Using a European 230V dichro head

[Gabe]

Hello,

I found a great deal for a dichro head on fotoimpex and it was listed as a Standard 120V North American Dichro, I purchased it and then received an email from fotoimpex saying they messed up and that the dichro is actually a European 230V. I was just wondering, would I still be able to use it if I bought a power converter and plugged that into my Gralab 300 timer? Or should I just get a refund? Thanks

 

[Donald Qualls]

If the head doesn't care about frequency, it should work with a power converter (2:1 step up transformer) -- but you'll have a lot of trouble finding replacement bulbs unless they run on a reduced voltage created by the power supply.

 

[Gabe]

If the head doesn't care about frequency, it should work with a power converter (2:1 step up transformer) -- but you'll have a lot of trouble finding replacement bulbs unless they run on a reduced voltage created by the power supply.

It’s a 23C- III Dichro head, I’m not sure if it cares about frequency. I wonder if I can just replacement bulbs from Europe?

 

[Donald Qualls]

It’s a 23C- III Dichro head, I’m not sure if it cares about frequency. I wonder if I can just replacement bulbs from Europe?

I don't have any specific experience with that model. Maybe you could ask Fotoimpex?

 

[ic-racer]

This may or may not be like yours. Based on this picture of a 120V Beseler Dichro power supply, and the sales literature, there may not be 220V terminals for the primary winds of the transformer. Having mentioned that, you could check your 220V transformer and see if it has 120V terminals.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I think the original idea was to use a voltage converter to feed the enlarger's power supply the voltage it expects. Should work fine as long as it doesn't need too many amps. If the 23CIII uses 25V lamps, though, there shouldnt' be a problem with replacement bulbs.

 

[AgX]

It’s a 23C- III Dichro head, I’m not sure if it cares about frequency. I wonder if I can just replacement bulbs from Europe?

if using a 120V>230 transformer you could use the same 24V(I guess) lamp as before.

If running directly on the 120V mains you would have to use a equivalent 12V lamp. However this one would be slightly overrated then.
Aso you should exchange the wiring inside the head for the then dubbled current.

Concerning the mains frequency, we have been discussing in a recent similar thread frequency dependant saturation of transformers.

 

[Chan Tran]

It's the separate power supply that supplies 24VAC to the lamp. I would simply buy a regulated 24VDC unit to power the lamp.

 

[Donald Qualls]

It's the separate power supply that supplies 24VAC to the lamp. I would simply buy a regulated 24VDC unit to power the lamp.

Those tend to be expensive in high current ratings. Might be cheaper to buy a 120V-in power supply for the existing head. Cheaper still to get the right thing in the first place, of course...

 

[Chan Tran]

Those tend to be expensive in high current ratings. Might be cheaper to buy a 120V-in power supply for the existing head. Cheaper still to get the right thing in the first place, of course...

The Dichro DGA head on my Beseler CB7 has 2 bulb 200W each at 24V. I replaced the transformer with 2 24VDC 10A power supplies and the voltage is rock solid.

 

[koraks]

Those tend to be expensive in high current ratings.

Not really, Chinese made meanwell or no-brand switching power supplies are pretty cheap. Around $30 should get you one with a decent power rating. Probably cheaper than a 230-110 step down transformer.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Not really, Chinese made meanwell or no-brand switching power supplies are pretty cheap. Around $30 should get you one with a decent power rating. Probably cheaper than a 230-110 step down transformer.

I always forget switching supplies. I learned what I know about electricity forty years ago, when a switching supply cost more than a comparable transformer/rectifier/filter/regulator setup.

And now I think about them, I've seen YouTube videos on converting computer power supplies as lab bench supplies -- but they only go up to 12V, though they do have +12 and -12 which would give the 24V you need. Probably cost more than something that just has a single 24V output, though (unless you have an old ATX case and power supply gathering dust). And you're right, with the price of copper these days a 120-230 step up transformer (to run a 230V application on the 120V mains power in the US) that can handle a couple hundred watts would probably cost $60-$80, if you can even find one.

 

[koraks]

computer power supplies as lab bench supplies -- but they only go up to 12V, though they do have +12 and -12 which would give the 24V you need.

Nope, alas. The -12v is in practice more like -8V and will only supply a few mA tops.
But a generic 24v smps will cost less than an average computer psu.

 

[Donald Qualls]

But a generic 24v smps will cost less than an average computer psu.

Yes, I've bought one fairly recently (my desktop unit cooked its power supply -- does it every five years or so; that's the third one in this case). That's why I specified it would be practical if you had an old ATX gathering dust.

 

[koraks]

It's a great solution if you need a couple of hundred watts @ 12V or 5V at more modest power levels. I often use an atx psu as a bench power supply for experiments.