Need 50 Hz AC on the cheap

[John O]

We have a very irregular need for a 50 Hz AC line supply. One of the guys
here thought that if we could fool with a UPS somehow, it could give us 50
Hz. Is this a valid idea?

-John O

 

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 16:15:36 GMT, "John O"
<johno@!noSPAM!heathkit.com> wrote:

We have a very irregular need for a 50 Hz AC line supply. One of the guys
here thought that if we could fool with a UPS somehow, it could give us 50
Hz. Is this a valid idea?

How cheap? How much power?

Kal

 

[John O]

Flights to the UK are cheap this time of year

How's the weather there? Might be cheaper to fly than buy, but I don't
know if my device would clear security.

I need to drive a device that uses maybe 30 W peak. I have no idea what an
AC generator costs. That's where someone thought about a UPS...all we have
to do is convince it that we want 50 Hz.

-John O

 

[CWatters]

Sounds like you need a "mains inverter" (makes 220/50 from 12V DC) but don't
rely on the frequency being very accurate.

Try MDS... http://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/defaultuk.asp

They have US, UK and french sites and ship world wide.


"John O" <johno@!noSPAM!heathkit.com> wrote in message
news:_LOYb.10624$PY.4504@newssvr26.news.prodigy.com...

Flights to the UK are cheap this time of year

How's the weather there? Might be cheaper to fly than buy, but I
don't
know if my device would clear security.

I need to drive a device that uses maybe 30 W peak. I have no idea what an
AC generator costs. That's where someone thought about a UPS...all we have
to do is convince it that we want 50 Hz.

-John O

 

[Mark (UK)]

Flights to the UK are cheap this time of year

John O wrote:

We have a very irregular need for a 50 Hz AC line supply. One of the guys
here thought that if we could fool with a UPS somehow, it could give us 50
Hz. Is this a valid idea?

-John O

 

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 19:09:46 GMT, "John O"
<johno@!noSPAM!heathkit.com> wrote:

Flights to the UK are cheap this time of year

How's the weather there? Might be cheaper to fly than buy, but I don't
know if my device would clear security.

I need to drive a device that uses maybe 30 W peak. I have no idea what an
AC generator costs. That's where someone thought about a UPS...all we have
to do is convince it that we want 50 Hz.

From left field: There are several power boxes made for high-end
audiophiles which allow you to vary the output frequency. Take a look
at PSAudio or VPI for a start.

Kal

 

[John O]

Sounds like you need a "mains inverter" (makes 220/50 from 12V DC) but
don't
rely on the frequency being very accurate.

Exactly. Thanks, I'll check this out.

-John O

 

[Walter Harley]

"Kalman Rubinson" <kr4@nyu.edu> wrote in message
news:2dg730ppnoh7mpaggn5tqq3311lqcbqrt1@4ax.com...

From left field: There are several power boxes made for high-end
audiophiles which allow you to vary the output frequency. Take a look
at PSAudio or VPI for a start.

To establish a reliable connection with vendors of audiophile AC gear, it is
best to use solid gold, or at least gold-plated silver. You may find that
the prices leave you oxygen-free.

 

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 14:31:54 -0800, "Walter Harley"
<walterh@cafewalterNOSPAM.com> wrote:

"Kalman Rubinson" <kr4@nyu.edu> wrote in message
news:2dg730ppnoh7mpaggn5tqq3311lqcbqrt1@4ax.com...
From left field: There are several power boxes made for high-end
audiophiles which allow you to vary the output frequency. Take a look
at PSAudio or VPI for a start.

To establish a reliable connection with vendors of audiophile AC gear, it is
best to use solid gold, or at least gold-plated silver. You may find that
the prices leave you oxygen-free.

Whatever. They are available.

Kal

 

[Bill Janssen]

John O wrote:

Sounds like you need a "mains inverter" (makes 220/50 from 12V DC) but


don't


rely on the frequency being very accurate.



Exactly. Thanks, I'll check this out.

-John O




I took an inexpensive 12 volt to 120 volt converter ($40.00 @ 140 Watt)

and changed it from
60 Hz to 400 Hz. Two capacitors had to be changed. The frequency was
close to
400 Hz. but was close enough. To change it to 50 Hz. should be easy, but
would
require slightly larger capacitors.

Bill K7NOM

 

[Lewin A.R.W. Edwards]

To establish a reliable connection with vendors of audiophile AC gear, it is
best to use solid gold, or at least gold-plated silver. You may find that
the prices leave you oxygen-free.

Whatever. They are available.

So are solid gold toilet seats, and they're a lot more worthwhile than a
lot of very expensive "audiophile" gear. The day of the snake-oil
salesman is far from gone!

 

[Jim Yanik]

"John O" <johno@!noSPAM!heathkit.com> wrote in
news:_LOYb.10624$PY.4504@newssvr26.news.prodigy.com:

Flights to the UK are cheap this time of year

How's the weather there? Might be cheaper to fly than buy, but I
don't know if my device would clear security.

I need to drive a device that uses maybe 30 W peak. I have no idea
what an AC generator costs. That's where someone thought about a
UPS...all we have to do is convince it that we want 50 Hz.

-John O

I wonder if there's a circuit,switch or jumper in a UPS that tells it what
freq to output? Or maybe changing an internal clock? You need to get a
schematic for a UK UPS,and one for a 60Hz UPS and see what determines the
output freq.

Maybe it measures the incoming line F and sets the output to be comparable?

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

 

[Kalman Rubinson]

On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 01:29:41 GMT, "Lewin A.R.W. Edwards"
<larwe@larwe.com> wrote:

To establish a reliable connection with vendors of audiophile AC gear, it is
best to use solid gold, or at least gold-plated silver. You may find that
the prices leave you oxygen-free.

Whatever. They are available.

So are solid gold toilet seats, and they're a lot more worthwhile than a
lot of very expensive "audiophile" gear. The day of the snake-oil
salesman is far from gone!

I know that I should let this go but, what the hell:

I never stated that this was an ideal or efficient solution but,
instead, a solution that was available 'off the shelf.' I do know
that devices from both the cited sources will output AC power at
selectable frequencies.

Your pique is your own problem as are the issues you think you are
addressing.

Kal

 

[silver]

Sorry to barge in but Walter cracked me up

I brought a bunch of hifi stuff over from the UK a good few years ago, and
it is completely blind to the fact that I am feeding it 60Hz. It hasn't
exploded at least.

Point is - do you *really* need 50 Hz instead of 60 Hz? Most kit just
doesn't care. My shaver runs a little faster but that's about it.


Silver
--

 

[John O]

Maybe it measures the incoming line F and sets the output to be
comparable?

That's what we think happens. So if we could convince it to do 50 Hz, we
wouldn't need to, ifyaknowwhatImean.

-John O

 

[John O]

Point is - do you *really* need 50 Hz instead of 60 Hz? Most kit just
doesn't care. My shaver runs a little faster but that's about it.

We don't know, but chances are it will work just fine. But, when the device
gets to its final destination and is plugged in to 50 Hz...that's not the
time to find out.

-John O