US to UK 'transformer'

[ericmark]

In theory an autotransformer would be ideal method of reducing the voltage however in practice it all down to quantities produced so in UK the standard split phase 110v transformer as shown by BAS is cheaper and easier to obtain.

I looked at Hong Kong rice cookers and they are nothing like the one I used while there. Mine was gas and where in the UK we would have the grill there they had rice cooker. In UK we have be instructed by Vesta to wash our rice and as a result have a fluffy non sticky rice. In Hong Kong they did not wash the cooked rice and if you really tried you could pick it up with chop sticks however most took bowl to mouth.

I have had many problems where US equipment has been imported into UK. Single pole switching, and no fuse in the line 2 is main problem. Even the control on UK machines where 110 can be a problem where the transformer manufacturer has earthed the centre tap and a line 2 to earth fault has had no fuse protection. Many 110 volt transformers only have protection on the 230 volt side and of course a line earth fault can draw twice as much current before opening the protective device on input as a Line 1 to Line 2 fault. So a 5 amp fuse or breaker on the input will allow 21 amp line to earth before blowing the device. So 1mm cable ratted 10 amp which would carry 1000W without a problem at 110 volt at 55 volt will likely melt.

Hence I don't like the yellow box like BAS shows and in many cases a RCD protected 230 volt supply is safer than the non RCD protected supply from the yellow box. Reduced low voltage still should have RCD protection and with the larger transformers 5KVA and above there is often RCD protection and the outputs are protected not just the inputs so their use makes sense. I would like to ban the yellow box 110 volt transformer that BAS shows the fire risk far outweighs the safety of having a lower voltage.

 

[Stoday]

I would not have expected this voltage convertor to use the crude method of a single rectifier. That technology is decades old. For the minimal cost of a microcontroller and a triac a convertor could be made to allow only every other full wave through.

That would be fine for a heater but I'm not so sure about the electronics that would be included in the all-dancing rice cooker because the peak voltage of the voltage converted supply will not be reduced.

These days appliance electronics are mostly supplied from a switch mode power supply. SMPSs can be made to accept any voltage between 100V and 250V. On the other hand, a particular piece of equipment may not have an SMPS that operates over such a wide voltage range.

 

[big-all]

may i respectfuly suggest as said rice is so simple to cook
if your wive is genuine she would be ashamed to use other than a basic pan
absorbsion method 2 water to 1 rice or a pan bung in rice and boiling water fo 10 is mins according to instructions

 

[LiamPope]

No good for the rice cooker anyway, as it can only be used for 15 minutes at a time.

Ah - they conveniently don't mention that in the Ebay ad, but find the same device for sale anywhere else and that is in big bold letters! I suspected as much (in fact I suspected less).

I dare say there are suitable super-duper logic rice cookers available already in 230V from HK etc, but she hasn't found those yet . Trying to persuade her the current rice cooker is fine and she probably doesn't really need to spend £200 on one with bells and whistles, hence indicating the size/cost etc of a proper transformer and trying to dig up the dirt on this 'miracle' solution . No doubt she'll find a 230V one soon and buy it, and I'll wait a bit longer for a big TV, but of course, if she's happy so am I

 

[ban-all-sheds]

absorbsion method 2 water to 1 rice

1:1 if you seal the pan.

or a pan bung in rice and boiling water fo 10 is mins according to instructions

Then you end up with your rice cooked but still wet.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah - they conveniently don't mention that in the Ebay ad

Funny, that, isn't it....

 

[LiamPope]

Mods - can you change thread title to 'traditional methods rice cooking masterclass'. Cheers.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[LiamPope]

Meh - book schmook. I've been here...

http://www.tourism.gov.my/en/destinations/item.asp?item=paddy