220v To 110v

[BigLou]

I have an extensive set of batt. powered tools and am moving to thailand in a year. I know or have heard of power convertors to change 220v to 110v.But how effective are they . Should I even bring my tools to thailand? Im looking for a way to charge the batt"s. Any info would be very helpfull,THANKS.

[pgrin]

I have an extensive set of batt. powered tools and am moving to thailand in a year. I know or have heard of power convertors to change 220v to 110v.But how effective are they . Should I even bring my tools to thailand? Im looking for a way to charge the batt"s. Any info would be very helpfull,THANKS.

Hey Big Lou,

I'll try to answer each part of your question 1 by 1

1) Its not the voltage of the batteries that matter rather the voltage range of the battery charger. Power tools operate on DC batteries, 9volt, 12 volt, 18 volt DC and so on. Look at the charger pack on you tools and if it rated in a range up to 220v AC then you are good to go.

2) If your chargers are not rated up to 220v AC then your will need a step down transformer. These are available here in Thailand and vary in price depending on the watts required. They start out at 300 watts and go up to 3000 watts or more for home use. I have a 1500 watt transformer that cost 3000 baht. They are reliable for short term use(battery charging) but tend to get hot. I have not used it with a constant load.

3) You have to ask yourself if it is worth bringing the tools here. Shipping can be expensive as these tools tend to be heavy. It may cost more then new tools here. (What are you planning to build here?) Black and Decker battery powered tools are readily available here as well as Bosch. Give me a tool and I'll check a price at Home Pro.

P

[elkangorito]

Hey Big Lou,

I'll try to answer each part of your question 1 by 1

1) Its not the voltage of the batteries that matter rather the voltage range of the battery charger. Power tools operate on DC batteries, 9volt, 12 volt, 18 volt DC and so on. Look at the charger pack on you tools and if it rated in a range up to 220v AC then you are good to go.

2) If your chargers are not rated up to 220v AC then your will need a step down transformer. These are available here in Thailand and vary in price depending on the watts required. They start out at 300 watts and go up to 3000 watts or more for home use. I have a 1500 watt transformer that cost 3000 baht. They are reliable for short term use(battery charging) but tend to get hot. I have not used it with a constant load.

3) You have to ask yourself if it is worth bringing the tools here. Shipping can be expensive as these tools tend to be heavy. It may cost more then new tools here. (What are you planning to build here?) Black and Decker battery powered tools are readily available here as well as Bosch. Give me a tool and I'll check a price at Home Pro.

P

What about the frequency? Is that not important?

What is "hot" (transformer)? Why does a transformer get hot? Do they normally generate heat? Is frequency important with transformers?

[pgrin]

Hey Big Lou,

I'll try to answer each part of your question 1 by 1

1) Its not the voltage of the batteries that matter rather the voltage range of the battery charger. Power tools operate on DC batteries, 9volt, 12 volt, 18 volt DC and so on. Look at the charger pack on you tools and if it rated in a range up to 220v AC then you are good to go.

2) If your chargers are not rated up to 220v AC then your will need a step down transformer. These are available here in Thailand and vary in price depending on the watts required. They start out at 300 watts and go up to 3000 watts or more for home use. I have a 1500 watt transformer that cost 3000 baht. They are reliable for short term use(battery charging) but tend to get hot. I have not used it with a constant load.

3) You have to ask yourself if it is worth bringing the tools here. Shipping can be expensive as these tools tend to be heavy. It may cost more then new tools here. (What are you planning to build here?) Black and Decker battery powered tools are readily available here as well as Bosch. Give me a tool and I'll check a price at Home Pro.

P

What about the frequency? Is that not important?

What is "hot" (transformer)? Why does a transformer get hot? Do they normally generate heat? Is frequency important with transformers?

The step down transformer gets hot. It is normal to get hot and will shut off if the heat is excessive. As for 50 vs 60 htz frequency, I have not had a problem.

P

[elkangorito]

Hey Big Lou,

I'll try to answer each part of your question 1 by 1

1) Its not the voltage of the batteries that matter rather the voltage range of the battery charger. Power tools operate on DC batteries, 9volt, 12 volt, 18 volt DC and so on. Look at the charger pack on you tools and if it rated in a range up to 220v AC then you are good to go.

2) If your chargers are not rated up to 220v AC then your will need a step down transformer. These are available here in Thailand and vary in price depending on the watts required. They start out at 300 watts and go up to 3000 watts or more for home use. I have a 1500 watt transformer that cost 3000 baht. They are reliable for short term use(battery charging) but tend to get hot. I have not used it with a constant load.

3) You have to ask yourself if it is worth bringing the tools here. Shipping can be expensive as these tools tend to be heavy. It may cost more then new tools here. (What are you planning to build here?) Black and Decker battery powered tools are readily available here as well as Bosch. Give me a tool and I'll check a price at Home Pro.

P

What about the frequency? Is that not important?

What is "hot" (transformer)? Why does a transformer get hot? Do they normally generate heat? Is frequency important with transformers?

The step down transformer gets hot. It is normal to get hot and will shut off if the heat is excessive. As for 50 vs 60 htz frequency, I have not had a problem.

P

Forgive my curiousity but exactly how does a stepdown transformer "shut off" when it gets too hot? What is "too hot"? I thought a transformer was just a lump of iron with copper wire wound around it.

[Jimi007]

Hey Big Lou,

I'll try to answer each part of your question 1 by 1

1) Its not the voltage of the batteries that matter rather the voltage range of the battery charger. Power tools operate on DC batteries, 9volt, 12 volt, 18 volt DC and so on. Look at the charger pack on you tools and if it rated in a range up to 220v AC then you are good to go.

2) If your chargers are not rated up to 220v AC then your will need a step down transformer. These are available here in Thailand and vary in price depending on the watts required. They start out at 300 watts and go up to 3000 watts or more for home use. I have a 1500 watt transformer that cost 3000 baht. They are reliable for short term use(battery charging) but tend to get hot. I have not used it with a constant load.

3) You have to ask yourself if it is worth bringing the tools here. Shipping can be expensive as these tools tend to be heavy. It may cost more then new tools here. (What are you planning to build here?) Black and Decker battery powered tools are readily available here as well as Bosch. Give me a tool and I'll check a price at Home Pro.

P

What about the frequency? Is that not important?

What is "hot" (transformer)? Why does a transformer get hot? Do they normally generate heat? Is frequency important with transformers?

The step down transformer gets hot. It is normal to get hot and will shut off if the heat is excessive. As for 50 vs 60 htz frequency, I have not had a problem.

P

Forgive my curiousity but exactly how does a stepdown transformer "shut off" when it gets too hot? What is "too hot"? I thought a transformer was just a lump of iron with copper wire wound around it.

You are correct about the construction of a transformer. If they get too hot the insulation around the wire melts and then the wire shorts out. I guess you could call that shutting off. They get hot because of the amount of current going through them. So the more power in watts the more current. Power in watts equals voltage times current. Ohm's law. If you get a transformer with a higher wattage, it has larger wire that can handle more current. But these days one would be better of with a digital switching power supply that can plug into 100 to 240 volts and give you the correct DC voltage. But tool battery chargers aren't digital, at least mine aren't. A stepdown transformer with the correct wattage rating should work fine.

[JRinger]

I have an extensive set of batt. powered tools and am moving to thailand in a year. I know or have heard of power convertors to change 220v to 110v.But how effective are they . Should I even bring my tools to thailand? Im looking for a way to charge the batt"s. Any info would be very helpfull,THANKS.

I've been using a small, step down transformer (220v to 110v) that you can pick up with one hand although severl kg's. I think I paid 550 baht, 20 years ago and still using it for 110v/60Hz power tools: bosch belt sander, skill drill, rockwell palm sander and makita cordless drill. Never had any overheating problems. If you're shiippiing other goods then might as well throw in the tools, if bringing on the plane, maybe forget them.

Can't tell you about Customs clearance these days...I paid 87 baht, 20 years ago, 'over the table' to clear a 1 cubic meter box full of 2nd hand power & hand tools, table saw, etc....'

Edited June 13, 2008 by JRinger

[Crossy]

Hey Big Lou,

I'll try to answer each part of your question 1 by 1

1) Its not the voltage of the batteries that matter rather the voltage range of the battery charger. Power tools operate on DC batteries, 9volt, 12 volt, 18 volt DC and so on. Look at the charger pack on you tools and if it rated in a range up to 220v AC then you are good to go.

2) If your chargers are not rated up to 220v AC then your will need a step down transformer. These are available here in Thailand and vary in price depending on the watts required. They start out at 300 watts and go up to 3000 watts or more for home use. I have a 1500 watt transformer that cost 3000 baht. They are reliable for short term use(battery charging) but tend to get hot. I have not used it with a constant load.

3) You have to ask yourself if it is worth bringing the tools here. Shipping can be expensive as these tools tend to be heavy. It may cost more then new tools here. (What are you planning to build here?) Black and Decker battery powered tools are readily available here as well as Bosch. Give me a tool and I'll check a price at Home Pro.

P

What about the frequency? Is that not important?

What is "hot" (transformer)? Why does a transformer get hot? Do they normally generate heat? Is frequency important with transformers?

The step down transformer gets hot. It is normal to get hot and will shut off if the heat is excessive. As for 50 vs 60 htz frequency, I have not had a problem.

P

Forgive my curiousity but exactly how does a stepdown transformer "shut off" when it gets too hot? What is "too hot"? I thought a transformer was just a lump of iron with copper wire wound around it.

The bigger (more than 100W or so) step down transformers have a thermal cutout that opens the primary winding when the unit gets too hot (the manufacturer defines 'too hot' when he chooses the cutout temperature). This is usually buried in the winding during manufacture, the cutout may reset when things cool or it may be a permanent thermal fuse (time to buy a new transformer).

50Hz may be an issue for the tool chargers as their transformers will be designed for 60Hz (less iron) and may get rather warmer than back home.

Edited June 13, 2008 by Crossy

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Been using step down transformers for years both here and Australia left them on all the time and never had a problem. Had all kind of tools I used on them, all taken to Oz from the USA at a very big saving$$. You can buy the transformers in the US that are step up or step down, they come in all kinds of sizes. Ran routers on them all the time and they suck up a lot of juice and never a problem. They do have a fuse on the back in case you overload them.

Have one sitting on my desk that is always on for pencil sharpener etc. Wife uses them in kitchen for small appliances also.

I'd say go for it.

[toptuan]

I bought four transformers and brought them to Thailand with me. They ranged in price from $9US to $39. The cheaper ones burnt out on me within a year. Still using the $39 unit. Buy the best you can.

edit: spelling

Edited June 13, 2008 by toptuan

[elkangorito]

From the following web pages, not all "transformers" have thermal overload protection. To assume that transformers have this protection could be a big mistake.

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefro...duct/View/M1151

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefro...duct/View/M1154

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefro...duct/View/M1153

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefro...duct/View/M1152

http://www.tortech.com.au/stepdown.html

I spent no longer than 5 minutes searching for this info. I'm sure that if I had spent a longer time, I could have found many more manufacturers that don't (& do) provide thermal overload protection. Mind you, the above transformers are aimed at the non technical market. If you go to a transformer manufacturer, you will NOT get thermal overload protection as a standard option with transformers.

The lesson here is simple...assume that you will NOT have thermal overload protection with a transformer unless it has been specified.

[Crossy]

From the following web pages, not all "transformers" have thermal overload protection. To assume that transformers have this protection could be a big mistake.

The lesson here is simple...assume that you will NOT have thermal overload protection with a transformer unless it has been specified.

Can't argue with that, at least they all have fuses

My experience with step-down transformers has mainly been with the 110v 'site' transformers all of which have self-resetting thermal trips (to prevent builders using nails as 'fuses').

Obviously, unless they're being overloaded they shouldn't get particularly hot (transformers are usually very efficient), if they do it's probably a cheap transformer which is marginally rated or one intended for 60Hz.

Edited June 14, 2008 by Crossy