Running 110vac Tools on 220vac

[mikereed100]

I need you all to stop me before I try this. I know in my heart of heart what will happen if you plug a 110v power tool into 220v, but my reptilian brain keeps telling me the motor will just spin faster, or in the case of a heat gun, it won't heat up as well.
So what do you think, have I been watching too much Mythbusters? Answers involving practical experience will be more entertaining and will be graded higher than those explaining electromagnetic theory.

Mike

[Blue Stocking]

DON'T DO IT.

Different pin arrangements on the plugs should not fit anyway. For the very reason you ask.

[RichardS]

I think this is doomed to failure! Either a protective fuse will blow (which can be replaced) or the motor coil will overheat and burn out in a few seconds. I'm not sure why the heat gun "won't heat up as well" - I suspect you'll generate thermonuclear temperatures for a split second then POW!

Richard

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

DON'T DO IT.

Different pin arrangements on the plugs should not fit anyway.

That won't slow me down for a nanosecond!

[Blue Stocking]

See if you can dodge the guys doing an EVA when you overtake the ISS

[s/v Moondancer]

We bought, for $30, a basic stepdown transformer, magnets and coils not electronic and my computer, cell phones and tools are running off it as I write from Grenada.

[donradcliffe]

The Thai electric plugs are 220V, but physically compatible with the US 110V. I labeled all my tool's plugs with "110V" and tried to hide them, but that didn't stop one of the Thai workers from plugging in my shopvac. It really sucked! Fortunately the racket it made made him unplug it before it melted down.

[Tellie]

An experiment that will create smoke.

[rusky]

If you have to ask, then your handbrake part of the brain is ringing bells loudly.
110v has 60 Hz & 240v runs with 50Hz. The energy needed is the same so the current is diffferent. The wire size will be likely thinner on the 110v. So yes is the answer if you wish to test (and replace) fuses. Use a step dn transformer.

[motion30]

make sure your health insurance is current

[Chief Engineer]

"Tune for maximum smoke....replace charred parts"

BTW, on a yacht i worked on....the owners wife plugged a bread maker into a 220 volt outlet.....we still can't figure out how she did it......when the smoke cleared.......

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

The Thai electric plugs are 220V, but physically compatible with the US 110V. I labeled all my tool's plugs with "110V" and tried to hide them, but that didn't stop one of the Thai workers from plugging in my shopvac. It really sucked! Fortunately the racket it made made him unplug it before it melted down.

That's what I was looking for! Confirms my suspicions and now I don't have to try it myself.

rusky,
Actually the wiring will be thicker on the 110v as it has to support a higher current than the 220. This is what got me thinking (or not thinking) in the first place. My reasoning was that if the wiring is more robust on the 110 then maybe a 110v motor could handle the 220v, even if the bearings couldn't.

RichardS,
Again, my thoughts were that as the 110v heating elements are likely more robust and thus present less resistance, then it would take more current than a 220v circuit would provide to cause them to heat up.

Thanks to all for the replies. I think I've got it out of my system and a converter is in my future.

Mike

[Mule]

All electrics and electronics work off of smoke contained inside the device. When you use incompatable voltages with said equipment you will let the smoke out and thereby the device will not operate properly.

[Compactorguy]

You will burn up your tool

[Dockhead]

bzzzzzt! phwwwwwww.

You are probably confused by the fact that computer power supplies and mobile phone chargers are almost universally dual power. All you need is a pin adaptor, and you're good. Not so with poiwer tools, unforunately.

You will need different power tools for when you are travelling in the 220/240 parts of the world, unless you can get your AC power from a genset.