Converting to 50Hz

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Shaneyj said:
The customer is in Kuwait. Obvious and apparent, he wants to use his existing plugs.
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I just checked with google... There is a Walmart in Kuwait. Typically, I don't have direct contact with customers so I'll pass this on to the sales guy.
 
Shaneyj said:
The customer is in Kuwait.
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Why didn't you say that in your original post and why did you let us keep thinking it was here???

In Kuwait the power is 240V/50Hz. Why was a 60Hz 120/240 generator provided? I'm sure that you will say it's existing so as far as I'm concerned he's stuck with 120/240 60Hz so give him a NEMA receptacle like all the others and tell him to get new cell phone chargers and travel adapters.

-Hal
 
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hbiss said:
Why didn't you say that in your original post and why did you let us keep thinking it was here???

In Kuwait the power is 240V/50Hz. Why was a 60Hz 120/240 generator provided? I'm sure that you will say it's existing so as far as I'm concerned he's stuck with 120/240 60Hz so give him a NEMA receptacle like all the others and tell him to get new cell phone chargers and travel adapters.

-Hal
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My apologies... I didn't realize I was letting you think it was here.
This was a stock build (completed several months ago). 95% of our customers are US based, so the design was for that demographic.
 
hbiss said:
Cell phone chargers??? Chargers that plug into our 120V receptacles are a dime a dozen. Ask any 10 year old kid who probably has lost more than they have. So now you have somebody that wants to have a British receptacle and a 240V circuit installed so they can use the charger that came with the phone???

Was it you, Mbrooke who installed that kind of receptacle in your house? What kind of box did it use? Nothing from here.
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I used a standard NEMA box, I was fortunate to find a schuko socket with adjustable tongs which dig into the side of the box:

https://imgur.com/vKPr6Zo

https://imgur.com/47ltuwk

All of the devices I have are fine with 60Hz.


For the OP I'd recommend this:

BSRDP-W

White - British Standard Receptacle, 13 Amp, 250 Volt, Decora, Tamper-Resistant, with Double Pole Switch, Integrated to the Circuit, to Cut Off the Current On Both Contacts
www.leviton.com www.leviton.com




Really, now that you told us what the customer wants the receptacle for and wanting 50Hz/240, I'm wondering where the competence is here. Just tell him there is absolutely NO reason to need it for cell phone chargers (go to Walmart and buy new ones) and laptop wall warts can be easily had in the US configuration (or use a travel adapter).

Geeze.

-Hal
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To be fair I can see someone using kettles, grills, irons, ect and being afraid to admit. 3,600 watts is a night and day difference.
 
hbiss said:
Why didn't you say that in your original post and why did you let us keep thinking it was here???

In Kuwait the power is 240V/50Hz. Why was a 60Hz 120/240 generator provided? I'm sure that you will say it's existing so as far as I'm concerned he's stuck with 120/240 60Hz so give him a NEMA receptacle like all the others and tell him to get new cell phone chargers and travel adapters.

-Hal
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Maybe a cheap buy, or possibly the wrong buy.

It was already mentioned, but 50Hz gear will run ok on 60Hz supply, but not vice-versa.

Why not just 'back' the recept with a VFD unit.

retirede said:
Every charger like you mention that I have seen (including those belonging to colleagues from Europe and Asia) are rated for 100-240V, 50/60HZ.
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The little cheapy thingys are likely built to 240/50 specs and with LDO linear regs they still work just fine 100-240 50/60.
 
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FionaZuppa said:
Why not just 'back' the recept with a VFD unit.
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A normal vfd will not supply a general purpose load very well; they depend upon the inductance of the connected motor as part of the output filtering.

If you want something like a vfd for general purpose frequency conversion, such beasties exist but are much more expensive than a similarly rated vfd.

Jon
 
FionaZuppa said:
Some sort of VFD drive unit?
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Some the same basics are involved, but VFD's are intended to drive a motor and typically don't put out as clean of a sine wave, in fact is more of a pulsed output that the motor sees as close enough to a sinusoidal AC wave that it will function on it. Plus they are designed to accelerate and decelerate the motor and don't play so well with switching load(s) onto an up and running output
 
winnie said:
A normal vfd will not supply a general purpose load very well; they depend upon the inductance of the connected motor as part of the output filtering.

If you want something like a vfd for general purpose frequency conversion, such beasties exist but are much more expensive than a similarly rated vfd.

Jon
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Guess I should have read the next page of posts before replying,
 
kwired said:
Some the same basics are involved, but VFD's are intended to drive a motor and typically don't put out as clean of a sine wave, in fact is more of a pulsed output that the motor sees as close enough to a sinusoidal AC wave that it will function on it. Plus they are designed to accelerate and decelerate the motor and don't play so well with switching load(s) onto an up and running output
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I used "vfd" to general. Just a straight up FC unit, like this for $1300, 50-400Hz adj, 500VA, even looks like it has some goofy recept on it already.
www.gohz.com

500VA 110v, 120v 60Hz to 220v, 230v, 240v 50Hz converter

500 VA static frequency converter, change 1 phase 110V 60 Hz (e.g. Japan) to 220V 50 Hz (e.g. NZ) in one step by built in step up transformer, convert 120V 60Hz to 230V, 240V 50Hz with pure sine wave output for household appliances.
www.gohz.com www.gohz.com
1596032839245.png
 
Frank DuVal said:
Goofy? That's a universal type. See them a lot in adapters. It will take our (US) two and three prong plugs, and most of the rest of the world except, It will not take the Great Britain large style plug, type G.
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Actually a universal receptacle will take a type G- notice the furthest moldings are exactly for that reason:

https://imgur.com/jVBZhOW

The down side to a universal socket is that it will operationally mate with a schuko plug but only with the live and neutral pins- not the ground slots (figure 2):

1596043305018.png

If going the universal route an RCD is highly recommended since its possible for appliances with a Type F plug to end up without a ground connection.
 
mbrooke said:
The down side to a universal socket is that it will operationally mate with a schuko plug but only with the live and neutral pins- not the ground slots (figure 2):
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That's like breaking off the egc pin on a nema-5 ;)
Grounds are optional anyways........ ;)
If grounds were actually needed, then why do they still make things with nema-1 ??
 
FionaZuppa said:
That's like breaking off the egc pin on a nema-5 ;)
Grounds are optional anyways........ ;)
If grounds were actually needed, then why do they still make things with nema-1 ??
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You know, that is a really good question. I've asked before, and searched before but nothing. I can still buy a NEMA-1 toaster, iron, space heater, radiator, toaster oven, ect in the US.

I'm guessing (GUESSING) its some loop hole to appease to folks living in homes that still have two prongs.

The US got many things wrong with grounding and bonding (and still does). NEMA-1 is just one of many examples.
 
mbrooke said:
I'm guessing (GUESSING) its some loop hole to appease to folks living in homes that still have two prongs.
The US got many things wrong with grounding and bonding (and still does). NEMA-1 is just one of many examples.
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So make it all nema-5 cap cord, then people will be forced to replace nema-1's with a nema-5 gf or af recept, or nema-5+gf/af_ocpd, or they break the egc off the cord, in which case doesn't matter because that's what they had before, but the move to all nema-5 cap cords would at least push some to upgrade on the business end of 120/20A ;)
 
FionaZuppa said:
So make it all nema-5 cap cord, then people will be forced to replace nema-1's with a nema-5 gf or af recept, or nema-5+gf/af_ocpd, or they break the egc off the cord, in which case doesn't matter because that's what they had before, but the move to all nema-5 cap cords would at least push some to upgrade on the business end of 120/20A ;)
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They should.
 
LarryFine said:
Many appliances and devices have no parts to connect to an EGC.
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So then the green wire gets a small piece of heat-shrink over its end. Or, mold a 3pin with no egc wire at all, etc.
What's inside makes no diff, just like it's not there with a nema-1. But make it a nema-5 an o-crap, need a better recept or break the pin off or use that handy adapter thingy. What's the worse scenario = it's just like before,...... and what's the possible better scenario = some new upgrades on the biz end of power. So there's only one way to go, and that's "up", etc. ;)
 
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