Official Luthiers Forum!

For you electrician types. I have two soldering irons that I bought while
living in Sicily and was wondering what the implications of cutting off the
plug and installing a U.S. plug would be. I know the voltage is different and
the hertz cycles are different but can it be done?? Thanks.

If Sicily uses 220v, I would expect that the lower voltage would give you very long heatup times and very low temperatures. The frequency difference would have no effect.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

The lower voltage here, that is.

_________________
now known around here as Pat Foster
_________________
http://www.patfosterguitars.com

they should work fine if you plug them into a 220v outlet. if you use on 110 the performance will be anemic as pat pointed out.

What were the original voltages?

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

and amperages?

or now instead of watts, voltamps?

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Bruce, one is 80watt/230v, the other is 50watt/230v. My main concern is
killing myself (probably not pleasant). If I replace the plug will I get zapped?

Oop. No amps listed.

I agree that 220 should work on those in the US. The way to do it is try one and check the temp. Of course, soldering irons are cheap and you get the UL guarantee. I wouldn't want the hassle of trying to find a 220 outlet. Most homes don't offer one without unplugging a wall a/c unit, or the dryer, or hardwiring one.

Don't get me wrong we want you to succeed. No matter how much it costs.

So far, we've had no funerals officially on the OLF. At least no electricial fatalities.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Bruce will always give sound advise. Yes you can make it work, but why? A good soldering iron is not that expensive.

Al

When I was a kid (long time ago) my family lived in North Africa.  To get our tv to play we had a transformer to step the voltage down from 220 to 110.  You could do something like that in reverse....  Just be sure that the transformer is rated for the power (amps or watts though they are not the same)

Volts = Amps X Resistance (Ohm's law)

When my older sisters were left in charge when the parents went out we would sneak the transformer out and plug the tv in.  When we heard them in the driveway we would turn everything off and put the transformer back.  Dad would feel the transformer and catch us.....   Transformers aren't the most efficient way, they convert some of the current to heat.

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Steve,

Your dad sounds pretty sly. In high school, a friend of mine's dad always knew when his son took the car out of town when he was only supposed to be driving to the movies or a dance, even when we disconnected the speedometer cable and left the fuel gauge at the same level. Found out years later his dad was booby trapping the gas cap with a piece of black thread which we couldn't see at night, knowing full well we were disconnecting the speedometer.

_________________
now known around here as Pat Foster
_________________
http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Pat

Was your dad Sly of 'the Family Stone?'

TommyC -

The transformer you might try is on this website: http://www.acmepowerdist.com/products.asp?PAGE=/selguide/ind ex.aspx

I downloaded the page from their catalog but the forum software doesn't let me attach a file.  PM me with your email and I will send it to you.  I have no idea how much these cost.  The price is definately higher than buying one from HDepot.

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Thanks for the replies. I was just going through cleaning stuff and found
them. I certainly don't mind buying a new one but If these could be
used...would rather not throw them in the trash.

Albuquerque. Fond memories.

My art instructor from Utah did his wartime duties there as a draftsman. Sandia.

Plus there is a few pieces of his art on my site from there: www.naeglefriends.org Wash Day at Albuquerque was renamed Wash Line by the owner, it was on the back of a painting she actually bought. An abandoned mine North of Albuquerque. Stephen Naegle was his name. Died in a car crash returning from a family reunion in '81.

Also remember riding out there in my dad's truck, he hauled lumber back to Texas after hauling grain out.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com