Voltage converters in the USA

[mdoyle]

Friend has just bought a European CVP 209 and shipped to US. I need a voltage converter - any ideas what one to get and where? I am thinking ... what wattage does it need, 200W, 300W?

Thanks
Mike

[mdoyle]

OK - I found the panel which says 135W! Any recommendations for places to buy USA voltage converter (say, 150-200W for safety) suitable for step up from 110V->230V?

[Monroe]

Try any Radio Shack store.

[mdoyle]

Yeah - you would have thought they'd do it .. but they only seem to stock low voltage items for cameras and MP3 players. I need a 110->240 V stepup, that delivers up to 150W.

Probably have to order online!

Mike

[Monroe]

I got mine included with my CVP207 that I ordered from musiciansgear.com about 1 1/2 years ago. At that time if you ordered a CVP from pianodepot.com you had to buy the converter separately. I'm sure they must still carry them. Look at their website. On something that small, it could probably be here within 2 weeks. Sorry about the simple radio shack answer. I was told they carried them back then when I was choosing where to buy my CVP.

[elcanal2000]

Hi,
I suggest you check the web by looking for a "step-down converter". I know, when I still lived in the US, I found some there. I don't know where you live, but I was able to get my converter, which I still have in Germany to use with my US 109, in Canal Street in New York. I am sure that such shops would be all over the country.
I can't stress enough that you look for a step-down converter. As far as the wattage is concerned, better go a little bit higher than the 135W as needed by your instrument. Try around 400W. I run mine with a 750W.
Hope this helped.
Cheers,
Reinhard

[mdoyle]

I think I need the opposite, a step-up. The reason being that the CVP is European, and expects 230V and the wall socket delivers 110V, so I have to step-UP the voltage to meet the CVP requirement.

I agree about the wattage though... I was considering 200 W - that's a 50% margin. You must be driving yours REAL LOUD to need 750W :D

Regards
Mike

[elcanal2000]

Mike,
you are absolutely right, you need a step-up-converter. As far as the loudeness is concerned, I should rather play quietly since I am an enthusiatic beginner and you know how that sounds.

As far as the need for a converter is concerned, there is another possibility. I know that this had been done by some of my European colleagues with their European 220V equipment with the 110 V in the US. They have asked electricians, and I can't stress enough that only licensed electricians should do that, to connect 2x110 V lines to make a 220V. If that might be a possibility for you, contact an expert.

Any expert out there to confirm or reject this idea?

Cheers,
Reinhard

[mdoyle]

Hi Reinhard - thanks for following up. I think I'll stick with the transformer (from one of the recommended sites). I don't think you can just add 2 x 110 VC to give 220V like that. The reason being that the delivery is still 110V, it's just drawing current from two places (the two join points) - so you'd still get 110 V and half the current drawn from each supply point. You can't change the voltage like that, you have to use a transformer which (internally) has two sets of coils wrapped round a magnetic core.

The ratio of number of coils determines the change in voltage from input to output. In this case, the input is 110 V, and let's say I have 100 turns on the first coil, and 200 turns on the second. Then the output voltage will be:

110 x (200/100) = 220 V ... hey presto!

Anyway, I leave that to the manufacturers... should arrive in two days!

[via55]

Hi Mike,

Reinhard is correct, in a sense. Most folks have 220V coming into their homes (think electric ranges and clothes dryers). Without getting too technical, there are three wires coming into your house; 2 hot, and a neutral. Between the neutral and either of the hot legs, you have 110V. Between the two hot legs, you have 220V. It's a pretty simple matter to have an electrician (or knowledgable DIY'er) wire up a 220V outlet for you.

Regards,
Don

[mdoyle]

Thanks for this - I learned something new today! That seems a good solution for a fixed access point (like in the corner where it's going).

Mike

[ragvand]

Mmmm.. I'm no electrician but don't you have to worry about Hz as well. European's operate at 220 50 Hz and US operates at 110/120 volt 60 Hz. If I remember right the Hz only really applies to electrical devices with motors in them so this may be a non issue with a Clavinova, or maybe the Clavinova specs state that it can handle 50/60 Hz. The only reason I know this was because a few years back we went to London and a friend of mine blew out her hair dryer even though she had a travel converter that converted 220 to 110/120. Turns out the converter only converted the voltage and the 50Hz ended up burning out the motor in her hair dryer, which was specified to run at 60 Hz.

[elcanal2000]

No problem as far as the Hz questionis concerned. I used my European Clavinova with a step-up converter in the US (from 110 - 220) and use right now my US Clavinova with a steop-down converter in Germany (220 - 110) since more than 2 years.
Since the converters do absolutely nothing to the Hz frequency and since the Clavinova has internally anyhow DC this does not pose any inconvenience.
Cheers,
Reinhard
PSR-510, CVP-109, Tyros