Moving to Canada

[rhodes]

We are hoping to move to Canada in the next few months (my wife is Canadian so it shouldn't be as problem).

We don't intend to take much electrical equipment, but I was wondering if anyone was able to advise, please, on whether it would be simple to take our computer and my guitar amlifier and so on with us, and simply buy a converter or two? Any thoughts would be very wlecome. Thank you.

 

[breezer]

. Canada is 120 v 60 hz we are 230 v 50hz.

you want one of these

but you should wait till you get there, the site appears to be based in Canada

I know its early, but good luck, i have never been to Canada. and dont forget to post when you get there

 

[ChrisRogers]

you pc can run on 110v.. look at the back for a switch on the PSU...

 

[breezer]

not all pc power supplies have that switch my first one did, then since then not.

having said that i just bought a new pc case and guess what is on the power supply.

mind you, wont do his guitar any good

 

[rhodes]

Thanks, people.

It seems that this is going to be easier and cheaper than I had dared to hope. Not sure if the computer has a switch to enable it to run on 110v and 60Hz. It is a bit awkward to check, but it doesn't seem that it will be a problem anyway. I'll also want to take our nice flat computer screen and the printer / scanner / copier with us, if possible, so the thing that Breezer suggested will be invaluable. Someone from where I bought the computer said that screens will work off any voltage, as long as the PC is OK. He might be right, but I have the strong impression that he was making it up as he went along.

 

[breezer]

its called a "universal power supply" couple of years ago we borowed a video camera to go to the States, took the battery charger with us and with a plug top adaptor to make it fit hey presto it charged the batteries. it is becoming more and more common to have one as then the manufacturer only need make one knowing it will work in most if not all countries.

Trouble is Desktop power supplies have not yet caught on.

if your pc has not got a switch you can change just the power supply. get one at a computer fair, i have one for ..........

 

[rhodes]

Is there any way of knowing whether something is compatible for use with other power levels, other than waiting to see if it blows up...? I guess what you're saying is that, if in doubt, get a transformer, such as found in the link in your first message.

 

[breezer]

the operating voltage label is a bit of a give away

 

[rhodes]

the operating voltage label is a bit of a give away

Er, yes.

 

[AdamW]

Almost all PC power supplies now are auto-switching (a typical input spec is 100-240V, 47-63Hz) Best to check the legend on the PSU just to be on the safe side. If you can't see it from the outside, it will be on the inside of the PC. The screen will depend on whether it takes its power from the PC (as most new computers do) it requires its own mains plug.

"Accidentally" running 240V stuff on 120V mains isn't as fun as running 120V on 240V mains...

 

[smithman]

Your PC should have a switch on the back for voltage setting, the frequency won't make any difference as everything inside works on DC (after the rectifier) The problem is your monitor, check your manual. They are all different . If you are moving to Canada permanately ---save your guitar and sell your amp-- buy a new amp when you get here. It will ultimately save you a whole lot of headaches.

 

[rhodes]

I am still in the UK, but someone gave me some advice on this, which might be worth sharing. Apparently, in Canada (and the US, I should imagine) cookers run off a 220v supply, and it is not difficult to run a cable or two at that voltage to other parts of the house. Especially as most houses have a basement, which makes it easy to run a wire to the ground level at least.

I'm thinking we might have a multi-media room ( ) on the ground floor, containing the computer, tv/video/dvd, electric guitar and stereo, which might mean running the cable to just one other room.

That sounds feasible to me, anyway...

Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

[Big_Spark]

Rhodes, NEVER use the 240V supply in Canada or the US to run equipment from the UK, you will destroy it, and possibly cause yourself a serious injury.

The 220V supply is DUAL PHASE, you cannot simply link them together and add a neutral to run UK spec gear..sorry.

Regarding the other stuff, the PC kit, A decent PSU will set you back about $40, and this will be designed to run on their supplies, so if your existing one will not work over that side of pond, it is not difficult to simply swap out the PSU.

I would check with the technical support line of the equipment you have to see if the PSU's will operate in the US/Canada. Some may if they are external power adaptors, but if they are built in they may not, however the cost of having a new PSU fitted to a bit of kit will not be expensive over there.

 

[AdamW]

I would say that unless your guitar amp is something classic (1960s Orange?) then you may as well sell/store it and buy a new one out there. I have just checked the back of both of my amps (a Fender guitar amp and a stonkingly big Trace Elliot bass amp) and they both have very permanent voltage labels, no switching there.

The problem with guitar amps in general is they are so bloomin' temperamental that no doubt you would get some nasty humming if you used it through a transformer and would have wasted all that effort and money shipping it over there.

Beware of a "false friend" here: my bass amp has a kettle-style mains connector (same as a PC power supply). As this is a world-wide standard and is usually associated with auto-switching power supplies it may encourage people to plug in without checking first!

I am thinking though, and I would appreciate some thought from someone with knowledge in power supply and amp circuit design: In a situation where you supply the amp with 110V instead of 230, would the power supply not control the output voltage so you still get 5V dc (or whatever it is amps work on) at the amp power rails? The power supply input stage would be current limited by the fuse so you wouldn't necessarily be able to run the amp stage at full wallop, but wouldn't it still work?

 

[breezer]

if it is the "more traditional" power supply it will be to do with the windings on the transformer. (the ratio of them)

it is wound so that for sake of argument 230 in 16v out

so you put in 115 you get 8v out

so the elctroncis are expecting 16 v and only get 8 it is not going to work.

not sure how electronic transformers work