USA to UK tranSFORMER

[TheGaffersSon]

Can anybody reccommend a transformer to use step-up 120v (Not 100% sure) to UK mains voltage.

Its because i'm considering an electrical appliance from across the pond.

I await your reply,

Many thanks,

TGS.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

PS I have no explanation for the random use of CAPS LOCK in the title

 

[RF Lighting]

Do you really mean step up?

If you are wanting to use a piece of 120V equipment on a 230V (uk) supply you require a step down transformer.

How much current does your proposed appliance require? as this will determine the size and type of transformer you require.

Also what sort of appliance is it?

 

[breezer]

you should also be aware that you will be importing stuff and will be liable for import duty

 

[TheGaffersSon]

Do you really mean step up?

No!

Unless of course it USA mains is higher than ours. I think it is 120V, was hoping one of you could confirm or correct me.

It is a turntable from USA.

I am aware of postage costs.

Cheers.

 

[JohnD]

...It is a turntable from USA....

Then it will probably have a synchronous motor designed for U.S. 60 Hz. supply. When you connect it to a European 50Hz supply it will run 17% slow

 

[TheGaffersSon]

...It is a turntable from USA....

Then it will probably have a synchronous motor designed for U.S. 60 Hz. supply. When you connect it to a European 50Hz supply it will run 17% slow

This was my fear, but the Crosley tech. dept. said that a power converter will sort it.

I still have my doubts admittedly, are you saying its a no-no ?

 

[plugwash]

the only way to find out for use is to try it.

 

[JohnD]

I suppose it's possible that the motor has two sets of windings, or an electronic speed controller... but I'd want to be reassured of that.

Have a look at the tech spec and see what it says about speed control. It's common to have a "pitch controller" that adjusts speed by a trifle... but 17%?

I see Crosley turntables seem to be belt driven not direct, so there may be a "European" pulley of a different size available.

Is it one of these?

 

[breezer]

TheGaffersSon, although you say you are aware of postage costs, that does not cover import duty, why should it, its no longer their problem.

Dont get me wrong, it does not bother me what you do, but you may like to read this ok so its not a fountain or a light, but thats not the point.

 

[plugwash]

i seem to remember that there is an exception on import duty for low value items, can anyone confirm/deny this and give any more details.

 

[TheGaffersSon]

I found one of them today in England.

Cheers though, learnt a lot in this thread as normal

 

[breezer]

plugwash, you are not quite right.

if something is of low value then there is no import duty / tax

the question is what is low value?

i had small padded envelope sent form abroad, low value i still had to pay import duty or i could not have it, i think they went by its weight.(around 2kg) Also officialy if sending to another country you have to state what is in the parcel and its value, it seems most countries do this, not just us

 

[ban-all-sheds]

i seem to remember that there is an exception on import duty for low value items, can anyone confirm/deny this and give any more details.

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http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/
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[HDRW]

plugwash, you are not quite right.

if something is of low value then there is no import duty / tax

the question is what is low value?

i had small padded envelope sent form abroad, low value i still had to pay import duty or i could not have it, i think they went by its weight.(around 2kg) Also officialy if sending to another country you have to state what is in the parcel and its value, it seems most countries do this, not just us

It's nothing to do with the weight, only the value.

The strict legal situation is that anything over £18 (or £36 if it's a gift) is subject to VAT - the Import Duty rules are much more complicated, but in all the dozens of times I've bought stuff from the 'States I've never had to pay import duty, only VAT.

My experience of the real situation is that up to about US$50 they usually don't bother to charge VAT, between $50 and $100 it's a toss-up whether they will charge it, and over $100 you can pretty much count on having to pay it. But there's also the charge that the Royal Mail makes for collecting the money - £4 for the normal postman-delivered stuff, but you have to go to the sorting office to pay them as they won't collect it at the door, or if it's Parcelforce it's either £8 or £13.50 depending on the speed of delivery the sender chose - and annoyingly it's almost impossible for you to control that.

Commercial shippers (UPS, DHL, etc) charge more than the Post Office and you always have to pay VAT - the £18 limit doesn't apply, that's only via the postal services. I once had a £22.50 charge from DHL for collecting £10 of VAT!

The worst value for money I've had was when they charged VAT for a small $50 parcel, so it was £4.74 VAT plus £4 for collecting it, so paying £8.74 on about £27.

The best I had was a $110 parcel that went through without charge!

The best shipping method I've found from the USA is if they send it "Global Priority", which has a weight limit of 4lbs I believe, but it's pretty cheap, pretty quick, and often gets through without VAT. But it's not traceable, so a lot of Americans (who seem to have an inherent distrust of the postal service) don't like using it.

Anything from within the EU should pass through Customs unmolested, because you would have paid VAT on the order itself.

Cheers,

Howard