Problem With Imported Stereo System

[Iolare]

I brought a multi component Fisher stereo system with me from the US. I used 220V to 110V transformer and plugged it in. It worked for awhile (maybe about 8 hours or so of use), but now it doesn’t. The amplifier unit doesn’t turn on or off, but the red indicator light for power and the surround sound indicator light are lit, so it’s getting power. It doesn’t appear that power is getting from the amp unit to the other components, but the three fuses in the amp seem OK.

Could the 60 Hz - 50 Hz difference have caused the problem? I have a friend from Germany who has been running his German Bose stereo with a transformer without a problem for a long time, so I thought mine would work too.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if the problem is not caused by the phase of the electricity, can anyone recommend a repair place for this Fisher integrated stereo amplifier in the Phuket area?

[Jungian]

I bought a 120v to 240v adapter from Radio Shack in the USA to recharge some of my things i.e. electric razor, mobile, etc. it lasted about a week and melted my razor.

[LivinLOS]

The 50 - 60 hz should be converted or your asking for trouble..

Also look at the max power rating of the step down transformer.. They are often mickey mouse things that wont allow much power draw, it could be overheating or generally failing allowing not enough power through, hence the power LEDs are lit but not enough juice to really make it turn on.

[jfchandler]

You want to make sure that the power converter you're using has enough of a total wattage rating to cover the needs of ALL of the 110V equipment you're trying to run through it.

Most places seem to recommend using a converter unit that has anywhere between 20% and 50% higher wattage capacity than the total rated wattage of the devices you're connecting to it.

I've been running computers and stereo equipment from the U.S. here in BKK using 220/110 power converters for a couple years with no problems. The 50 vs. 60 cycles issue has never been a problem, though supposedly clock-based things will run but not keep proper time due to the variations.

But, I bought the 110-220 converters from good electronics supply houses that specialize in those devices. The ones available from Radio Shack seemed to be the more low-end, travel types used mainly for things like single electric razors and such -- not entire component stereo systems.

The fact that it ran for some hours and stopped might also suggest that the power converter unit you're using ran for some time, and then overheated or simply died, and stopped working. Can you try using the same power converter unit with some other low wattage simple 110 appliance that you know is working to see what happens?

Edited May 7, 2009 by jfchandler

[lopburi3]

In the long run the transformers may run a bit hot on 50Hz as the requirements for 60Hz are less and most makers will use the lower priced components. But this should not be a short term problem. What is the rating of the transformer (it is a heavy/large unit?)? You bought it here? What is the total requirements of what you have attached to it?

Clocks used to be a problem but believe most run on DC power and crystal these days, and the 60/50 is not an issue.

[Mrjlh]

There's a repair shop downtown Phuket. It's across from Robson's opposite side of the street to the market. Don't know the name but they carry an extensive line of sound systems plus they do repair. Don't know how good they are.

The main problem in Thailand is the voltage is not cleanly regulated. In different parts of Phuket you'll get amazingly different voltage swings. From as low as 200V to 260V! Most transformers don't have adequate filters to keep the voltage steady. Circuit boards in your amplifier are current sensitive. You most likely got a spike and there went your front end. Same thing applies to any 120V appliance with a converter. I already lost one computer which by the way had a 110-220V power supply. That's why I now use an "UPS". It has a digital display and software to record voltages. I've recored a 278V spike so far. And I think they even go higher at times especially during lightening strikes.

[jfchandler]

The good quality 110-220 converters include components to regulate voltage spikes and filter the output. For any computer or audio set-up, you certainly want to use that kind of component. The cheap Radio Shack ones, I'd presume, do not.

For all my uses, I only use those kinds of higher end components, but then add on good quality power strips that include voltage spike limiters.

[OriginalPoster]

The 50 - 60 hz should be converted or your asking for trouble..

Also look at the max power rating of the step down transformer.. They are often mickey mouse things that wont allow much power draw, it could be overheating or generally failing allowing not enough power through, hence the power LEDs are lit but not enough juice to really make it turn on.

Do you know an economical way to convert line frequency from 50Hz to 60Hz? The only devices that I've come across that do that cost more that guy's stereo system probably cost.

However 50hz vs 60 Hz usually doesn't make a difference for a stereo systems, though it will make some turntables (for LPs) play at the wrong speed.

[Camelot]

As far as I know (and I say this after a lot of research) there is no safe and economical way to convert line frequency from 50Hz to 60Hz. Only to step up or step down the voltage. Frustrating.

[OriginalPoster]

As far as I know (and I say this after a lot of research) there is no safe and economical way to convert line frequency from 50Hz to 60Hz. Only to step up or step down the voltage. Frustrating.

For my stereo equipment I use a device called a PS Audio Power Plant which converts the line frequency but that's the not reason that I bought it. It's not cheap but it does convert the voltage and give you whatever line frequency that you select (doesn't have to be 50 Hz or 60 Hz, you could also key in 54 Hz, 86 Hz, 90 Hz, etc.). The way it supposedly works is that it converts incoming AC into DC and then digitally regenerates and AC sine wave with the selected voltage and frequency. Later models of the same device allow you to generate an output that consists of multiple overlaid AC sinewaves having differing frequencies (for instance, a 50 Hz sinewave superimposed on a 60 Hz sinewave), technical reasons for doing that escape me but some claim that it improves the sound quality of compenents plugged into the device. The device originated as a device sold to audiophiles in the US as a means to clean up "dirty" AC power, a way to clean up the power company's "noisy" incoming 60 Hz, 110V +/-x% into a perfect 110V 60 Hz sinewave, but it also serves as a kick-ass line voltage and frequency converter.

Edited May 7, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[Camelot]

Interesting and useful to know. Thanks.

[Iolare]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, guys. I’m learning the hard way about the differences in the electrical systems in the two countries. Shortly after I first arrived here in LOS I plugged in my battery charger for my Milwaukee 18V cordless tool set with a “radio shack” type transformer and immediately ruined the charger unit. I had to get another unit from the US because I couldn’t get one for the Thai market anywhere in Asia. The new one works fine with a large transformer.

I bought a fancy stainless steel double door refrigerator from GE in the US which was 240V 50 Hz, so I thought I’d have no problem, but after being put into use for an hour, it stopped working. After some difficulty in locating a repairman who could work on a GE refrig with LED control panels, it turned out that probably a voltage spike blew the main circuit board. It took awhile, but finally the new board arrived, was installed, and the refrig works. I spent 1400 bt. for a special appliance surge protector, so hopefully it’ll be OK now.

As for my Fisher stereo system, I think I’ve had it for 15 years or so, and it’s operated faultlessly ‘til now. It was state of the art when I bought it, and it’s still plenty good enough for me if I can get it working again without spending too much. I like the sound quality from the speakers better than than the home theater system I bought here, so it’s worth restoring it to service if possible. When I first assembled the components and speakers here in Thailand, I used a cheap transformer and It played a few minutes then stopped. The transformer had a little fuse which had blown out, so I tried the large transformer I bought for the American tools and it worked fine until it died. I’m thinking the stereo may have suffered the same fate as the refrig.

Before the stereo system died, I thought it had passed the test and was OK, so I had a cabinet made for the master bedroom to house the components along with a TV. The plan was to play music from the computer using iTunes via Airport Express through the home theater system in the LV, and through the Fisher system in the MBR. So much for the best laid plans of mice and man.

Here are my options as I see it now:

1) Buy a used replacement amp in the US. There’s the exact one on eBay now for a “buy it now” price of $125. But I worry about the shipping cost because the unit probably weighs about 15 to 20 lbs., and I’m also concerned about the import duties. I was really stung with the costs associated with getting a kitchen sink faucet into Thailand from the US--that more than doubled the cost.

2) Take Mrjlh’s advice and check out the repair shop in Phuket Town and hope that isn’t money down the drain. I recently paid 1500 bt. for diagnostic work on a laptop here in Phuket town to be told that it wasn’t worth fixing, and that the charge would not be credited toward the purchase of a new one.

3) Buy a new system here, but use the big Fisher speakers. I’d hate to take this choice since I’m fond of my old system and the matched components look nice in the new cabinet, but I may have to if choices one and two don’t seem reasonable. No matter what I do, I’ll invest in a surge protector. Anybody have a surge protector for the whole house?

[OriginalPoster]

Here are my options as I see it now:

1) Buy a used replacement amp in the US. There's the exact one on eBay now for a "buy it now" price of $125. But I worry about the shipping cost because the unit probably weighs about 15 to 20 lbs., and I'm also concerned about the import duties. I was really stung with the costs associated with getting a kitchen sink faucet into Thailand from the US--that more than doubled the cost.

2) Take Mrjlh's advice and check out the repair shop in Phuket Town and hope that isn't money down the drain. I recently paid 1500 bt. for diagnostic work on a laptop here in Phuket town to be told that it wasn't worth fixing, and that the charge would not be credited toward the purchase of a new one.

3) Buy a new system here, but use the big Fisher speakers. I'd hate to take this choice since I'm fond of my old system and the matched components look nice in the new cabinet, but I may have to if choices one and two don't seem reasonable. No matter what I do, I'll invest in a surge protector. Anybody have a surge protector for the whole house?

Your shopping options might be more limited because you're in Phuket, but if you were in Bangkok I'd say that that instead of eBay'ing another one from the States to instead to just replace it with new unit of whatever brand of amp happens to put out the amount of power that you need for the amount of money that you are willing to spend.

About surge protectors, they are a good idea in terms of safety but you should be aware that with power amps especially, they are not always a neutral thing in terms of sound quality.

Edited May 8, 2009 by OriginalPoster

[OriginalPoster]

BTW, did you try popping open the chassis of the amp and looking to see if there is anything visually apparent? Never know, might be some fuses internally that you could replace yourself, or maybe you'll see some obvious damage inside.

[Cuban]

Find a repair you trust (!) - take it in and get the power supply converted to 220 Volt.

Not hard as the main item will be a simple stupid transformer, get the guyto source a quaility item of comparable power rating to the original. What makes you HiFi sound nice is the smoothness of the power supply overall. Big Capacitors mean smooth DC power feeding the amplifier - means no hummmmmmmmmm. (Also check earthing if you do get a 100hz hum/buzz.)

Tossing around with 220-110 step down transformers is all well and good, but often the cheap end of the market uses an auto-transformer which I really distrust on safety grounds - and the possible cause of an over voltage failure of your system?

The more expensive solution would be a step down transformer (2:1 ratio) that offers isolation.

HTH.

[gavin hawaii]

I brought a multi component Fisher stereo system with me from the US. I used 220V to 110V transformer and plugged it in. It worked for awhile (maybe about 8 hours or so of use), but now it doesn’t. The amplifier unit doesn’t turn on or off, but the red indicator light for power and the surround sound indicator light are lit, so it’s getting power. It doesn’t appear that power is getting from the amp unit to the other components, but the three fuses in the amp seem OK.

Could the 60 Hz - 50 Hz difference have caused the problem? I have a friend from Germany who has been running his German Bose stereo with a transformer without a problem for a long time, so I thought mine would work too.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if the problem is not caused by the phase of the electricity, can anyone recommend a repair place for this Fisher integrated stereo amplifier in the Phuket area

?Maybe you burned the transformer out.

What size (capacity in watts) transformer you want to buy depends on the input watts required by your item. If your device does not mention watts then use this formula to derive watts from other information. Watts = Volts X Amps. For example, a 1.1Amp device which runs on 110 volts would be 121 watts. Remember to leave at least a 100% slack for the transformer. Using them to maximum capacity will eventually burn the transformer out after prolonged use. So for that 1.1 Amp/121 Watt device buy a 300 watt transformer.