200 volts not 230. Nominal means "in name only" so there'll be a few percent acceptable tolerance.
The compessor being the most expensive part, were it mine i'd try to meet that 200 volt number within ten volts by using a step-down transformer of some sort .
Note bottom of copeland nameplate on motor picture it says 50 hz 200 volts...

You MIGHT get away with it if your housepower is really 208 not 230 or 240.

here's a Littlefuse white paper on motor protection.
http://www.littelfuse.com/data/en/W...ective-Motor-and-Motor-Circuit-Protection.pdf

what a great company they are - helping educate us !
Out of gratitude i look for their fuses in hardware and automotive stores

old jim

 

[NascentOxygen]

MCC amps is the current that will open the motor's internal protection when house voltage sags, so it could draw that much for a short while ... 19.5 on the datasheet i found..

Thanks for your input in this thread, Jim. I hope OP hasn't disappeared without seeing your response.

So if the voltage drops, the motor may come close to stalling and so draw a heavy current? Makes sense.

I take it to say near bottom that with R404A refrigerant and and 50hz power that compessor should be operated at nominal 200 volts not 230. Nominal means "in name only" so there'll be a few percent acceptable tolerance.
The compessor being the most expensive part, were it mine i'd try to meet that 200 volt number within ten volts by using a step-down transformer of some sort .
Note bottom of copeland nameplate on motor picture it says 50 hz 200 volts...

You MIGHT get away with it if your housepower is really 208 not 230 or 240.

Right. So you'd suggest an autotransformer as a satisfactory solution? It would need to be 30A?

What about a cheapskate solution? A 12v transformer, that's 12v on the secondary, with the 12v winding connected in series with the 220v mains active to oppose it? The insulation from that winding to the transformer core and case might be inadequate so it could be mounted on insulated blocks and housed in an earthed protective cage (with warning labelling) leaving the transformer case floating. Does that sound legit? https://www.physicsforums.com/images/icons/icon6.gif