[tlug] Japanese Power (was Flaming laptop)

[Jim <jep200404@example.com>]

Shannon Jacobs wrote:

> I'd guess the Japanese 100V caused it to overheat. 

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2225.html

Wow. I didn't know that Japanese electricity was only 100V. 
That will cause a little bit more stress on the power supply 
than 110/120V in North America. 
Having universal power supplies on my laptops, 
I just plugged them in and they always worked. 

It's also interesting to note the eastern Japan uses 50Hz 
and western Japan uses 60Hz. This is actually an even more 
suprising thing, especially for such a small country, 
especially for a country that coordinates and regulates 
the heck out of everything. That frequency difference makes 
it _very_ difficult to connect grids to share power. 

Using 50Hz instead of 60Hz will stress the power supply input 
a even more than the voltage drop from 110V to 100V. 

> but based on my ancient experiences selling Japanese hardware in Akihabara

You had the worst of both worlds, 50Hz and 100V. 

Of course, what the power company delivers, and what you get at 
an outlet can be significantly different. I measured 90VAC at 
a nominal 110/120V outlet in the US, when the air conditioner was running. 
You could have similar issues in older/wilder parts of Aki. 

> So much for that universal power supply. 

So much for _poorly_designed_ power supplies. 

Manufacturers are under constant pressure to reduce cost, 
and too often yield by cutting too many corners.