230v ac 60hz to 120v ac 50hz adaptor for American coffee machine?

Andy From Sligo

hi there . my daughters boyfriend bought this nespesso coffee maker cheap off a car boot sale - he was itching to plug it in and try it out and i said to him its american and if he plugs it in there will be a big bang at the least. - he thought he could just get one of those 3 pin travel adaptors to american plug, but i explained to him that the voltage would have to step down from 230v to 120v

Any Idea where (if there is even one available) could get a transformer to reduce the voltage from 230v to 120v ac? - even then would there be an issue with the different frequency?, would the transformer adapt the 50hz to 60hz? - and also its over a killowatt consumption - i think I have seen 230v-110v transformers in the past but they have just been rated at low power of about 60w or so.

any help please in locating one? - it might even turn out that the transformer cost outweighs the cost of the coffee machine, if so he will most probably cut his loses, as I say he didnt pay much for it. Think it was a fiver or a tenner he paid for it.

cheers.

danm14

Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bronson-VT-1500-Transformer-Converter/dp/B015J4X0BC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512782005&sr=8-1&keywords=120v+1000w

The transformer won't convert 60Hz to 50Hz (this is extremely difficult to do) but that won't matter for a device like this.

But before buying a transformer please consider that there's a strong possibility that a ~$100 American coffee machine was being sold for a tenner at a car boot sale because the seller already plugged it into the mains here and there was a big bang.

Andy From Sligo

danm14 wrote: »

Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bronson-VT-1500-Transformer-Converter/dp/B015J4X0BC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512782005&sr=8-1&keywords=120v+1000w

The transformer won't convert 60Hz to 50Hz (this is extremely difficult to do) but that won't matter for a device like this.

But before buying a transformer please consider that there's a strong possibility that a ~$100 American coffee machine was being sold for a tenner at a car boot sale because the seller already plugged it into the mains here and there was a big bang.

Thanks for the link, very elaborate though and quite on the pricey side, not going to look good on the counter/worktop but i suppose your not going to get something that can just plug into a 13a 230v socket and step down the voltage to 120v in a nice neat package. I shall try and take the bottom off tomorrow and see if i can see any scorch marks near the element or main board where it may have overloaded.

Andy From Sligo

If you wired up a 100w 230v incandescant light bulb in series would that give 120v to the light bulb and 120v to the coffee machine, or wouldnt it work?

ED E

No, you can't do that. V=IR so the resistance would have to be the same on both devices to split the voltage 50-50. Also 230 isnt 230 and 110 isnt 110.


Also, the 50/60hz may matter. If they use phase for the timing circuit you could find drinks that are meant to be 35ml say become 42ml etc.


Are you sure the machine doesnt support variable inputs, have you read the plate vs just looking at the plug?

Andy From Sligo

ED E wrote: »

No, you can't do that. V=IR so the resistance would have to be the same on both devices to split the voltage 50-50. Also 230 isnt 230 and 110 isnt 110.


Also, the 50/60hz may matter. If they use phase for the timing circuit you could find drinks that are meant to be 35ml say become 42ml etc.


Are you sure the machine doesnt support variable inputs, have you read the plate vs just looking at the plug?

Yep 120v ac 60hz it says on the bottom plate.

ED E

sugarman wrote: »

What make/model number is it?

There might be an EU equivalent you can swap out the PSU with.

PSU is internal on every Nespresso Ive seen. Makes sense to do it that way for worktop kit.

Andy From Sligo

Photos

Andy From Sligo

sugarman wrote: »

What make/model number is it?

There might be an EU equivalent you can swap out the PSU with.

hmmmm, interesting - in that case I wonder what the heating element inside would be rated at then, 120v or 230v ac?

ZENER

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

hmmmm, interesting - in that case I wonder what the heating element inside would be rated at then, 120v or 230v ac?

The power supply is for the control circuit not for the element. As someone said earlier there's a good chance someone has plugged it in to 230 VAC and fried it already. That or has already been through what you're doing now and decided it wasn't worth it.

Ken

exaisle

Your daughter might need a new boyfriend if he plugs that in....

Andy From Sligo

I had an older computer once it was a old pc desktop, and on the back of the power supply was a 110v/240v switch - dont know how it switch over to 110v but when I plugged it in there was the biggest blinding flash ever! ... oh and a massive BANG! :eek:

dathi

surprised you haven't wired it up with a builders 110 plug and transformer for the tea breaks in the shed yet andy:D

ted1

THats a base model from about 2009, just buy a new one for 60 Euro after Christmas it but one this side for about 90 with vouchers included

Andy From Sligo

dathi wrote: »

surprised you haven't wired it up with a builders 110 plug and transformer for the tea breaks in the shed yet andy:D

I dont own a shed unfortunately (one day I keep telling myself!) ...but yeah how much wattage do those yellow 110v builders transformers handle?

Andy From Sligo

OK an update.

Tried to open up the casing of this coffee machine and I couldnt because if the tamper screws that they used on it, so there was nothing for it but to get thev big screwdriver out and crack the sides of the machine to get to the electroncs board (well the machine wasnt working after all)

So I have got to the main electronics board and here is a picture. The round orange capacitor is scorched and split so that just confirms to me that someone has pluged it straight into 240v ac at some time without a step down transformer to 110v .

What are my chances of picking up one of these capacitors from somewhere like Maplin - (provided I can read the values off the side of the capacitor) ?

brightspark

It may not have been a capacitor?

Could it have been a vdr?

iwillhtfu

That's a resistor that's fried not a capacitor and the circuit board is probably fuped aswell. A complete waste of time and effort just buy a new coffee machine they're €50 or so in the sales

Andy From Sligo

ah yes thank you all - course its a resistor I knew that

The Capacitors are the round black things with the silver tops arent they, just so used to seing resistors oblong with the gold black and red bands on them

Andy From Sligo

iwillhtfu wrote: »

That's a resistor that's fried not a capacitor and the circuit board is probably fuped aswell. A complete waste of time and effort just buy a new coffee machine they're €50 or so in the sales

I hope you are right but I cannot see a Nespresso going for that price, and thats the particular one my daughters boyfriend want apparently

flaneur

OP, to be perfectly honest you'd putting yourself to a lot of effort for what is a cheap and commonly available kitchen appliance.

All that's in those machines is a pump and a heater, they've very little in the way of seriously fancy electronics other than a couple of relays and some kind of timer to run the pump and maybe an overheat thermostat. In reality, I don't think they'd care whether it's 50Hz or 60Hz.
Depending on the motor design, it may run slow on 50Hz if it's expecting 60Hz too.

You're also getting yourself into all sorts of crazy expensive transformers to plug in a heavy load like that and really it's not worth the hassle.

Just pick up an Irish market 230V 50Hz equivalent at the sales, or buy online online.
It'll also likely make better coffee as European appliances tend to have beefier elements due to the voltage being higher.

You can't replace the PSU as they don't have a PSU. They would use mains voltage. They're not a PC or some kind of electronic device that's using low power DC internally.

Using high-wattage appliances with a transformer is only something I would do if it were some irreplaceable item.

flaneur

You can't swap the PSU as they don't have anything like that on board. They're a 110V or 230V heater and pump. They would run on mains power in whatever market they're in.

The electronic board is just switching for the pump / heater to run the coffee cycle. It's most definitely not a PSU.

The only appliances that have PSUs are electronics like PCs, AV equipment etc that run internally on low voltage DC e.g. 12V or 48V.

Even if you got the board from an Irish/EU version of the same machine, if you fired it up it would burn out the elements and motor on 230V.

All the varistor is there to do is prevent surges and probably protect the board when the elements or pump kick in / out on the machine causing bit of a 'bang', or possibly from spikes on the line voltage from the socket, but really that wouldn't be THAT likely unless you'd pretty lousy voltage control on the power network. Although... in the US spikes and surges are a bit more common than here, in my experience anyway.

There's absolutely no point in trying to run 110V or 230V appliances in the wrong market, unless they're something you can't buy locally for some reason or they're of huge sentimental / personal value. Things like coffee makers, hairdryers, toasters and major appliances are best bought with the correct spec for the country you're using them in.

If you bought a coffee machine on the continent or in Australia/NZ etc, you'd just swap the plug. No big deal, but from the US/Canada/Japan .. forget it! Either off to the recycling centre, or post it back to the US for someone to use.

Andy From Sligo

I dont know if i am just lucky or what, and maybe this might just help me out. I went through a box of old plugs and adaptors and switches up in the loft and come across this little yoke , I must have bought it years ago from somewhere (most probably a car boot sale or something) I am figuring this might help me out if I replace the voltage resistor inside the coffee machine? -it says 50- 1600w on it and the coffee machine is 1260w.

I plugged the cnverter (gingerly) into a 13a 230v socket and put the prongs of my multimeter up to the socket and it read 120v on the multimeter so it is definitly working and converting the voltage.

brightspark

You did read the bit "should not be used with power tools and electronic circuitry products"?

That device doesn't actually lower the voltage, it chops the sine wave (like a dimmer switch).

A lot of electronic circuitry will still see the peak voltages and let the smoke back out.

iwillhtfu

Jebus somebody setup a go fund me page before OP blows himself or burns the house down.

flaneur

It’s also got a highly dangerous plug that would be illegal on the continent or here and doesn’t conform to any standard. It’s just been designed to vaguely fit an ungrounded, flat, two-pin socket (not many of those around anymore). It may even damage the springs in a continental socket or European adapter. Those those split pins will push things out of shape and cause a fire hazard.

Also definitely do not jam that into an Irish / UK type 13 amp socket. It will deform the contacts and damage the socket. If you’ve ring circuits, you’re also plugging an unfused plug directly into a 32amp circuit without any over current protection.

Be extremely careful using that, as you could get a shock by touching the pins and a live to neutral connection, if you touch both pins, won’t trip the RCD.

Also it not a grounded / earthed EU plug with scraping contacts nor is it a grounded US socket which that coffee machine would likely need. I would assume it has a 3 pin plug?

Sorry if this is patronising, but put that coffee machine in the bin before you injure yourself or burn the house down!

To convert it correctly, you need something like this :

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/tacima-230v-to-110v-2000w-voltage-converter-n56hf

And even that gives you 110V 50Hz not 60Hz.

Which would cost you far more than an Irish 230V Nespresso machine!

Andy From Sligo

Thank you all then for your input - OK will give it up as a bad thing then and chuck it out then

Andy From Sligo

brightspark wrote: »

You did read the bit "should not be used with power tools and electronic circuitry products"?

That device doesn't actually lower the voltage, it chops the sine wave (like a dimmer switch).

A lot of electronic circuitry will still see the peak voltages and let the smoke back out.

I did read that bit yeah - I didnt know why it said that, I just thought it might mean that it didnt give out a 'clean' 120v without spikes and could damage electronics and that was why

Andy From Sligo

Thanks to all who said that its not worth repairing and that he would be able to pick up a brand new espresso machine in the sales cheap. He picked up a brand new espresso machine today in Currys PC World for 59euro - so all sorted now, Thanks.

Andy From Sligo

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

Tried to open up the casing of this coffee machine and I couldnt because if the tamper screws that they used on it, so there was nothing for it but to get thev big screwdriver out and crack the sides of the machine to get to the electroncs board (well the machine wasnt working after all)

For future endeavours seek a security screwdriver set.



I usually find the higher the security measures the lower the build quality inside.

Andy From Sligo

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

For future endeavours seek a security screwdriver set.


I usually find the higher the security measures the lower the build quality inside.

thanks good advice