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Powering a Graflarger with 220V/50Hz

 
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Gully



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Europe - Italy

PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi from Italy!

I have just bought a Graflarger in US and I am waiting for it.
It is mainly a collectable item for me, but now I also have the idea to use it. Unortunately the electricity is 220V/50Hz, while the Graflarger has been built for 115V/60Hz. I have no problems with voltage, a 220V/115V tranformer is easy to find, but its output will be 115V/50Hz and not 60Hz.

Does anyone of you know if the Graflarger can be powered with a 50Hz source?

Thanx
Gully

[ This Message was edited by: Gully on 2005-02-04 05:22 ]
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RichS



Joined: 18 Oct 2001
Posts: 1468
Location: South of Rochester, NY

PostPosted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 4:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm no expert on neon lighting (it's essentially a neon light), but I would think it should work fine as long as you supply it enough power. As far as actually using it, it would probably offer slower times than one plugged into 60hz as it should provide a little less light. Other than that, I think it should work...
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-12-26 19:55 ]
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RichS



Joined: 18 Oct 2001
Posts: 1468
Location: South of Rochester, NY

PostPosted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2005-02-04 13:23, 45PSS wrote:
The most likely effect would be the lamp will filcker on 50 cycle (Hz) power. I do not know if it will be noticeable to the eye or in the print or not.
Charles



I would think the people who live in the 50Hz world are used to the flicker by now
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Gully



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Europe - Italy

PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2005-02-04 13:27, RichS wrote:
Quote:

On 2005-02-04 13:23, 45PSS wrote:
The most likely effect would be the lamp will filcker on 50 cycle (Hz) power. I do not know if it will be noticeable to the eye or in the print or not.
Charles



I would think the people who live in the 50Hz world are used to the flicker by now





Indeed we live a wonderful life under 50Hz flickering lights!

Consider that all over the world the movies are projected at 24 frames per second, that means a 24 Hz flickering, and no one notice it.

If the feeding unit of graflarger is simply a high voltage transformer, 60Hz or 50Hz doesn't make a difference. I'm only concerned about the presence of other circuits that can be effected (and damaged) by the difference of frequency.

Aldo
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RichS



Joined: 18 Oct 2001
Posts: 1468
Location: South of Rochester, NY

PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 4:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I could be wrong, but other than a mechanical switch, there are no other components of any kind. It's simply a 120 to ~3000 volt step up transformer.

We recently went through another thread where someone was searching for a replacement transformer, and found one. I don't remember if he mentioned the specifics of the output voltage though? You could easily search for it. But the neons range from 3000 to 6000 volts and I believe the Graflarger is low on the scale around the 3000 mark. So the light may be dimmer but should work. And being excited gas, it may not even flicker? How many people can see the flicker in fluorescent tubes?


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Gully



Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Europe - Italy

PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2005-02-04 20:57, RichS wrote:
I could be wrong, but other than a mechanical switch, there are no other components of any kind. It's simply a 120 to ~3000 volt step up transformer.


Maybe I'll do my favourite game since I was a yong boy ... to disassemble the toys!

Luckily I was able (almost always) to reassemble again the toys!

Quote:

We recently went through another thread where someone was searching for a replacement transformer, and found one. I don't remember if he mentioned the specifics of the output voltage though?


He didn't. He also wrote that Aristo wasn't able to give him the specs. He found an auto-adapting transformer with an output range of 2kV-6kV.

Quote:

But the neons range from 3000 to 6000 volts and I believe the Graflarger is low on the scale around the 3000 mark. So the light may be dimmer but should work. And being excited gas, it may not even flicker? How many people can see the flicker in fluorescent tubes?


Here in Europe we use 50Hz with the fluorescent lights and they don't fliker.
Moreover Aristo now produces cold-light heads for 220V too and I don't note they sell a different lamp for different voltages.

Aldo
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Gammanine



Joined: 11 Aug 2001
Posts: 46
Location: Brooklyn NY

PostPosted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck with your graflarger!!
Mine is up and running well now. I wouldn't worry about the 50/50 hz thing. Nothing to get damaged. All there is inside is a switch, one tranformer and alot of potting compound. The head is merely a box to hold the tube. no components to worry about. If it lights up, you can make photos... imho.
I agree about the longer exposure times.. but even that might not be noticable. I'm also wondering if the 50 hz from the inverter would be transformed to 60hz by the graflarger transformer? I don't know enough about electronics or electricity to even guess..
Aristo cant give you specs on that old unit because they didn't manufacture it. It would be a real find if someone could come up with a spec sheet on that unit.
I did get a solid state transformer for mine, I posted the specs here on the board someplace. That and the new tube from aristo made it very useable. The original tube is not so very good for polycontrast papers. My old unit lit up fine... but I was worried about the condition of the ac power cord. It was all crumbly and cracking everywhere. I didn't want to start a fire, or get injured. So I replaced the whole unit.
I'll be giving it a work out in the next few weeks. I've just returned from a 10 day tour in the carribean with my speedgraphic. Wish I had more time and brought more film....
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