Want To Bring My 120volt Tools

[WilliamCave]

hello I want to bring my tools like grinders, saws, various tools to thailand but they are 120volt, 60hrz and thailad is 22050hrtz I want to wire my shop for 120 so I can use them is it hard to do. and suggestions?

[Langsuan Man]

You can wire your shop for 120 volts but good luck spending the money to change the 60Hz to 50Hz. Motors are especially susceptible to the Hz frequency difference

My suggestion is you are better off just buying new stuff here in Thailand rather than fooling around with voltage conversion

[BangRon]

Power inverters are available and easy to use for most simple minds. Note though, my TIT experience; years back had all my 110v 60Hz heavy duty Milwaukee and DeWalt power tools shipped over here. Bought a few different size amp power converters to Thai 220v 50Hz at Home Pro, very simple plug in conversion. After an issan worker burned out my first drill, I spent a day taping bright yellow duck style tape on all the cords with 110v in bold black letters, marked the inverters also 220V > and 110V > in bright yellow and bold black print. Explained to my Thai workers that these 110v tools will break (Go BOOM) if plugged into thai plug, and that they must use a converter when using a marked 110v tool. Needless to say after my 110v drill, saw, grinder and cordless charger were burnt out over the course of about two weeks (always when I was not around) I decided to put the other remaining 110v specialty tools away stored for my own use only. Ended up buying all new Bosch 220v power tools to use here. This is Thailand!

[johnnyk]

I used inverters in Europe but the cycle difference burned out the tools fairly quickly.

Why go to all the hassle of transporting eavy tools, re-wiring etc? Pain in the rectum for what?

Buy tools here, go with good brands and you'll be on the job hassle -free.

[Naam]

please let's differentiate between inverters and transformers

[idrankwhat]

I was under the impression that the 240 volt supply here in Thailand was 2 opposite legs of 120 volts with a ground as you would wire a dryer or range in the USA however; when doing some wiring in my home I came to find that it is one leg of 240 volts a neutral and a ground. I am not sure how you would step one leg down to 120 volts but I also brought some 120 volt appliances with me and before coming bought 3 adapters from radio shack however none of them worked and I wound up buying new appliances.

[longball53098]

The simplest answer is to leave the 120 volt 60hz stuff in the USA where it is happy operating on the correct frequency. Sell the stuff if necessary.

There are many places here you can buy quality power tools. No converters, inverters or any other things to cause you future headaches

[bkkbill]

When I moved over the customs people were very interested to find out if I had shipped any electrical stuff. Told them no but a thorough inspection was done. If you bring them be prepared to pay high import duty even on used tools.

[kamalabob2]

WilliamCave: All of the previous replies have given you straight and honest answers. I'll agree that you should sell your corded 110v electric tools in America prior to your move and want to add: If you have a particular model of cordless drills you MIGHT have a true dual voltage charger for the batteries. Much the same as a cell phone charger or a Nikon battery charger. Even if you do not bring the 110 electric corded tools, do seriously consider all of the blades, drill bits and quality used hand tools you ALREADY own and can include in a free to nominal cost luggage situation. I can add that Home Pro, Home Works, HomeMart all charge a high price for power tools in Thailand. You can research via ConsumerReports.org and see unbiased tool ratings and MANY of the same exact model power tools are in fact sold in Thailand. If you shop around with the high volume Independent Tool shops you can buy Makita, DeWalt, Hitachi, Bosch, Panasonic, Ryobi, for less money than USA prices and way less than the three heavily advertised "modern trade" hardware stores in Thailand. You do not have to buy a bottom rated Black and Decker electric drill when you live in Thailand. I shop twice a month at Makro, but it took only one time of an "off brand" electric blower that lasted 10 seconds to see the value of only buying "name brand" highly rated electric tools in Thailand. It is NOT the Costco experience when you return a defective item in Thailand to a Modern Trade store. It is the Fry's Electronics return experience here.

I have favored Makita Tools since the tool shop I patronize has shown me examples of the spare parts for Makita (and Maktec) costing the consumer considerably less than other quality brands. Tool repairs can be very inexpensive even after the warranty period is over and in my experience in Thailand to have a good business relationship with the owner of an Independent tool shop is way better situation than attempting to return something to Home Pro or Home Works. I own DeWalt, Bosch, Makita, Maktec and Talon power tools and I have never seen those models priced less in the USA or at Home Pro, Home Mart or Home Works than what I paid at a Buriram Independent shop.

If you have a good luggage allowance then take a good look at any dual voltage home HiFi gear you might already own. Av cables, even 110 power cords (not power strips) that you already own. I had some Hubbell HBL8215C Hospital grade plugs and Daniel Woodhead Super Safeway 1447 plugs to replace CEE 7/7 hybrid Schuko/French plugs that come standard on many electric items in Thailand. Do not loan money, vehicles or TOOLS to "family" if you expect to be repaid on time, have no accidents, or have no damaged tools / drill bits / blades. Of course no one in the village knows how the drill became broken, but I learned quickly how inexpensive tool repairs can be at the right shop.

[thatguy]

I've been using a 2000 watt transformer in the shop, tools run a little slower at 50 cycles, but no problems so far. Everything came over in luggage, so no duty problems.

[bangkokumpalumpa]

yes you can use a transformer, that will step down the voltage, but wont change the cycles, ok they will run slower, or you can also go to homepro and get an inverter that will do the job, that will change the cycles to USA specs.

if you do bring them over then find some crazy plug to put on the end of them so that they cant be plugged into a 220 volt system.

I know my tools are like babies to me, so understand if you dont want to sell them, so if that is the case then be very careful with Thai people using them as they proberly wont understand the difference!!!

the quality of tools here are great, we do electric work as a business and have Bosh, perfect!!!! so dont stress about tool quality as that is one thing that Thailand has great quality tools at really cheap prices!!!

what are you setting up for????