Thread: 120v to 240v, making the transistion

Hi Andrew and welcome. Take a look at a post in "have your say" titled taboo subject. It provides good advice about not giving advice. No help I know sorry.
Cheers Mike

You can't split the 240V supply as it's 240v per phase, unlike the US where it's 110v per phase. IF you search the forums you should find this question covered, especially in the case of MatthewA who moved over from Canada, but there's been others.

Mick

Mick
Thanks, I'll do a seach, As far as I know the 240 comes into houses as 240v single phase in the USA with a centre tapped transformer splitting it to 120v aside (which also acts as the neutral) as some appliances over here are 240v single phase, for instance my Grizzly bandsaw can be run as 120v or if you swap the wiring around on the motor can run at 240v (wiring the 120v in series to give you 240v) In the USA they do this as the higher voltage draws less current. But to run the same motor in Australia wired to 240v, as it is a 60Hz motor, it would run approx 20% slower and draw more current and run hotter.
Andrew

If you are going to run 110 powertools here you would use a stepdown transformer...... center tap splitting is not done here.
your hand held tools with universal motors won't care what frequency thy runn on.
It may not be a problem with SOME of your induction motors either but the current required will mean a transformer you don't want to pay for.

anyway heaps of discussion in other posts.
cheers

Hi Andrew,

I've lived in both Canada and Australia and I've run tools from both countries in the opposite country. I've run a trition router from Australia on the 240V split phase found in Canada & the US without issue. Currently, I'm living in Canberra and running my table saw from Canada on the 240V 50Hz where the motor is spec'd for 240V 60Hz (2hp induction). It runs a bit slower but seems to work fine.

As for the 120V drill press, hand drill, biscuit jointer, dremel etc. I've got a solid step-down transformer (1000W+) that runs it all. I would recommend picking up the transformer, some power boards and extension cords while you are still there (in the US).

Cheers,

Arian

As already mentioned, you can't vary the frequency, but you can get a hefty transformer to step the voltage down. I'd consider doing this for things like routers and drills and the dremel too. In fact I still have my original 120v dremels and use a small transformer for them.

It might pay to investigate what power tools are available there that aren't sold here (Porter-Cable routers for example) Having said that, I'm hard pressed to think of any job that lacks a local tool solution, and having a shed full of 120v stuff might be false economy. Good theft deterrent though for those thieves that read data plates.

Thanks Arian
That helps. I am thinking of bringing a SawStop tablesaw back with me and they told me their saw would run fine and at spec speed with just a change in motor pulley size (which they can provide as a replacement part) I will bring back some power cords and outlets with which to setup stuff. gregoryq..... wouldn't it be nice to see a thief's face when they tried to plug it in though.... or pawn it
Andrew

Originally Posted by sundancewfs

I am thinking of bringing a SawStop tablesaw back with me

I'm green with envy

chisp

chrisp,
Further to the SawStop.... here is a reply I got from them regarding their saw.
"
Andrew,

Thank you for your interest in SawStop. One point I wish to make before answering your question is in reference to the SawStop warranty. Should you move this saw to Australia , the warranty as it stands will be void. If an issue does come up that needs on-site help, we will not be able to accommodate that. Also, if an issue arises where a part or saw needs to be shipped, we will not be able to bear the cost of the shipping to Australia . With that in mind, most any issues that have arisen thus far on our saw have been able to be handled over the phone. If there is an issue with a part we deem needs to be replaced, we will supply that part, but the shipping cost will need to be covered by you. We do intend to have a Dealer of our saws in Australia within the next couple of years, so at that time, this issue will be a moot point.

As to your question, once you move there will be only one part you will need to change out to accommodate the power in Australia . This is a part that you can change out yourself with a tool that you can purchase at an auto store. The part is called an motor pulley and it is currently listed at $15. When you make the move, just give us a call and we can supply the part.

Sincerely,
Patty Terrazzino
Sales Manager

SawStop, LLC
25977 SW Canyon Creek Road, Suite G
Wilsonville, OR 97070

"
So you may be able to get one too soon
Andrew

Hi Andrew,
I made the move home from Canada after many years of accumulating tools. That WAS 18 years ago (already!! ) but basic physics hasn't changed as far as I know. Advice then was to ditch any induction motors, even though most Nth American motors can be switched to run on either 120 or 240. I forget the details of the reasons, but conventional wisdom was that 50Hz motors were fine with 60Hz, but going the other way was inviting problems, mainly to do with heat dissipation. Whether this is true in all situations or not, I can't say, but the one motor I did bring and switch over (on a cheapie drill press, partly because of the non-standard motor mount, partly due to lack of time) ran a bit rough here, and got very hot if run continuously for more than 10 minutes or so, as happened when I used it to run a drum sander, for e.g. But for short bursts as with drilling holes in things, it was fine, and I continued to use it for many years. It got passed on to a friend and is still going buzzily about its business, as far as I know. The bansaw, tablesaw and lathe all got new motors, and at that time it was dead simple - the locally-sourced motors all bolted in place directly, without any extra hole-drilling, which was a pleasant surprise.

The universal motors are easy, as said above, they don't care what frequency you feed them, their speed is voltage-dependant, and will run just as happily on DC. Other equipment like battery chargers don't care either, but as they contain transformers, they do need some sort of AC. All you need is a suitable transformer, which has to be a thumping great big one to run heavy-duty 2-3HP tools. Mine is rated at 25 amps continuous duty, and you don't just kick it along when you need to move it! I brought back a bunch of outlets and wired up the shed (properly!) for convenience. However, it was a real pain in the butt whenever I needed to use a tool in the house or at some other location, and as one of the first jobs I did on returning home was a major renno, the inconvenience soon overtook the savings! I started buying a few el-cheapo substitutes for the on-site work, which as you may predict, turned out to be false economy, and an exercise in frustration, expecting them to do real work.

At this juncture, the only remaining 110V tool I still use on an almost daily basis is my Hitachi planer/jointer - have just had to recondition it, but it looks like the damn thing will be going strong for another 18 years. My beaut 1/2" Makita drill refuses to die, but these days I only haul it out when I've got some serious drilling to do that requires a mobile power-plant. The routers, drills, sander, jigsaw and grinder have all passed into history and been replaced - in a couple of instances with good quality second-hand stuff, as I couldn't afford new in the quality I wanted.

So the essence of this long-winded reply? I think if I had my time over, I wouldn't bother with the hand-held stuff. I know you'll get shafted selling your good tools in the departure garage-sale, but the price difference on the better brands isn't so high now (and you're still getting a big $ advantage coming this way!), and having to drag cumbersome transformers around whenever you leave the shed to do anything soon becomes a major PITA.

And BTW, despite what your Sawstop bloke says, pulleys are NOT standard hardware store fare here like they seem to be throughout Nth America - I had to chase all over hell's half acre for the sizes I needed, and paid about 4 times what they cost in Canadian Tire.

My experiences.......

Originally Posted by sundancewfs

..............As far as I know the 240 comes into houses as 240v single phase in the USA with a centre tapped transformer splitting it to 120v aside (which also acts as the neutral) as some appliances over here are 240v single phase.................

Can anyone shed any light on this? sounds like a crazy way to do things, every house needing a thumping big transformer. I was under the impression that for the 220/240v stuff they used two single phases wired into the motor somehow, a bit like some of the motors and welders that are/were sold here for 480V for rural areas where only two phases are available.

Mick

Yes

Dont wory about the frequency. I moved from the US back tot Aus in 2003 and bought all my US powertools.
Table Saw
Dust Collector
Compressor

All these were dual Voltage motors 120/230.
I reconnected them for 230 V (Calm down everyone - I have been in the Electrical field for the last 33 years - the last 12 which have been in design and service of AC an DC variable speed drives up to 2000 HP- and besides I'm not giving advice - just telling what I did) and have had no problems.

I bought a ST-3000 transformer for $114 US before I left. That gives me about 25Amps output. Dont wait to buy one in australia!

Drills, Routers, sanders etc with universal motors all still running with no problems

woodcutta

I sold everything but hand tools before I left US, and have been here a couple months waiting for them to arrive. Without a doubt, I'd say if you aren't actively seeking upgrades, you should bring whatever you can. Buy a transformer, extension cords, power points, switch out motors. I'm sorry already that I didn't bring some of the smaller things like a dremel or heat gun, most stuff here isn't too much more to replace, but when you have to replace all of it, it gets up there. Having said that, I did sell it all, a lot at a loss. And when are you ever going to get the chance again to start all over, knowing what you like and dislike about the tools you've used. Some tools I won't buy again, knowing that I didn't use them enough, and I can get the same results other ways. I've decided to outfit the new shop with a complete system of tools from Festool. There's no way in the world I could justify this if I had even one of my old tools to build a new set on. I'm looking forward to the new experience, at the same time, I'm really going to miss my old tools. You don't really feel the gut-punch until you're settled into your new house and you realize you have no tools! I bought a new screw gun within a week and I already have two coming with my stuff.

If you did decide to go festool, I'd suggest buying everything that isn't actually a tool (MFT, clamps, brackets, etc) in the states, and buy the power tools themselves when you get here. If I move back, that's my strategy.