U.S. machine to Czech

Read the data sheet for the controller.
That should tell you if it can deal with other powerline frequencies.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Data sheets and plates can inform you if it can, but they typically won't clearly state that it can't. It may require much more info and some some digging.

Uh yeah, I contacted Red Devil for that info and they said they cannot give that information out. They said that it wasn't designed for the European market. That's all I could get out of them.

One can procure frequency converters that would plug into standard European power and output North American power. Such converters probably cost about the same as a paint shaker.

We had another poster here a few months ago that was bringing equipment in for a trade show. In his case he could simply rent the power converter (if he chose to do so).

I presume a paint shaker has a moderately-sized AC motor. That motor probably won't be happy running on 50 Hz if it was designed for 60 Hz. But one could probably purchase an equivalent 50 Hz motor that would bolt on. Doing these kind of modifications requires appropriate knowledge and skills (if not qualifications). There's also the issue of import rules (e.g. "CE" mark).

"There's also the issue of import rules (e.g. "CE" mark)."

Ayup. The Czech Republic is a member of the EEA. If your product is not tested/certified to CE requirements, you won't get it through their customs...if the inspectors are doing their job.

Buy a 50 Hz controller instead of a 60 Hz controller. The DC motor won't care.
Note on AC motors on 50 Hz
Most AC induction motors run about 5/6 speed when switched from 60 Hz to 50 Hz. There are also voltage issues. (Volts per Hertz)
I believe that there is a FAQ on 55/60 Hz conversions.

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

deetz, do you have any EE friends? a good EE could look at the design (hardware) inside the shaker and in probably 5 minutes see if it is a PWM or SCR or just dumb rectified off line DC drive system. I cannot think of any reason any of these available drive methods would have ANY problem running on 50hz input rather than 60hz, but I would not bless it unless I looked at it first hand. This is another case of 'knowledge is power.' By knowing what you have, there is high probability that you would have no CE type issues sending it over since you would not be modifying a thing.

All well and good, but before wasting ANY more money on this, heed btrueblood's warning. It's all for naught if it ends up in a garbage bin outside of the customs agent because there is no CE label on it. That is most likely why Red Devil made that statement, they are not interested in the EU market for paint shakers so they are not wasting their money on getting CE approval for them. And vice versa, we probably don't see a lot of paint shakers from the EU here in the US either because they would have to get UL listing. Sometimes an overseas market for a product is just too small to bother getting into the Import / Export side of it.

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thanks Jraef for smacking me back to reality; I assumed this puppy HAD a CE mark to begin with so just addressed whether it would work or not w/o modification. It did not register until your post that the mfgr said no to that market - another way of saying "we don't have a CE mark." So even tho it should work fine, I agree then that it is not worth any more effort, don't do it, search for a European equiv mfgred model instead.