110 volt generator - need 240

[nickphill]

Whats the best way to get 240 volts from 110 volt generator ?. Its a ex army diesel 3 KV one. I spose I could get a new alternator but seems expensive. Ta capn

[Dave Fawthrop]

| Whats the best way to get 240 volts from 110 volt generator ?. Its a ex | army diesel 3 KV one. I spose I could get a new alternator but seems | expensive.

Did you really mean 3 Kilo *volt*?

--=20 Dave Fawthrop

17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! Yorkshire Dialect go to

[Lobster]

You can get US->UK 110V-240V wallwarts from Maplins et al for about a fiver IIRC - would that work?

David

[Grunff]

Not for a 3kW load, no.

[Harry Bloomfield]

[e-mail] formulated the question :

Assuming you meant 3 KVA then you might be able to use a 240v to 110v building site transformer working backwards, 110 to 240. The frequency from the generator might or might not be a problem, as the generator will be designed for 60Hz and the transformer and UK equipment for

50Hz.

[Huge]

Sell it and buy a 240V one with the money?

[Dave Fawthrop]

| [e-mail] formulated the question : | > Whats the best way to get 240 volts from 110 volt generator ?. Its a = ex | > army diesel 3 KV one. I spose I could get a new alternator but seems | > expensive. | > Ta | > capn |=20 | Assuming you meant 3 KVA then you might be able to use a 240v to 110v=20 | building site transformer working backwards, 110 to 240. The frequency=20 | from the generator might or might not be a problem, as the generator=20 | will be designed for 60Hz and the transformer and UK equipment for=20 | 50Hz.

Agreed=20 No problem running a *transformer* on a *higher* frequency.

--=20 Dave Fawthrop

17,000 free e-books at Project Gutenberg! Yorkshire Dialect go to

[Andy Wade]

Beware - those transformers tend not to be continuously rated.

Also, isolation isn't needed here so an auto-transformer would be a more efficient solution. You could use a 115 : 115 V isolating transformer with its windings wired in series (series-aiding). The input from the genny is connected across one winding and the output is taken across the two windings in series. A 1 kVA rated transformer gives you almost 2 kVA of output.

A 50 Hz transformer will be OK on 60 Hz; it's working the other way round that causes problems. (The load of course might be another matter.) Anyway he didn't say is was American, I think you've just assumed that 110 V implies 60 Hz, which may well not be the case.

[Grumble]

Try

Kva Step Up Transformer E203030 a.. For use with 240V Power Tools b.. 3300VA Rating c.. 1650 VA Continuous d.. 2 x 16amp 240 Volt outlets e.. Tough GRP Case f.. 2m of cable g.. Fitted 16A 110 Volt Plug All this for a little less than £80 - delivered! Looks like you would have to use special plugs on the output side but I suppose you could make up a couple of fly leads with standard 3 pin sockets on the end and keep them with the transformer - saves rewiring all you tools/appliances etc......and no, I'm nothing to do with the company, just googled for it.

Grumble

[Rick]

Go down maplins, get a US/UK voltage convertor.

Rick

[Jim Gregory]

What? a 3kW convertor? "Convertor" is a term reserved for gismos changing DC into AC power. Surely a large 1:2 step-up tranny, but it would weigh a lot and cost a tiny fortune, but whoa, the genny probably gives out 60Hz, almost useless in UK! #Sell it and re-invest in a 230V alternator.

[Andrew Mawson]

Use one of those yellow site transformers which are 230 -> 110. Beware that some are only rated for 'tool duty' ie intermittant use. These are graded in 'hernias' and for 3KW you probably want a two man hernia version

AWEM

[Bob Eager]

What, and put it in reverse? Or step up to 470v or so?

[Andrew Mawson]

These

Well Bob I would have thought it obvious that I'm proposing putting the 110 into the 110 and getting 230 out of the 230. Transformers are not unidirectional devices you know so there is no such thing as putting it in reverse!!!!

AWEM

[Bob Eager]

I'm just concerned that protective devices might actually stop you doing that. Not to mention the safety aspect, because of the 'wrong' gender of the connectors.

[Capitol]

Not quite sure about this. I thought the 230/110 transformers were actually 230/55/55V with a centre tapped neutral/earth. You might need to look carefully at what you do with connections on the 110V side.

Regards Capitol

[Andy Dingley]

Centre tapped earths might be interesting though....

[Frank Erskine]

ITYM "Inverter"

[Bob Eager]

I agree with you, but I might take issue about the use of 'converter'. When I was a child, the 'converter' was the one-spindle-motor-and-generator in a small box that converted DC mains to 12V for my train set!

[Jim Gregory]

Oops, Freudian slip, I was only nearly right! Yup, inverter, as made by Valradio OUAT Jim