Moving Overseas: Voltages and Format Conversions

[admin]

Importing gear from other countries or taking your gear out of your home country requires a bit of patience and research on your part. It'll take a bit of time to figure out what will work with a plug adapter and what will require a transformer of some sort. You'll have to decide if importing the gear is worth the time and expense. If you move out of the county, you're going to find that a lot of what you have will work with little expense on your part. You may find that it is simply cheaper to sell what you have before you leave and re-buy it in the new country. Regardless, paying attention to the power required and a few other tidbits and you won't be throwing your money away on a piece of gear that won't work in your country.


Discuss "Moving Overseas: Voltages and Format Conversions" here. Read the article.

[ErnieM]

Having lived for almost 20 years in a developing country (the Philippines) I would like to warn anyone who moves to a nation where the power grid is a bit less developed than here in the USA:

We would suffer power outages frequently. The big issue is this: when the electric utility restored power, often a BIG SURGE came through as the power came back on.

We learned early on that as soon as the power shut off, to unplug ALL appliances.

As it turns out, now you can buy a special power protector that actually delays restoring power to your appliance for a few minutes. I know some people who still live in the Philippines who have one of these hooked up to their air conditioner and their fridge, etc.

[dapack69]

I'm currently living in South Korea and have no issues at all. Then, they have 240v and 60hz which makes it easy, just need a transformer and I'm done. I also do have a Panamax just incase any spikes do occur, but I've only seen this once during my 2.5 years living here.

I'm just curious if I need a bigger transformer. I've got everything plugged into a 1000w transformer.

Very good article.

[avliner]

Dapack,

based on all your components, a 1000W transformer seems to be a somehow underated, no?

[dapack69]

I was thinking the same thing so I tried using a 2000w transformer and didn't notice any difference at all.

[nacz3]

I'm looking at moving to Germany sometime next year and was looking into transformer specs. I"ve read on some sites that the recommended rating on the transformer should be twice the power rating of the equipment you intend to plug into it.

I also have an APC H15

From looking at the specs on the APC H15 and manual, I'm a little unclear as to whether it will also affect the input frequency. Spec's say it can handle input freq of 47 to 63 hz. I know it will adjust the voltage but don't think it will affect the frequency of the power? Is this correct? I do plan on calling APC also. If I used the H15, I think I'd need a 3000 W transformer since the H15 is rated at 1.5 kVA.

apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=h15

I'm looking at getting a Denon 4311 sometime in the next couple of months. From it's documentation, the power supply is rated for 120V~60Hz and 780W so I think a 2000 W Transformer is needed at least.

I"m worried that it will be damaged by 50Hz power in Germany even if used with the transformer though? Am I correct or would it be okay?

[dapack69]

Can you keep us updated when you call APC and tell us what they say.

[avliner]

I've been living in Germany for couple of years way back when and I bought a 2,000W step-down transformer (which I still have, BTW) and had no problems at all with all my AV rigs, though.

The 50Hz frequency won't hurt your toys either.

[dapack69]

Dapack,

based on all your components, a 1000W transformer seems to be a somehow underated, no?

I don't know how much of a difference it makes, but with my 1000W transformer my Panamax was showing voltage at 108 and dip down to 101 when the subs hit.

I've just upgraded to a 3000W and am showing a voltage of 123 with a dip down to 120 when the subs hit during the same part of the same movie.

I'm sure that my A/V is better sounding, or at least has more power now, but I won't be able to hear the difference at all, but I do feel better know that more power is there.