Using 120V 60 Hz in 240V 50Hz Areas

[JiffyLube]

I’m wondering how cruisers deal with the problem of a boat wired for 120V 60Hz, when they’re in an area of the world that runs on 240V 50 Hz. for dockside power.

Once suggestion I read was wire the boat for 240/50 before leaving for those areas.

Another idea was to use an isolation transformer to step down the 240/50 to 120/50, but only appliances and power tools that are 50 and 50/60 Hz will work fine. The 60Hz appliances and power tools may or may not work, and if they do work they will not work for long or very good. If you have a 120/60 charger/inverter in those areas it will be rendered useless, so no dockside charging to batteries. Solar or Wind will be the only options then.

I was wondering if a solution would be to use a 50/60Hz inverter/charger.

Electrical is still a little greek to me, so I’m still learning.

[St Anna]

Yes, buy a transformer from 240-120. It will change the frequency to what you are after as well! - That way its all safe.

[newhaul]

another way would be to carry a 240v 50hz separate charger and run off your inverter on the vessel. here is an example
Cliplight 12 Volt 28 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

[LakeSuperiorGeezer]

Isolation transformers with a step-down from 220 volts to 120 (European) do not change the frequency from 50 Hz (cycles per second) to 60 Hz. They are nothing but iron and several copper coils. However, the Philippines is a country with 240 Volts 60 Hz. In Eastern Japan, which includes Tokyo 50 Hz is used. In Western Japan that includes Osaka and Kyoto, 60 Hz is used. This had to do with reconstruction after WWII where Great Britain took one part of the country and the USA another. Many power supplies for electronic equipment (computers, printers, DVD players and stereos) have switched mode power supplies and don't care about frequency. Check all your electronic equipment for frequency. Electric motors will run slower and the windings have to be a little heavier for 50 Hz so burnout is a problem on large 60 Hz motors like in air conditioners. Hair dryers should work, which are mainly a resistance appliance and the small motors should work at 50 Hz. Isolation transformers are a great idea anyway because of electrolysis between boats. For instance an iron boat will eat up an aluminum boat, outboard, or stern drive next to it because of the connection through the shared AC power system. Total destruction can happen in a few months. Charging batteries with an automotive charger can also cause the same problem. A marine charger has separate coils for high and low voltage (not shared like automotive) so be sure to use marine. Some modern small chargers use a switched power supply and I do not know if there is isolation so be careful.

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by St Anna

Yes, buy a transformer from 240-120. It will change the frequency to what you are after as well! - That way its all safe.

From what I read while the transformer will step down the voltage, it won't change the cycles from 50 to 60. If that's correct then it won't get my 120V/60Hz charger charging my batteries at the dock. Am I understanding that correctly?

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperiorGeezer

Isolation transformers with a step-down from 220 volts to 120 (European) do not change the frequency from 50 Hz (cycles per second) to 60 Hz. They are nothing but iron and several copper coils. However, the Philippines is a country with 240 Volts 60 Hz. In Eastern Japan, which includes Tokyo 50 Hz is used. In Western Japan that includes Osaka and Kyoto, 60 Hz is used. This had to do with reconstruction after WWII where Great Britain took one part of the country and the USA another. Many power supplies for electronic equipment (computers, printers, DVD players and stereos) have switched mode power supplies and don't care about frequency. Check all your electronic equipment for frequency. Electric motors will run slower and the windings have to be a little heavier for 50 Hz so burnout is a problem on large 60 Hz motors like in air conditioners. Hair dryers should work, which are mainly a resistance appliance and the small motors should work at 50 Hz. Isolation transformers are a great idea anyway because of electrolysis between boats. For instance an iron boat will eat up an aluminum boat, outboard, or stern drive next to it because of the connection through the shared AC power system. Total destruction can happen in a few months. Charging batteries with an automotive charger can also cause the same problem. A marine charger has separate coils for high and low voltage (not shared like automotive) so be sure to use marine. Some modern small chargers use a switched power supply and I do not know if there is isolation so be careful.

I checked out the chargers for our cell phones and laptop and they were 50/60, and most all of my power tools are too...so that should be good. Any boat appliances we have are 12V, so as long as stay that route I'll be good. It's charging my AGM start and Gel house batteries from dock power, and not by engine power that concern me the most. I'm planning on rigging for solar, but I'd like the option of dock power charging if possible.

[Echappee]

We have an inverter on our boat. When we went from the US to the Med (120/60 to 240/50), we added a transformer and connected one of our two electrical input to the transformer (we do not have A/C so no problem). All our 110 V appliances are 50-60Hz (drill, laptop, etc.) and we were able to recharge our batteries easily. Our inverter is a Freedom and I had checked it was 50-60Hz. Once at the dock we just had to modify one of our electrical cords to fit into the local system.
(If you travel to these types of locations remember also to change your propane diffusers on your stove else you may have surprises when you light up using the local tanks!)

[LakeSuperiorGeezer]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

It's charging my AGM start and Gel house batteries from dock power, and not by engine power that concern me the most. I'm planning on rigging for solar, but I'd like the option of dock power charging if possible.

Check the charger for input voltage and Hz. There could be a switch for selecting voltages. If you have voltage options and this is not a marine charger, use an isolation transformer ahead of it or buy another charger. The charger is probably cheaper than the transformer. If you do charge with your existing charger and you do not know its specifications, unplug after each use. Of course be sure to make the transformer larger in capacity than any loads you may have on it.

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by newhaul

another way would be to carry a 240v 50hz separate charger and run off your inverter on the vessel. here is an example
Cliplight 12 Volt 28 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

If I use a transformer to step down the voltage to the house appliances and power tools, wouldn't it make more sense to us a 120V 50/60Hz marine charger for the batteries.

[LakeSuperiorGeezer]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

If I use a transformer to step down the voltage to the house appliances and power tools, wouldn't it make more sense to us a 120V 50/60Hz marine charger for the batteries.

If you already have the charger, then from a monetary standpoint, yes, even if an automotive type charger. Just make sure the transformer is a true isolation type, that is the 220 volt input winding is not shared with the 120 volt output. This is an example of an isolation transformer: Marine: Isolation and Boosting Transformers

I checked on several marine battery chargers and could not determine if the chargers isolated the boat from the shore power to prevent electrolysis. Most said suitable for charging marine batteries. Unless you call the manufacturer, this important question is left unanswered. Looks like the sure solution without manufacturer contact is having the battery charger plugged into the isolation transformer.