230V 50Hz to 110V 60Hz

[mithko]

I live in South Africa where we use 230V@50Hz (yes there is electricity in Africa ). I bought some device that has battery charger with a 110V@60Hz ac input.
1. Is there a device I could use that takes in the
230V@50Hz and converts to 110V@60Hz?
2. If not could I just get a transformer to step down the
voltage from 230V to 110V and not worry about the
frequency. In this case I would just have to charge the
battery for longer - will this work?

 

[cranky108]

You should check with the manufacturer. However 230 to 110 step down transformer are common. However be careful that you are buying a transformer, as some companies will try to sell you a diode for the conversition (works with lightbulbs).

Some devices may use a type of switching power supply and may not work on 50 HZ. However many devices, like transformers, don't give much of a care (may effect the losses).

I really don't have much information to go on here.

 

[fsck]

A switcher would do better than a real transformer.

A 60hz transformer will likely overheat on 50 Hz; maybe slightly, maybe destructively.

Tell us more specifics on the charger.

 

[waross]

Yes, look for a 230:110V, 50 Hz transformer.
In this part of the 60 Hz world, 120V is the standard voltage. 110V, 60 Hz sounds like something out of China.
You may want to recheck the specs.
A cheap and dirty battery charger won't care much about the frequency. A battery charger with lots of bells and whistles may have issues.
With a name and model number someone here may be able to check it out.


Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[fsck]

A cheap and dirty battery charger won't care much about the frequency. A battery charger with lots of bells and whistles may have issues.

I must disagree; we do not know enough to say that it won't smoke on 50 Hz.

Is this a cell phone charger, or a lift truck's? 50 ma at 3 v; or 5000 amps at 48? Is it ferroresonant, or 500 khz switcher?

 

[VEBill]

As 'fsck' pointed out, we need to know what this charger is. In many cases it would be less expensive to buy a new battery charger than a transformer to convert the voltage (let alone the frequency question).

 

[tvpatil]

Mithko,
You can use the 110V/50Hz transformer for battery charging. You required more time for battery charging. But no effect on your device.
Tushar

 

[VEBill]

Based on the lack of information provided by the OP ("some device"), it's not reasonable to provide a definitive and reassuring answer without any qualifications or limitations.