US Adapter for UK printer/scanner

[Silicon Strawberry]

Hello,

I have a Konica Minolta laser printer and Epson 1260 scanner which were both
purchased in the UK. Does anyone know whether it is possible to get a power
cable/adapter which will enable these appliances to work in the US?

Thanks,

SS

 

[Barry Watzman]

It is VERY possible that they will work directly, with only a new power
cord or a plug .... check the voltage ratings on the printer & scanner
(or the power adapters if they use an external power adapter).
Otherwise, you need a 110 to 220 transformer.

 

[CSM1]

I second Barry.

Check the power ratings many are rated 100-250 volts 50-60 Hz.

 

[Stuart]

I don't know about modern lasers, but back in the day the fuser was
direct line powered and the switch mode supply likey optomised for the
market line voltage, or internally rewirable for either voltage.

IMO, unless ther is something special about that printer, I'd liquidate
it in the UK, and buy a new one in the USA.

For scanner, you should likely be able to find a US supply, or at least
use a trasnformer, if the PSU is not universal.

In the UK all industrial and building site portable tools are 110V AC.

Transformers from 240V to 110V are common place so if you can obtain one,
preferably cheap second user, all you have to do is to rewire it the other
way round.

--
Stuart Winsor

From is valid but subject to change without notice if it gets spammed.

For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area
See: http://www.barndance.org.uk

 

[Gary Tait]

Hello,

I have a Konica Minolta laser printer and Epson 1260 scanner which
were both purchased in the UK. Does anyone know whether it is possible
to get a power cable/adapter which will enable these appliances to
work in the US?

Thanks,

SS

I don't know about modern lasers, but back in the day the fuser was
direct line powered and the switch mode supply likey optomised for the
market line voltage, or internally rewirable for either voltage.

IMO, unless ther is something special about that printer, I'd liquidate
it in the UK, and buy a new one in the USA.

For scanner, you should likely be able to find a US supply, or at least
use a trasnformer, if the PSU is not universal.

 

[DanG]

Hello,

I have a Konica Minolta laser printer and Epson 1260 scanner which were
both purchased in the UK. Does anyone know whether it is possible to get a
power cable/adapter which will enable these appliances to work in the US?

Thanks,

SS

Assuming you actually need an adapter, and not just a new power cord, Radio
Shack will have what you need. They also have a simple block that changes
220 3-prong to 110 3-prong.

 

[Barry Watzman]

Your point is well taken IF the printer has a heated roller fuser.
Those are both high power and not easily converted, and the power
requirement is so high that a transformer will be expensive (and also
VERY heavy).

But most modern laser printers have "thin film fusing" that doesn't work
this way.

 

[Barry Watzman]

NO ... NO

The adapters that they sell of the type that you are talking about are
either made for LOW POWER electronics OR for appliances like hair
driers. They CAN NOT be used for computers or most other electronics of
the type being discussed and may damage them.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Many of these products are designed today with switching transformers
which automatically alter to accommodate the "standard" voltage being
used. It allows them to be used in many different countries without
making separate builds or redesigning the circuits.

To make sure, contact Epson, but it would not surprise me if they both
worked as long as you had the appropriate cord/plug.

Art

 

[Barry Watzman]

There are switching power supplies, and there are transformers, but
there are no switching tranformers.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Funny how when I placed the term "Switching Transformers" into Google,
there were only 7,490 hits, and the first page all lead to electronics
parts suppliers (I gave up at that point) selling switching TRANSFORMERS
used in switching power supplies.

Barry, that makes for a LOT of people living an illusion, eh?

I will agree that the units in question probably would contain switching
power supplies, which incorporated switching transformers, but other
than yourself, I think most others would have understood that.

I suggest that most switching power supplies incorporate a switching
transformer as a major component, but I suppose you could make a
switching power supply without a switching transformer, but it would
have some redundant parts.

Art

 

[Barry Watzman]

switching power supplies contain pulse transformers (see how many hits
you get on that). There is no term "switching transformer" in common
use in the us (might be common elsewhere). 7,490 hits on google is a
small number ... almost anything you search for on google will return
some hits.

[my background is a ham radio operator since 1963, degreed EE, and i've
been a director of engineering for a manufacturer of switching power
supplies. And i broke my right wrist last night, so typing this is
really difficult.]

 

[CSM1]

So how did you break your right wrist?

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--

switching power supplies contain pulse transformers (see how many hits you
get on that). There is no term "switching transformer" in common use in
the us (might be common elsewhere). 7,490 hits on google is a small
number ... almost anything you search for on google will return some hits.

[my background is a ham radio operator since 1963, degreed EE, and i've
been a director of engineering for a manufacturer of switching power
supplies. And i broke my right wrist last night, so typing this is really
difficult.]

Funny how when I placed the term "Switching Transformers" into Google,
there were only 7,490 hits, and the first page all lead to electronics
parts suppliers (I gave up at that point) selling switching TRANSFORMERS
used in switching power supplies.

Barry, that makes for a LOT of people living an illusion, eh?

I will agree that the units in question probably would contain switching
power supplies, which incorporated switching transformers, but other than
yourself, I think most others would have understood that.

I suggest that most switching power supplies incorporate a switching
transformer as a major component, but I suppose you could make a
switching power supply without a switching transformer, but it would have
some redundant parts.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Sorry about your wrist. When it gets better, put the following into the
search bar of Google:

"switching transformers"

Then follow the links from most of the first 20 or so hits. Each one is
an electronics parts sales company selling... amazingly "switching
transformers" used in making switching power supplies. As I stated, I
guess my version of Google works well with my illusions.

I guess those companies are catering to ignorant people who believe in
nonexistent parts.

Since I am not heartless, I've decided to save you some wrist movements,
and all you have to do is click on the links below, as a starting point.
The forth one is Panasonic themselves, a manufacturer. You'd think
they'd know what they make. ;-)


http://www.radiohm.com/chokes.php?subcat=18

http://www.pca.com/Products/switchtransformersinfo.cfm

http://www.coilws.com/Switch Mode Power.htm

http://industrial.panasonic.com/www-ctlg/ctlg/qAVS0000_WW.html

http://www.globalsources.com/manufacturers/Switching-Transformer.html


Art

switching power supplies contain pulse transformers (see how many hits
you get on that). There is no term "switching transformer" in common
use in the us (might be common elsewhere). 7,490 hits on google is a
small number ... almost anything you search for on google will return
some hits.

[my background is a ham radio operator since 1963, degreed EE, and i've
been a director of engineering for a manufacturer of switching power
supplies. And i broke my right wrist last night, so typing this is
really difficult.]

Funny how when I placed the term "Switching Transformers" into Google,
there were only 7,490 hits, and the first page all lead to electronics
parts suppliers (I gave up at that point) selling switching
TRANSFORMERS used in switching power supplies.

Barry, that makes for a LOT of people living an illusion, eh?

I will agree that the units in question probably would contain
switching power supplies, which incorporated switching transformers,
but other than yourself, I think most others would have understood that.

I suggest that most switching power supplies incorporate a switching
transformer as a major component, but I suppose you could make a
switching power supply without a switching transformer, but it would
have some redundant parts.

Art

 

[Chuck]

Actually there are, it's a matter of defining what type of transformer you
are talking about.
1. Switching power supply transformer, usually used at a much higher
frequency than 50-60hz
2. Transformer with built in selectable series or parallel primary windings
for dual or multiple voltage use.