Wiring a Meopta Color 3 head

perkeleellinen · Mar 22, 2009

I've just bought a color 3 head and it came with an odd plug that I'd like to re-wire into a Euro socket:

My problem is about the wiring colours. Is black neutral or live? I presume green/yellow is earth, but I'm not sure about the black and blue wires. The standards have changed recently I think and I'm not sure of the vintage of this head.

My father thinks it doesn't matter as it just powers a halogen lamp, but I don't know anything about electronics.

Peter Black · Mar 22, 2009

Is that not the plug that fits into the socket on the transformer? If it is, there won't be any way to change the transformer socket to accept a euro plug.

perkeleellinen · Mar 22, 2009

That plug fits into the Meopta Trafo TR100 transformer. I have a Meopta RK100 transformer powering the Meograde head and that uses the Euro socket.

I want to swap over the meograde and color heads and keep the same transformer. I asked at Nova Darkroom if the RK100 would work with the color head and they said yes.

Peter Black · Mar 22, 2009

Sorry, I don't know that transformer and maybe it was a newer version of the one I have. RK Photographic used to also operate the Meopta UK website, so I guess I'd call or email them for any definitive advice.

http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/content.php?section=5&page=4

archphoto · Mar 22, 2009

For the colors of the European wiring:

Braun=live
Black= maybe live (switch wire)
Blue= neutral (zero)
Yellow-green= earth

Peter

kozesluk · Mar 22, 2009

blue/green = earth terminal
brown (or black) = live
light blue (or blue) = neutral (working zero)

be carefull, please

kozesluk · Mar 22, 2009

and.... you will need a transformer. the Colour 3 head runs on 12 V - so you will kill it instantly if you plug the head directly to the wall socket (230 V)....

perkeleellinen · Mar 22, 2009

Thanks Lukas 87.

The RK100 which I have and the TR100 which would fit the current plug are both 12V and 100W. The colour head has written on the back of it "12V 100W MAX", so I think I'm alright. Looking at pictures of the TR100, it's about twice the size of the RK100 which I bought along with the Meograde head new in 2001/2.

Chan Tran · Mar 22, 2009

The european standard is green/yellow = Ground, Brown=Hot, Blue=Neutral. The american is green=Ground, Black=Hot and White=Neutral. Since your wires do not match either standard be careful. Sometimes it doesn't matter but on many system the neutral and ground are connected together internally so if you check continuity and found a wire that has low continuity with the ground then it should be neutral otherwise your case is hot.

kozesluk · Mar 22, 2009

Chan Tran said:
... Since your wires do not match either standard be careful.

actually, perkeleellinen's "wire" match the european standard absolutely. many people don't know it but these standards have changed in 80-90's because the Czech Republic joined european global standards so the black colour was changed to brown.
sorry for my bad english....

I'm electrician living in the CR where the meopta enlargers are made.

also - some people with colour3 head have good experience using 110W / 12V transformer for halogen lamps - works the same and it's a lot smaller than original meopta's clour head supply.

perkeleellinen · Mar 22, 2009

I'll proceed with care based on Lukas 87's post.

kozesluk · Mar 23, 2009

hope it will work and not harm anybody

perkeleellinen · Mar 23, 2009

Me too!

Wiring a Meopta Color 3 head

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