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Thanks guys. The amazon images for that device includes a chart which shows the "200 watt" model has a "continuous capacity" of 120W. I guess I want something with a continuous capacity of at least 170W then? The next model up which amazon sells is the VT 500 which does 300W continuous. But for that price you can get this other model of "500W" which can do 400W continuous... and it looks cooler maybe? https://www.amazon.es/Bronson-Convertidor-Voltaje-HE-D-Transformador/dp/B00SQ3PQM0 Or would the stereo only use the full 160W if I have the volume all the way up all the time or something like that so the 120W continuous would be fine? What is going to happen, the records will spin slower? Also also, the input selector on the back of this thing shows 240V or 220V, but isn't euro voltage 230V?
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Mar 20, 2018 16:46
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Associate Christ
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other people posted:I have moved from the US to the EU (Spain) and would like to plug in a stereo I brought with me. I think I need to buy a transformer but I do not know what type or what specifications it would need. You can't tell I'm not saying this with a straight face, but I mean it earnestly: Ask on an audiophile forum. (I assume SA has something, but whereever you get your hifi nerdery on.) There has to be an expats group that has moved between input voltages and can guide you on something that isn't $100/watt with argon infused electrons.
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Mar 20, 2018 17:15
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other people posted:Or would the stereo only use the full 160W if I have the volume all the way up all the time or something like that so the 120W continuous would be fine? I would assume 160W is maximum and probably has a bit of slack built in to that number, but I don't know for sure. Disclaimer: I am not an electrical professional. other people posted:Also also, the input selector on the back of this thing shows 240V or 220V, but isn't euro voltage 230V? The power supply relationship in the UK and Europe is complicated: https://www.schneider-electric.co.uk/en/faqs/FA144717/ My house voltage is currently 230V but back when your gear was manufactured it would've been 240V.
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Mar 20, 2018 17:27
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other people posted:I have moved from the US to the EU (Spain) and would like to plug in a stereo I brought with me. I think I need to buy a transformer but I do not know what type or what specifications it would need. According to the schematic I found, you should only need to swap the plug and some jumpers on the board. Are you handy with a soldering iron? I bet the electronics thread here in DIY could help you. edit: same for the turntable (page 2). kid sinister fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Mar 20, 2018 |
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Mar 20, 2018 18:04
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other people posted:I have moved from the US to the EU (Spain) and would like to plug in a stereo I brought with me. I think I need to buy a transformer but I do not know what type or what specifications it would need. In addition to voltage conversion, you might also want to look into frequency conversion. That turntable might turn ~20% slower on 50hz power versus 60hz, depending on how they're determining RPM on the motors. The frequency difference probably won't affect the amplifier, but it might definitely have an effect on the turntable. EDIT: Here's a video from Techmoan on the problem: http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2016/8/20/120v-60hz-from-a-230v-50hz-power-supply.html
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Mar 20, 2018 18:26
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n0tqu1tesane posted:In addition to voltage conversion, you might also want to look into frequency conversion. That turntable might turn ~20% slower on 50hz power versus 60hz, depending on how they're determining RPM on the motors. According to the manual, it will work just fine at 50 to 60 Hz. That's probably related to the motor anyway. I checked out the schematic also and this turntable rectifies its power to DC to run its electronics as well as its motor, so that shouldn't be a problem.
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Mar 20, 2018 18:47
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In a room with overhead fixtures controlled by three switch locations, I'd like to replace one (or more, if needed) physical switch with a wireless controller that only needs just hot and neutral (Leviton Lumina RF controller). Before I open any boxes, can y'all tell me if this is feasible? Can I just cap off a traveler? I'll give you any pictures you may need. Please note that one of the locations is never used and can/ought to be done away with entirely, but only if it helps. I'd also be just fine with replacing two of the locations with two of said controllers, eliminating physical switching entirely. Tapedump fucked around with this message at 02:00 on Mar 21, 2018 |
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Mar 21, 2018 01:53
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Tapedump posted:In a room with overhead fixtures controlled by three switch locations, I'd like to replace one (or more, if needed) physical switch with a wireless controller that only needs just hot and neutral (Leviton Lumina RF controller). If I read this right, you basically hardwire the fixtures to be always on, and the hardwired controller turns the fixture on and off wirelessly. In which case, your other switches could no longer control the fixtures unless you swapped some wires around, abandon a wire in each run and make those other switches those RF ones as well. Oh, and with 3 switches that control your lights, this is a 4-way switching configuration. It's like 3-way switching, but with a special switch in the middle of the 3 ways on the ends. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 02:29 on Mar 21, 2018 |
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Mar 21, 2018 02:26
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4-way, gotcha. Yeah, I'd be fine to hardwire the fixtures, blank the now-unused boxes, and have just one hardwired (hot+neutral needed) controller. Actually, the perfect outcome would be turning two switch locations into controllers and do away with the third that's almost never used. It is this third location that has the red switch. I'm working on pictures and wiring diagrams now. It's tricky because one location, the exit door, shares a box (and some wiring) with an exterior lamp that has switches both outside and in the same box as the Exit switch. The other locations are top of the Stairs (where'd I'd like an RF controller as well as at Exit) and the Window, the rarely used, red switch. In this box is a smart rocker switch for track lights and a switch for another exterior lamp. I take direction very well and am not one to go off half cocked without y'alls' guidance. Granted, I could just hire this out, but I'd like to learn something through the process. Thanks again! Exit: Showing exterior lamp1 switch on right, most of a 3-way switch on the right  Stairs: Showing unrelated light's switch on right, most of a 3-way switch on right  Window: Lousy picture of red switch, smart switch for track lights, and exterior lamp2. I know it's useless for diagramming, but it gives focus to my post 
Tapedump fucked around with this message at 03:24 on Mar 21, 2018 |
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Mar 21, 2018 03:04
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Tapedump posted:4-way, gotcha. The exit and window pictures are pretty bad. Can you pull out the switches all the way, separate out the wires as best you can and take new pictures straight on with good lighting? It looks like there are a lot of wires in that window box. That might mean that other things on the circuit are fed from that box, and I bet that you'd like for them to continue being powered.
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Mar 21, 2018 19:49
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H110Hawk posted:You can't tell I'm not saying this with a straight face, but I mean it earnestly: Ask on an audiophile forum. (I assume SA has something, but whereever you get your hifi nerdery on.) There has to be an expats group that has moved between input voltages and can guide you on something that isn't $100/watt with argon infused electrons. I am not an audiophile person >  ; I wouldn't even know where to ask that. I just like the aesthetics of the stuff. Maybe that makes me worse than an audiophile but I couldn't give a gently caress if it was all wired together with paperclips under the hood. And besides, you guys seem to know what you are talking about!kid sinister posted:According to the schematic I found, you should only need to swap the plug and some jumpers on the board. Are you handy with a soldering iron? I bet the electronics thread here in DIY could help you. That is cool as poo poo to know that I *could* do that, but I don't have the equipment and have no confidence in my ability to not gently caress it up. I'll just buy the larger transformer and (hopefully) forget about all of this. I even have enough €€€ amazon gift cards to make it free to me :o. Thank you all!
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Mar 22, 2018 07:58
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How easy is it to gently caress up a circuit breaker replacement? I matched the amperages and put in new breakers for two circuits, and everything works fine and I didn’t die. I am, however, slightly concerned that the house is going to spontaneously combust. What’s the over/under?
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Mar 28, 2018 21:55
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CaladSigilon posted:How easy is it to gently caress up a circuit breaker replacement? I matched the amperages and put in new breakers for two circuits, and everything works fine and I didn’t die. Well, updates to the code book since that breaker was first installed may necessitate upgrading it to a GFCI or AFCI. What circuit was that breaker on? Firewise though, I bet you're fine.
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Mar 29, 2018 00:04
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kid sinister posted:Well, updates to the code book since that breaker was first installed may necessitate upgrading it to a GFCI or AFCI. What circuit was that breaker on? Dryer is one circuit (double-wide 30amp) and the furnace is the other (15amp).
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Mar 29, 2018 00:16
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CaladSigilon posted:Dryer is one circuit (double-wide 30amp) and the furnace is the other (15amp). Nope, not those ones. The updates are mainly for lights and outlets in living spaces.
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Mar 29, 2018 02:41
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CaladSigilon posted:How easy is it to gently caress up a circuit breaker replacement? I matched the amperages and put in new breakers for two circuits, and everything works fine and I didn’t die. Pretty hard in a residential panel, really. If you screwed something up, you would know it the instant the main came back on, or the instant you tried to use whatever device was plugged in. If nothing catastrophic happened, congratulations, you're an electrician now.
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Mar 29, 2018 03:00
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:If nothing catastrophic happened, congratulations, you're an electrician now.  Nothing bad can come of this! On a fun note, I broke a screwdriver trying to undo the connection between one of the live pigtails on the dryer circuit and the breaker. I think it might have arced and welded the metal clamp together. Gonna take the breaker apart and see what the carnage looks like inside.
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Mar 29, 2018 04:30
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Pretty hard in a residential panel, really. If you screwed something up, you would know it the instant the main came back on, or the instant you tried to use whatever device was plugged in. If nothing catastrophic happened, congratulations, you're an electrician now. And if something bad does come up later (high resistance, under torqued, etc) the worst you should suffer is letting some smoke out/breaker trip/needing a new breaker. It's all gonna be contained in the panel. But chances are very high you done fine.
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Mar 30, 2018 23:47
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Motronic posted:And if something bad does come up later (high resistance, under torqued, etc) the worst you should suffer is letting some smoke out/breaker trip/needing a new breaker. It's all gonna be contained in the panel. I had fun swapping a breaker once.. turned off the main to change it out. Turned the main back on, and only half the house came back. That was a fun call to the power company to get them to pull the meter so I could swap the main breaker. Turns out linemen are willing to pull the meter and hang around a few minutes if you shovel a path through the snow to the meter.
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Mar 31, 2018 01:13
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I may be adding potlights to my living room (older house, has no ceiling lights at all right now). The main floor is aluminum wiring so obviously I will be pulling a new cable from the main panel for this. I already have a three-gang box with three switches at the entry door (obviously all on the same circuit), can I add a fourth space and have the separate circuit in the same box? If not, what should I do?
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Mar 31, 2018 15:26
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Spagghentleman posted:potlights Canadian spotted. I do not know their electrical code, so you should probably be somewhat specific about your location to get accurate advice.
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Mar 31, 2018 17:47
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Spagghentleman posted:I may be adding potlights to my living room (older house, has no ceiling lights at all right now). The main floor is aluminum wiring so obviously I will be pulling a new cable from the main panel for this. I assume you have a 3-gang wide box there? Do you mean putting 4 switches in a 3-gang box, or removing that box and putting in a 4-gang box? You might need to take that box out anyway just to get your hand in the wall so you can pull through your new cable. Tell you what, let's see if you even have room for a 4-gang wide box there. Got a stud finder? If not, get yourself a stiff wire and straighten it out. Use a coat hanger if you have nothing else. Bend the end into an L. It doesn't have to be a long tip, just enough for another gang. Next, take off that face plate. Poke the wire in the gap between the drywall and the box. Note: that box will most likely be nailed to a stud on one side. Feel around and see if you feel anything that would keep you from mounting a wider 4-gang box there. Last tip: this feeler method can be a pain to use in insulated walls. Try to keep the tip on the inside face of the wall. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 18:00 on Mar 31, 2018 |
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Mar 31, 2018 17:49
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I have room for a 4 gang box. My question is whether or not I can have two separate circuits from two breakers in the same physical box. If it a per area thing I guess I can make some calls.
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Mar 31, 2018 19:14
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Spagghentleman posted:I have room for a 4 gang box. My question is whether or not I can have two separate circuits from two breakers in the same physical box. If it a per area thing I guess I can make some calls. You're fine. You can have as many circuits as you want of the same voltage in the same box. It'd be very nice for the people who come after you if you label the wires as "BREAKER 15" and "BREAKER 18" so they don't flip one breaker off, kill almost all of the lights, and find that there are still hot wires in the box. Make sure to not share neutrals between the circuits.
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Mar 31, 2018 20:48
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Spagghentleman posted:I have room for a 4 gang box. My question is whether or not I can have two separate circuits from two breakers in the same physical box. If it a per area thing I guess I can make some calls. You shouldn't have circuits from different panels in one box but different breakers from the same panel is fine. Seconding the label the heck out of everything to make some future person's day a lot less painful.
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Apr 1, 2018 00:54
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I was contacted by a colleague who wanted to know if this electrical panel looked like it had any problems or not. Unfortunately I rarely (basically never) work with small 120/240 or 120/208 panels like this. Here is the photo: It’s not very pretty, but I’m not sure if there are any code violations here. You can tie ground wires to the neutral at the service box I believe. (I am trying to remember the way we did it on our low-voltage transformer secondaries.) If anyone needs help on low (480/600V) voltage MCCs or medium-voltage (4160V, 6900V, 14kV) switchgear let me know. Three-Phase fucked around with this message at 01:08 on Apr 8, 2018 |
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Apr 8, 2018 01:01
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That one white wire hanging off the top right breaker is a concern. If that's a 220V run, then those breaker handles need to be tied together. Other than that, the panel looks OK. Like you said, it'd be nicer to not have the neutrals and grounds on the same bars, but there at the "first means of disconnect" is where the neutral and ground are bonded, so they're electrically identical at that spot. There may be a couple of grounds that share a screw; possible that the bus bar is listed for that use, but you'd have to check to be sure. It's also a bit sketchy to have wire nuts in a panel, but it's not illegal anymore as far as I know. I don't see ANY 220V circuits in that panel. Not impossible; there may not be a dryer, A/C, stove/range, nor water heater, but it's weird not to see any at all.
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Apr 8, 2018 01:18
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Maybe I'm just not seeing it, but I don't see a #8 bare for an earth ground. Seconding the need to tie those two breakers together if it's a 240V circuit. You'd need to verify that they're on the interior halves of the top-right two breakers of course. As long as it's not a subpanel or a trailer house, the bonded neutral/ground is fine. Prob fine to have two wires per set screw on those ground bars, but if I'm remembering right you shouldn't have neutrals and grounds under the same set screw but that's a bit nit-picky. I unironically love that there's five different brands of breakers there.
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Apr 8, 2018 01:45
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Is it possible to make 240V in one full size slot? Also, is that bare aluminum the ground?
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Apr 8, 2018 01:48
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Special A posted:Is it possible to make 240V in one full size slot? Yeah, it's "service entrance cable" for the run between the meter and main panel. New home installs (in my part of the US) use PVC conduit and copper THHN, but I've seen it alot in small houses w/ propane heat/wh/range. Blackbeer fucked around with this message at 02:06 on Apr 8, 2018 |
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Apr 8, 2018 01:56
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Blackbeer posted:Maybe I'm just not seeing it, but I don't see a #8 bare for an earth ground. I forget where you're at... But here in central SC if you have a meter can (as in, no combination unit), the bare #8 ground is terminated there and you only have 3 conductors from the meter can to the main panel. Being that the ground rod conductor is for lightning only, there's no reason to run a line parallel with the also bonded neutral inside the structure. But this is one of those situations that seems to vary by region. That being said, the lack of 240v breakers in the pictured box is a red flag, and unless this is a residence with all gas appliances, I suspect that this is possibly a sub-panel in which case they do need add a EGC and separate the neutrals and grounds.
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Apr 8, 2018 04:02
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Might be the wrong thread for this. I have a power converter question: I'm in Vietnam, a 220v country and brought my 120v US coffee maker. I have tried two different makes of power converters and neither of them could sustain the 1500 watts needed for the machine to operate. Can someone recommend one or tell me what specs/details to look for when I try and find one locally?
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Apr 8, 2018 12:50
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Springfield Fatts posted:Might be the wrong thread for this. I have a power converter question: I'm in Vietnam, a 220v country and brought my 120v US coffee maker. I have tried two different makes of power converters and neither of them could sustain the 1500 watts needed for the machine to operate. Can someone recommend one or tell me what specs/details to look for when I try and find one locally? Look on the nameplate of the coffee maker for the wattage, then find one with 20% more rated wattage.
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Apr 8, 2018 14:23
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Springfield Fatts posted:Might be the wrong thread for this. I have a power converter question: I'm in Vietnam, a 220v country and brought my 120v US coffee maker. I have tried two different makes of power converters and neither of them could sustain the 1500 watts needed for the machine to operate. Can someone recommend one or tell me what specs/details to look for when I try and find one locally? How fancy is this coffee maker / how long are you in country? You can get a passable target special in the USA for like $20. A transformer capable of doing 1500w isn't going to be cheaper than that and not also burn down your house.
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Apr 8, 2018 14:31
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angryrobots posted:I forget where you're at... But here in central SC if you have a meter can (as in, no combination unit), the bare #8 ground is terminated there and you only have 3 conductors from the meter can to the main panel. Right on, I get so used to doing it one way I had to look it up; I've had the grounding rules for grounded and ungrounded ac service conflated in my head. I don't think it's a local deal, I'm just used to running from the panel to a ground-rod and panel to waterline or uFer. If one was doing multiple ground rods, using the meter enclosure would be much more convenient.
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Apr 8, 2018 14:36
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Look on the nameplate of the coffee maker for the wattage, then find one with 20% more rated wattage. It's 1500w, so I'll aim for 1800. H110Hawk posted:How fancy is this coffee maker / how long are you in country? You can get a passable target special in the USA for like $20. A transformer capable of doing 1500w isn't going to be cheaper than that and not also burn down your house. It's expensive for a dumb coffee maker, but I already made the effort of taking it with me to Vietnam for 2+ years so at this point getting a converter is worth the cost.
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Apr 8, 2018 15:07
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FEEDBACK FROM MY COLLEAGUE I gave him your guys feedback, and first and foremost he is extremely appreciative. Here are his replies to a few comments/questions: 1. There is no sub breaker panel 2. All his appliances are gas, including the dryer 3. He has 220V for my main air conditioner Good catch on the 220V loads. You need to have a yolked breaker specifically for those loads, you cannot use two 120V breakers on separate poles to feed a 220V load. Similarity for three-phase systems you need a three-pole breaker for a three-phase loaf like a motor. You can’t use three separate breakers on phases A, B, and C. Three-Phase fucked around with this message at 20:51 on Apr 8, 2018 |
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Apr 8, 2018 20:48
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Three-Phase posted:I was contacted by a colleague who wanted to know if this electrical panel looked like it had any problems or not. Unfortunately I rarely (basically never) work with small 120/240 or 120/208 panels like this. Here is the photo: What is up with the red wire at the lower right? It looks like 2 circuits are sharing a neutral on the same phase? Other than that, the white wire at the top right is fishy as was already mentioned. At a minimum, it will need a wrap of black tape to show it's now a hot wire. Oh, and those are Cutler Hammer BR series breakers, now made by Eaton. Special A posted:Is it possible to make 240V in one full size slot? No, but it is possible to make a pair of 240V in two slots. The tandem yoke for the outer pair looks funny. Look up double pole quad breakers. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 03:01 on Apr 9, 2018 |
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Apr 9, 2018 02:56
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I changed a couple outlets out to GFCI and they showed open ground prior to the change. I noticed Inside both that there are bare copper wires pigtailed together but not attached to the box or outlet. The boxes are plastic and both outlets are middle run so four wires in there. Any reason why I shouldn’t be able to ground the outlets to that bare wire and resolve the open ground issue?
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Apr 9, 2018 16:12
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Rubiks Pubes posted:I changed a couple outlets out to GFCI and they showed open ground prior to the change. I noticed Inside both that there are bare copper wires pigtailed together but not attached to the box or outlet. The boxes are plastic and both outlets are middle run so four wires in there. Any reason why I shouldn’t be able to ground the outlets to that bare wire and resolve the open ground issue? Nope, go ahead. BTW, were you swapping in GFCIs because you thought you didn't have a ground there and wanted legal 3 prong outlets there?
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Apr 9, 2018 17:16
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