Universal charger for cordless tool batteries?

[rev]

Many cordless tool manufacturers sell their products globally; so I am wondering whether the chargers supplied might automatically recoginise the supply voltage and frequency as they do for many things like shavers, computers, video cameras etc. That is, can a charger from say Makita, Hitachi, AEG, Metabo, Panasonic etc, bought in the US with a 110V/60Hz supply work here from 240V/50Hz supply by just adapting the wall plug?:confused:

[soundman]

I'd have to say for the most part no. However some of the more exotic brands like festo may make units that are auto sensing.

The common or garden chargers use common iron core transformer linear power supplies and can be realy simple & crude (relatively).

There are some european chargers I have seen that are quite sofisticated and use switchmode power supplies it is reasoonable to expect that some of these may have auto sensing or at least voltage selectable power supplies.

Unless the unit is specificaly labled otherwise & the manufacturer makes a big deal of the feature in the literature I would assume the charger works only on the supply normaly expected.

cheers

[rev]

Thanks Soundman.

I was hoping to latch onto a bargain but it's probably not worth the risk.

Just out of interest, if anyone wants to say whether the manual for their charger says it will operate from either 110V or 240V I'd be glad to hear.

Cheers

[simon c]

I have a panasonic. Instructions quite explicitly say "do not use with any voltage other than on the nameplate" which is 220-240v.

Simon

[Iain]

Not for tools but my Remington shaver and Kodak AA charger will operate on 110 or 220-240vac.