International Voltage

[Nik]

Hi

I have a Viewsonic Ve710B LCD monitor which I am running in the UK on 240v
power.

The specifications state:

"Power Voltage AC 100-240V, 50-60HZ (+/-3) Consumption 30W (typ)(auto
switch)"

Probably a stupid question to you Hardware Gods, but am I safe to assume
that when I move to Canada next month, I can just plug it in to their 110v
supply and it will work?

Also, my Main PC is a P4 3.2GHZ from MESH computers. I have no idea what
Power Supply it has in it but it's brand new and the system cost a fortune.
I was wondering the same question. I'm sure on my older systems there was a
little red switch to change from 240 to 110v, which would be great.

I hoping you guys are goint to tell me it's "all automatic" now, and my new
system will auto-detect the voltage and adjust accordingly? - Save me a
fortune on transformers!!

Any help appreciated!!

Nik.

 

[philo]

little red switch to change from 240 to 110v, which would be great.

I hoping you guys are goint to tell me it's "all automatic" now, and my
new system will auto-detect the voltage and adjust accordingly? - Save me
a fortune on transformers!!

why not just look at the thing and see...
all supplies i've seen had the 115/230 v switch on the back

 

[John McGaw]

Hi

I have a Viewsonic Ve710B LCD monitor which I am running in the UK on 240v
power.

The specifications state:

"Power Voltage AC 100-240V, 50-60HZ (+/-3) Consumption 30W (typ)(auto
switch)"

Probably a stupid question to you Hardware Gods, but am I safe to assume
that when I move to Canada next month, I can just plug it in to their 110v
supply and it will work?

Also, my Main PC is a P4 3.2GHZ from MESH computers. I have no idea what
Power Supply it has in it but it's brand new and the system cost a fortune.
I was wondering the same question. I'm sure on my older systems there was a
little red switch to change from 240 to 110v, which would be great.

I hoping you guys are goint to tell me it's "all automatic" now, and my new
system will auto-detect the voltage and adjust accordingly? - Save me a
fortune on transformers!!

Any help appreciated!!

Nik.

If there is no switch mentioned in the manual, and most small supplies
no longer use them, then you should be safe in plugging it in in Canada.
Or Japan for that matter. Of course the mains plug and cord will be
different from the UK but that just goes with the territory (literally).
Any computer shop should have a replacement for a few dollars -- what
you want is a cord with a CEE22 (the standard "PC-type" 3-flat-pin
triangle connector on one end and a standard North American
2-flat-pin-1-round-pin mains connector. The fact that they note the
"auto switch" nature of the beast almost guarantees that they at least
expect it to do the switching for you.

As for your computer you should probably determine what sort of PS is in
it and check with the maker to find out if it also auto switches. But if
you don't see a switch on the back then there probably isn't one.

 

[Nik]

When I mentioned that on my older systems there was a switch, I neglected to
say that there now "isn't" a little red switch to flip from 240v to 110v.

It's a pretty big, "funky" looking Power supply, so how do I find out what
kind it is? The only label I can see is mostly hidden behind a big Gold
grill. It's a tool-less case, so I flipped the side off and I can't see any
internal labels either.

Most of the other components are pretty up to date (Asus P5GDC Deluxe mobo/
FX6600GT Graphics/ 1.5GB PC3200 RAM/ 260GB SATA H/D) so I'm hoping the PSU
is relatively up to date too.

I suppose I could email MESH, but they are, to coin a phrase, Shite at
customer service.

I wouldn't expect a reply from them before I'm sitting in my hot-tub in
Toronto, sipping Molson, surrounded by 8ft of snow!

Thanks again.

Nik.

 

[John McGaw]

When I mentioned that on my older systems there was a switch, I neglected to
say that there now "isn't" a little red switch to flip from 240v to 110v.

It's a pretty big, "funky" looking Power supply, so how do I find out what
kind it is? The only label I can see is mostly hidden behind a big Gold
grill. It's a tool-less case, so I flipped the side off and I can't see any
internal labels either.

Most of the other components are pretty up to date (Asus P5GDC Deluxe mobo/
FX6600GT Graphics/ 1.5GB PC3200 RAM/ 260GB SATA H/D) so I'm hoping the PSU
is relatively up to date too.

I suppose I could email MESH, but they are, to coin a phrase, Shite at
customer service.

I wouldn't expect a reply from them before I'm sitting in my hot-tub in
Toronto, sipping Molson, surrounded by 8ft of snow!

Thanks again.

Nik.


snip...

If there is no switch mentioned in the manual, and most small supplies no
longer use them, then you should be safe in plugging it in in Canada. Or
Japan for that matter. Of course the mains plug and cord will be different
from the UK but that just goes with the territory (literally). Any
computer shop should have a replacement for a few dollars -- what you want
is a cord with a CEE22 (the standard "PC-type" 3-flat-pin triangle
connector on one end and a standard North American 2-flat-pin-1-round-pin
mains connector. The fact that they note the "auto switch" nature of the
beast almost guarantees that they at least expect it to do the switching
for you.

As for your computer you should probably determine what sort of PS is in
it and check with the maker to find out if it also auto switches. But if
you don't see a switch on the back then there probably isn't one.

Typically the PS label showing manufacturer, ratings, and such will be
on the side of the PS. Unfortunately it is sometimes on one of the sides
which is not readily viewable in the typical "open-one-side" computer
case. If so, it is easy enough to pop it out with the removal of four
screws after removing the mains cord. Typically the other internal
connections can stay in place although there might sometimes be one
cable tie which needs to be cut to give enough slack. In my experience,
if there isn't a visible switch on the back of the PS where it can be
seen without opening the case then there probably won't be one. Of
course this _might_ mean that your PS could be specialized for 200V+
operation (the HZ rating typically won't matter). If that is so with
your supply you will find that it won't work in North America when you
plug it in and then you'll just need to pop down to the computer store
to buy a replacement.

Just remember when you are in Toronto in the snow that you might be
wishing for its return when August comes around and everything feels
like an overheated sauna. ;-) But you _can_ look forward to some great
breweries and beers in Ontario so don't rely too much on the Molson! And
do try the British Columbia wines -- there are some stunners available.

 

[Nik]

Wow John, some all round great advice!!

I'll pop the PSU out myself I think, and I know I can pop a new one in in
Canada for next to nothing if need be.

Nik.

PS> I know about the summers in Toronto, I was there during the "Outage" in
2003 and It was ridiculously hot! (Compare that to permanent rain/damp/fog
in UK all year round! Gimme extreme weather anytime!) - I may need your
advice on additional PC Cooling at some point!!
I'll try those BC wines out aswell. Cheers.

 

[pjdd]

All the PSUs I know of without the little red switch are meant to work
only from 200+V mains. When that switch is flipped to the 110V
position, it turns the input section of the PSU, the rectifier, into a
"voltage doubler". The rest of the circuitry is designed to work with
220-240V. The actual range of mains voltage it can properly work with
may be something like 170-260V.

 

[w_tom]

Any post in this thread that does not first demand numbers
from the manufacturer label should be ignored as dangerous.
Any electronic device that does not have that manufacturer
label would violate both industry and national safety
standards. First get numbers from that label as John McGaw so
responsibly posted.

 

[kony]

All the PSUs I know of without the little red switch are meant to work
only from 200+V mains. When that switch is flipped to the 110V
position, it turns the input section of the PSU, the rectifier, into a
"voltage doubler". The rest of the circuitry is designed to work with
220-240V. The actual range of mains voltage it can properly work with
may be something like 170-260V.

Actually most PSU sold in US market that don't have the
switch are auto-adjusting and don't need it, work fine on
110 or 220, both. "Some" of them have a sticker on them
that reads something like "full range".