is it possible? 1600W step-down transformer so tiny!

[James Kelly]

Hi,

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty cooker.
It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some research on the
net it was apparant that transformers that provide > 1000W are at least the
size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I later came across a
transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and is as small as an
average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can see it here -
http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them and they confirmed
the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you pay for right? Any help
would be much appreciated.

James

 

[[email protected]]

Ooh, how much? That's pretty.

It might work... make sure you have homeowners or renters insurance.

What kind of cooker? Can't you just use the stove? Or buy a new
cooker? Which would be cheaper?

 

[Tim Shoppa]

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty cooker.
It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some research on the
net it was apparant that transformers that provide > 1000W are at least the
size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I later came across a
transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and is as small as an
average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can see it here -
http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them and they confirmed
the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you pay for right? Any help
would be much appreciated.

My understanding is that the tiny converters are basically TRIAC
switches which switch at a point to deliver the correct amount of RMS
power (but a really funky waveform) to a purely resistive load.

They are not good for sensitive electronics. They might not even be
good for a hairdryer's blower. But, assuming your cooker is just a big
resistive load I think it'll be OK.

I had a co-worker with a "fuzzy logic" rice cooker once and always
kidded him about having to reboot it. So at least some cookers have
some smarts in them and not all are just stupid resistors!

Tim.

 

[[email protected]]

My understanding is that the tiny converters are basically TRIAC
switches which switch at a point to deliver the correct amount of RMS
power (but a really funky waveform) to a purely resistive load.

They are not good for sensitive electronics. They might not even be
good for a hairdryer's blower. But, assuming your cooker is just a big
resistive load I think it'll be OK.

I had a co-worker with a "fuzzy logic" rice cooker once and always
kidded him about having to reboot it. So at least some cookers have
some smarts in them and not all are just stupid resistors!

Tim.

Aw, no microwave ovens then? Pity...

 

[Genome]

Hi,

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty
cooker. It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some
research on the net it was apparant that transformers that provide > 1000W
are at least the size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I later
came across a transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and is as
small as an average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can see it
here - http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them and they
confirmed the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you pay for
right? Any help would be much appreciated.

James

The 50W rating is for a 3 minute shave.....

The 1600W figure is Peak Shaving Power Output, PSPO.

DNA

 

[Slurp]

Hi,

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty
cooker. It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some
research on the net it was apparant that transformers that provide > 1000W
are at least the size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I later
came across a transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and is as
small as an average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can see it
here - http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them and they
confirmed the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you pay for
right? Any help would be much appreciated.

James

 

[Travis Jordan]

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty
cooker. It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some
research on the net it was apparant that transformers that provide >
1000W are at least the size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However,
I later came across a transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W
and is as small as an average 100w transformer and costs about $10.

Note that the power converter (it is not a transformer) isn't rated for
continuous use. I'm not sure whether your cooker application
constitutes 'continuous use' - but if it does, prepare to be
disappointed.

 

[Slurp]

Hi,

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty
cooker. It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some
research on the net it was apparant that transformers that provide > 1000W
are at least the size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I later
came across a transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and is as
small as an average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can see it
here - http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them and they
confirmed the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you pay for
right? Any help would be much appreciated.

James

What sort of things do you cook with a 1235 watt cooker???. That's nearly a
third of my electric kettle!!

You sure the rating is not 12350 watts which would be more reasonable. As
someone else hinted - get yourself a £29.99 800W 240V microwave, much safer
and more efficient!

 

[Gerard Bok]

My understanding is that the tiny converters are basically TRIAC
switches which switch at a point to deliver the correct amount of RMS
power (but a really funky waveform) to a purely resistive load.

My understanding is, that some of the cheaper '230 to 115 volt
converters' just contain a diode.
Which indeed halfs the applied power

Do you get what you pay for ? Sure.
Peanuts for monkeys

Just one word of advice: DON'T

 

[Roger Hamlett]

Hi,

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty
cooker. It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some
research on the net it was apparant that transformers that provide >
1000W are at least the size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I
later came across a transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and
is as small as an average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can
see it here - http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them
and they confirmed the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you
pay for right? Any help would be much appreciated.

James

Note that it says 'converter', not 'transformer'. These units are
basically solid state switchers. They can work well, but with a lot of
caveats. Many units expecting a particular waveform, will hate them. Also,
a 'cooker', that is rated at 1235W when running, will typically draw many
times this rating for a few seconds whenever the element switches on.
Whereas a transformer can withstand this sort of momentary overload,
switchers like this have less margin...

Best Wishes

 

[James Kelly]

Yikes, ok so I bought it, its only $10 and I'll take the chance.... Any
danger though? Could this cause the convertor to melt/explode/catch
fire.....? Thanks again everyone.

 

[Dave D]

Yikes, ok so I bought it, its only $10 and I'll take the chance.... Any
danger though? Could this cause the convertor to melt/explode/catch
fire.....? Thanks again everyone.

If it doesn't have adequate protection and the triac fails short circuit, it
could put 240V into your oven, which needless to say will cause a lot of
damage or even a fire.

Dave

 

[[email protected]]

Yikes, ok so I bought it, its only $10 and I'll take the chance.... Any
danger though? Could this cause the convertor to melt/explode/catch
fire.....? Thanks again everyone.

I would highly recommend investing 10 pounds or so in a good ABC fire
extinguisher.

Just a thought.

 

[Michael Kennedy]

I'd just watch and make sure it doesn't over heat. It may work. It may not..
I wouldn't be worried about explosion but it could potentialy burn up your
pizza cooker's motor.

- Mike

 

[I.F.]

Hi,

I've recently moved to London in the UK and brought along my trusty
cooker. It states that it requires 120V @60/1235 watts. After some
research on the net it was apparant that transformers that provide > 1000W
are at least the size of a shoebox and around $70-100. However, I later
came across a transformer sold by jWin which rates upto 1600W and is as
small as an average 100w transformer and costs about $10. You can see it
here - http://tinyurl.com/hra3r I called the shop selling them and they
confirmed the specs.... am I wasting my time? You get what you pay for
right? Any help would be much appreciated.

James

Buy another identical cooker and wire the two in series.

 

[Greg Neill]

Yikes, ok so I bought it, its only $10 and I'll take the chance.... Any
danger though? Could this cause the convertor to melt/explode/catch
fire.....? Thanks again everyone.

I note that the unit doesn't appear to provide a ground
connection. This doesn't exactly give me warm fuzzies...

 

[Michael Kennedy]

Also as with any small appliance don't leave it plugged in when not using it
due to the danger of fire.

- Mike

 

[[email protected]]

I'd just watch and make sure it doesn't over heat. It may work. It may not..
I wouldn't be worried about explosion but it could potentialy burn up your
pizza cooker's motor.

- Mike

And also ruin a perfectly good pizza.

 

[Mochuelo]

What sort of things do you cook with a 1235 watt cooker???. That's nearly a
third of my electric kettle!!

Do you have a 3700 W kettle? What do you use it for?

You sure the rating is not 12350 watts which would be more reasonable.

Can you please go read what's the current rating (in amps) of your
domestic energy meter? Multiply that by the nominal voltage in your
country, and you will get the max instantaneous power that your
installation is "oficially" allowed to carry. Compare that with the
number you wrote.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

My understanding is that the tiny converters are basically TRIAC
switches which switch at a point to deliver the correct amount of RMS
power (but a really funky waveform) to a purely resistive load.

They are not good for sensitive electronics. They might not even be
good for a hairdryer's blower. But, assuming your cooker is just a big
resistive load I think it'll be OK.

I had a co-worker with a "fuzzy logic" rice cooker once and always
kidded him about having to reboot it. So at least some cookers have
some smarts in them and not all are just stupid resistors!

Tim.

My new rice cooker is neuro-fuzzy. Just about perfect rice, but it
takes longer than my old National (Matsushita) rice cooker (which has
worked flawlessly for decades).


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany