220v > 110V pump

[Techmasta]

Would using a 220v > 110v adapter have any negative effects on performance or pump life? Reason I'm asking is I can get an Iwaki MD-15R really cheap but it's 220v and I'm in the US. Is there any way to convert a pump from 220 to 110 so I don't have to use a step-down adapter?

[greenman100]

no bad effects

chances are you have 220v in your home already. Think dryer outlet, water heater, ciriut breaker

[Techmasta]

Is there any concern when using a converter?

[greenman100]

Originally Posted by Techmasta

Is there any concern when using a converter?

no, besides your wallet

[Althornin]

Originally Posted by greenman100

no, besides your wallet

Is that really true?
I know that some circuitry is picky about the shape of the sine waves it recieves, but i think that only matters for DC-->AC conversions, not AC-->AC.
eh, whatever.

[Techmasta]

This is the adapter it comes with and the pump itself. Will it work?

[greenman100]

Originally Posted by Althornin

Is that really true?
I know that some circuitry is picky about the shape of the sine waves it recieves, but i think that only matters for DC-->AC conversions, not AC-->AC.
eh, whatever.

yes, you are correct

though motors don't care THAT much

techmasta is converting AC to AC, and if all is right (no transformer overload, etc) the output waveform will be nearly identical to the input

[greenman100]

Originally Posted by Techmasta

This is the adapter it comes with and the pump itself. Will it work?

yes, if that is the proper transformer (you provided no info about it)

[DrMemory]

There is no way to convert the pump motor (you would have to change the windings) and you will lose performance if you run a 220VAC motor at 110VAC. However, ALL houses that I know of in the US do have 220VAC available at the fuse box and usually at several special purpose outlets (air conditioning, clothes dryer). To "convert" 220VAC to 110VAC or 110VAC to 220VAC you only need a 2 to 1 power transformer. Simple, fairly efficient, and they can be found at new and used electronics parts distributors.

[MadHacker]

Just wondering but isn't European power run at 50 Hz 22VACv?
And since ours is at 60 Hz 110VAC won’t that be an issue?

[greenman100]

Originally Posted by DrMemory

There is no way to convert the pump motor (you would have to change the windings) and you will lose performance if you run a 220VAC motor at 110VAC. However, ALL houses that I know of in the US do have 220VAC available at the fuse box and usually at several special purpose outlets (air conditioning, clothes dryer). To "convert" 220VAC to 110VAC or 110VAC to 220VAC you only need a 2 to 1 power transformer. Simple, fairly efficient, and they can be found at new and used electronics parts distributors.

"lose performance" would be an understatement

[greenman100]

Originally Posted by MadHacker

Just wondering but isn't European power run at 50 Hz 22VACv?
And since ours is at 60 Hz 110VAC won’t that be an issue?

looks like the nameplate says 50/60hz to me

[DrMemory]

The motor will run at a slightly higher speed with 60 Hz power.

[DrMemory]

Originally Posted by greenman100

"lose performance" would be an understatement

Yes, and it may not run at all depending on the load.

[moreilly]

You motor will not last very long. If the motor was meant to run on 220 volts, 120 volts will only burn up your motor sooner then later.

[bigben2k]

I think he's on the right track, but checking if the power load of the pump matches the power load of the transformer, would be really important: that transformer could heat up quite nicely otherwise.

Follow Greenman100.

[lolito_fr]

Originally Posted by DrMemory

The motor will run at a slightly higher speed with 60 Hz power.

Potentially quite a nice overclock: 20% faster shaft speed = (theoretically) 20% higher max flow, and 44% more static head (max head proportional to square of rotor speed)

However, as with cpu's, increased frequency may require increased voltage…and more power.
As it won’t be getting more volts than it's 50Hz rating (it's now effectively "undervolted"), it probably won't run 20% faster, or maybe only at low loads. At higher loads, it may slow down more than it should (bad).

Roughly translated - It may be ok in a restrictive loop (low flow/high head = low load).
And it may tend to stall if running unrestricted (high flow=high load)…not good

Just my 2c
No knowledge of Iwaki pumps in particular, just assuming typical asynchronous motor behaviour (YMMV )

[pauldenton]

Originally Posted by lolito_fr

Potentially quite a nice overclock: 20% faster shaft speed = (theoretically) 20% higher max flow, and 44% more static head (max head proportional to square of rotor speed)

However, as with cpu's, increased frequency may require increased voltage…and more power.
As it won’t be getting more volts than it's 50Hz rating (it's now effectively "undervolted"), it probably won't run 20% faster, or maybe only at low loads. At higher loads, it may slow down more than it should (bad).

Roughly translated - It may be ok in a restrictive loop (low flow/high head = low load).
And it may tend to stall if running unrestricted (high flow=high load)…not good

Just my 2c
No knowledge of Iwaki pumps in particular, just assuming typical asynchronous motor behaviour (YMMV )

iwakis will happily run on either 50hz or 60hz (in fact japan has both in differing areas of the country!)
if you look on page 6(of 8) here:
http://www.iwakipumps.jp/products_e/...f/md_w2003.pdf
you can see the performance on both...
max. head for a 15R rises from 2.4M to 3.4M...

just needs a suitable transformer - should be easy to find as the power draw is very low (compared to other domestic equipment ..)

[lolito_fr]

Thats cool
At least I wasn't far out with respect to max head: 3.4m vs 2.4m is a 42% gain