USA to UK voltage converter

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

quick question for the electrical gueniuses out there
I am looking at purchasing a dehydrator (for someone else) that has come from the USA and has not been converted by the manufacturer to UK voltage.

it states: 600 watts 120volts/60hz

So, can someone please link me to what I need to buy pretty please?

the auction ends in 3 days... Ones made for the UK are retailing around £329.99 and typically sell second hand for +£250. There is this one that starts at £75 and has little interest in it because of that USA-UK issues and the fact they guy/gal won't post it, but happens to be quite local.

There is a chance I may not actually need the converter, so the other option is to replace the fan motor with one I already (by accident - wrong part sent to me) happen to have which has UK voltages wrtitten on it... that could be a better way to go and I don't mind pulling the thing apart (I have already replaced a thermostat on mine).
thank you.

 

[Red Light]

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/autotransformers/3476652/

 

[Kestevan]

You need a step down transformer 120-230V.

The fact that the dehydrator pulls 600W means its not going to be cheap..... Most of the ones around are for DVD players/games units etc and are limited to < 50w.

A quick Google search turned up this one - It's ~£90 and is around what you should be looking for.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Step-down23...QQ/ref=sr_1_74?ie=UTF8&qid=1349430073&sr=8-74

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

thanks redlight and kestevan. sounds like if I go down that route then the better option would be to switch out the motor fan which from the wiring on the UK version with timer than I have is straight forward. this one is without the timer, so only thermostat and fan motor. will think it over and check wiring first, but the fan motor I have is a UK one, just don't know about the thermostat and don't have a spare one to play with... mummmmmm
thanks

 

[Davidc]

I thought those things had a heating element as well as a fan? Could be wrong though.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I thought those things had a heating element as well as a fan? Could be wrong though.

yeh they do, but its nothing fancy and comes off the fan, via the thermostat and connects directly up... simply wire connecting wire - would they seriously manufacturer 2 different tyes of heating element with difference wire thicknesses? The company is an US company that has dedicated EU stockists.

 

[Davidc]

A 115v element will take 4 times its rated power on 230v (increases with square of voltage so doubled voltage gives quadrupled power)

Despite the thermostat the device may well fail quickly without a change of element.

 

[Night Train]

quick question for the electrical gueniuses out there
I am looking at purchasing a dehydrator (for someone else) that has come from the USA and has not been converted by the manufacturer to UK voltage.

it states: 600 watts 120volts/60hz

So, can someone please link me to what I need to buy pretty please?

the auction ends in 3 days... Ones made for the UK are retailing around £329.99 and typically sell second hand for +£250. There is this one that starts at £75 and has little interest in it because of that USA-UK issues and the fact they guy/gal won't post it, but happens to be quite local.

There is a chance I may not actually need the converter, so the other option is to replace the fan motor with one I already (by accident - wrong part sent to me) happen to have which has UK voltages wrtitten on it... that could be a better way to go and I don't mind pulling the thing apart (I have already replaced a thermostat on mine).
thank you.

I have some big 110V site transformers. If you want to try one let me know.

 

[Red Light]

A 115v element will take 4 times its rated power on 230v (increases with square of voltage so doubled voltage gives quadrupled power)

Despite the thermostat the device may well fail quickly without a change of element.

A crude way of dealing with heating elements is to put a rectifier in series with it so it only sees half the voltage. I would be careful to check the capacitor voltage rating on the thermostat though or that could go spectacularly pop if its only 120V rated.