Re: [tlug] Stupid mistake?"

[Lyle H Saxon <llletters@example.com>]

On Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 5:19 PM, David J Iannucci
<jlinux@example.com> wrote:

I don't have a specific answer, but I've used several desktop
computers (in Japan, with 100V/50Hz) that had "115V" (I think... it
might have been 110V or 120V) labeled as the voltage, and there was no
problem.  If I remember correctly, I think the voltage in the US
varied a bit anyway - from 110V in some areas to 115V and 120V in
others.  I specifically remember measuring the voltage in a US house
once and seeing it was about 112V.  That was decades ago though, so
maybe voltages are more standardized in the US now?  (Better
transformers, etc.?)  Given fluctuations in voltage within a country,
I would think running a computer with a "120V" power supply on 100V
wouldn't be a problem.

Actually, there's something else that is a bigger difference though.
The US is 60Hz, and while the southern half of Japan is also 60Hz, the
northern half (including Tokyo) is 50Hz.  Most power supplies run on
either 50Hz or 60Hz, but have a look and see what it says.  If it's
labeled 60Hz and you were running it on 50Hz, I would think that could
be of more concern than the small voltage difference.  (But it would
depend on the design of the power supply of course.)

Regarding voltage converters.  As I understand it, there are a couple
of issues.  One is obviously what current they capable of outputting.
Higher current converters are larger, heavier and more expensive (also
going up is more difficult than going down).  And then there's the
shape of the wave.  I recall some voltage converters provided a
different shaped wave output (almost a square wave), which was bad for
more sensitive devices?

Anyway - all of the above is based on past experience and memory (from
many years ago), so maybe none of it applies.

Lyle