Can I Use A Variac With A Voltage Stabilizer???

[Bee]

Hi Hukyers,

I'm a newbie. I'm gonna send my order & tranfer payment to Mr. Li shortly for a Huky. I do appreciate many knowledges, inputs, opinions contributed by the experienced Hukyers in this forum, from which I learnt a great deal about the Huky. Now I know exactly which options I have to order together with the Huky. I also already ordered & paid for a Phidgets 1048 + an Acrylic Enclosure 3810, which are now on their way shipped to me. To use the Phidgets 1048, I believe that I will ask Mr. Li to install all 3 digital probes of BT, ET & MET for my Huky.

Now I'm gonna send my order & payment to Amazon to buy a Variac: PHC Enterprise SC-3M Variac Variable Transformer, 300 VAC Max, 0-130V Output, 3 Amp. However, the electricity current here (in Vietnam where I'm living) is 220V while this Variac's is 130V. Because I do believe in the recommendation of many experienced Hukyers in this forum for this Variac, that's why I think I will definitely buy this Variac and then I will buy a Voltage Stabilizer in Vietnam to run the Variac. In this matter, would you please be so kind to advise me if it's possible to do that as a solution for the voltage difference?

I hope I will recieve some of your advices as soon as possible, so that I can process my order the soonest. Can't wait to be an "real Hukyer".

Thank you very much in advance for any input & advice!

Happy roasting!

Bee

[LTB]

well, why don't you buy a 250 V variac

[Bee]

well, why don't you buy a 250 V variac

Thank you for your idea, LTB.

Although I searched many times, there's no 250V Variac neither on Amazon nor Ebay

If you (or anybody in here) know any 250V Variac made by PHC Enterprise out there, please kindly show me. Ah, I think I will contact PHC to ask if they have a 250V one.

Thank you.
Bee

[LTB]

Really ?
There are certainly some locals differences between ebay-s.

On ebay france you have a lot of choice :

http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xvariac.TRS0&_nkw=variac&_sacat=0

Maybe you can contact directly one of these enterprises ?

(if you have acces to the link)

[edtbjon]

I don't think you will find anything if you search for "250V", as the rating is for input voltage. The norm is 230V (and in some countries 240V).
Explanation of how a Variac works is easy to find. (I did a search yesterday after reading this thread. I had my doubts about having to worry about the input voltage but found out that it's important. That is, feeding a 120V Variac with 230V will fry it.)

[Bee]

Thank you, LTB & edtbjon very much. I emailed PHC Enterprises who manifacture the Variac and got their reply:

"Hi Bee,

Sorry to tell you that there is no such item available.  We've had a few request from others in the past but factories in China said that there isn't any that are in existence or that could be manufactured that way.

Regards,
Hans"

 

So, I think I will order a Variac, then I will buy a Voltage Stabilizer to run the Variac, otherwise it will go BOOM 

Bee

[JerryB]

My question here is the Huky that Mr Li will send you going to be in line with your 220 Volts and perhaps there is a better suitable voltage controller for you. We use the Variac because it makes a clean voltage change with less interference in sound waves. I would think you have something in your county to do the same.  I would try to stay away from so many transformers. Besides if everthing comes to you ready to run on your 220 (single Pole) you would need Mr Li to send you a Fan for 120 V so your Voltage Stabilizer and Variac would control your 120 volt Fan.

Maybe I am missing something here. I think your system will be setup to use your 220 volt (single pole) equipment.

PS I use the term (single pole) because here in USA we get 220 volts of power by having 2 wires (2 poles) each with 110 volts.  I believe, in other countries such as yours, you have 220 volts on 1 wire (1 pole). And just to clarify, this isn't taking into account on a ground wire (common) that is accompanied with the power wire(s) that connect to any devise.

Make sure you know what Mr Li will be sending you.

Cheers,

[Bee]

My question here is the Huky that Mr Li will send you going to be in line with your 220 Volts and perhaps there is a better suitable voltage controller for you. We use the Variac because it makes a clean voltage change with less interference in sound waves. I would think you have something in your county to do the same.  I would try to stay away from so many transformers. Besides if everthing comes to you ready to run on your 220 (single Pole) you would need Mr Li to send you a Fan for 120 V so your Voltage Stabilizer and Variac would control your 120 volt Fan.

Maybe I am missing something here. I think your system will be setup to use your 220 volt (single pole) equipment.

PS I use the term (single pole) because here in USA we get 220 volts of power by having 2 wires (2 poles) each with 110 volts.  I believe, in other countries such as yours, you have 220 volts on 1 wire (1 pole). And just to clarify, this isn't taking into account on a ground wire (common) that is accompanied with the power wire(s) that connect to any devise.

Make sure you know what Mr Li will be sending you.

Cheers,

Thank you very much JerryB.

Everything's clear now! I already emailed Mr. Li & got the reconfirmation from him. Now I'm just waiting for the Huky, reaching me by around beginning of July.

Bee

[LTB]

I don't think you will find anything if you search for "250V", as the rating is for input voltage. The norm is 230V (and in some countries 240V).

well, seems that it depend either the country or the website. Making basique research from france give " variac 0-250V" as a common answer, probably clear that the input is the current 230 V.

@Bee : you can't find any other variac provider in europe, americas, etc ? In french a variac is called a "autotransformateur variable", if it can help....

[charlesaf3]

Note: to the extent it helps, I believe what you are calling a voltage stabilizer would be called in the US a step down transformer.

I'm a little confused, to my mind 300VAC max would mean that the variac you are thinking of would take 220, it just wouldn't output more than 130.  Which should be fine.  There are 220v variacs available in the US certainly.

note, 220v is still often used as the name in the US, though actual voltage would generally be in the 230-250 range