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Post subject: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Question
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 10:17 am
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I am currently living in UK but will be relocating back to Canada this summer.

For various reason inc saving money I am thinking of buying a Bassbreaker 15 or 007 here in the UK.

It states it comes with IEC UK mains cable. Does this mean I can just change the cable in Canada and US? Can some people read a schematic well enough to tell me?

Since the answer here is likely no, how "easy" ie "cheap" would it be to convert it to North American power?

I am aware as well that I could purchase a fairly inexpensive (~$100) step transformer to solve the issue. Just looking at other option since I don't like the idea of hauling a step transformer around. Though even with the $100 I would still save money over buying it in Canada.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 10:26 am
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The schematics aren't available publicly to give a solid answer to you!

You will definitely have to change the power cord due to different plug receptacle configurations, they are available for about 5-10 US dollars from most electrical supply shops.

Depending on the type of power transformer in you amp, you will need either a step down transformer, a replacement power transformer or a re-wire if it is a multiple tap type.

That's about as clear as is possible to determine w/o the schematics of your amp, sorry.


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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 2:58 pm
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nicholsoni wrote:
Does this mean I can just change the cable in Canada and US?

Absolutely not.
Consumer electrical products destined for the United Kingdom run on typical European household power, which is 220V single phase.
Canada and the United States both use 110V single phase power.

Additionally, the AC oscillation in the UK is at a rate of 50Hz whereas US/Canada is 60Hz.

You will want to purchase an amplifier designed to run on the right power supply.
I'm not certain you will "blow something up" as in creating an explosion but you will damage your amplifier.

For your own sake, remove that thought from your mind entirely.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 3:08 pm
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Well the odd thing about it is that the photos on the website shows clearly shows 110, then it states it includes a UK mains cable.

Many different objects can accept both UK and North american power ie phones, laptops etc just bu changing the plug/cable.

I suspect the photos are stock imagery provided by Fender.

After spending a couple years here in the UK, I am more than familiar that most objects, including my North american amps, do not function that way. Here I use a stepdown transformer.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 3:08 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
nicholsoni wrote:
Does this mean I can just change the cable in Canada and US?

Absolutely not.
Consumer electrical products destined for the United Kingdom run on typical European household power, which is 220V single phase.
Canada and the United States both use 110V single phase power.

Additionally, the AC oscillation in the UK is at a rate of 50Hz whereas US/Canada is 60Hz.

You will want to purchase an amplifier designed to run on the right power supply.
I'm not certain you will "blow something up" as in creating an explosion but you will damage your amplifier.

For your own sake, remove that thought from your mind entirely.


Many if not most amps have a 230/115V switch, in which case changing the cable and flipping the switch is enough. But the Bassbreaker is not one of those. It comes with a single-voltage power supply only, presumably to cut costs.

So a step-up trafo is needed. Good ones will generally handle the Hz difference too, acting as an AC -> DC -> AC dual step transformer.

(Going the other way is worse - European electronics have to be able to deal with live ground (like in the US), but also earthed ground and floating ground.)


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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 3:31 pm
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I just looked at every amplifier in my collection.
None have selectable input voltage.
I was sure I wouldn't find anything but I checked anyway just in case.
To the best of my knowledge, I don't think I have ever seen that in my life.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 3:43 pm
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I made some enquiries when I first got here because I knew I would be retrning to Canada enventually and the only amps with a switch that anyone could seem to find were amps made by Victory.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 4:03 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
To the best of my knowledge, I don't think I have ever seen that in my life.


Years ago during the blackface/silverface era, Fender offered switchable input voltages on selected amp models. The option consisted of a rotary selector on the rear panel (with a red "chicken head" knob) which replaced the AC convenience outlet. As I recollect, the switch had several positions which included 100V, 110V, 220V, and 240V line voltages. Later during the '80s, some of the solid-state MIJ amps also included a slider switch that permitted use with various input voltages.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2017 6:49 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
I just looked at every amplifier in my collection.
None have selectable input voltage.
I was sure I wouldn't find anything but I checked anyway just in case.
To the best of my knowledge, I don't think I have ever seen that in my life.

They're not always visible, but can be recessed or in hard to reach places so they aren't flipped by accident. Here are a couple:

Image
Image
Image


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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 2:38 pm
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BMW-KTM wrote:
nicholsoni wrote:
Does this mean I can just change the cable in Canada and US?

Absolutely not.
Consumer electrical products destined for the United Kingdom run on typical European household power, which is 220V single phase.
Canada and the United States both use 110V single phase power.

Additionally, the AC oscillation in the UK is at a rate of 50Hz whereas US/Canada is 60Hz.

You will want to purchase an amplifier designed to run on the right power supply.
I'm not certain you will "blow something up" as in creating an explosion but you will damage your amplifier.

For your own sake, remove that thought from your mind entirely.

Canada and USA use 120 volts not 110 which are use in Leo Fender time :lol:
He won't damage the amp if he plug it in 120 volts wall outlet, amp will not work or work with a very low output power.

Bassbreaker schematic are not available IMO

Use step down/ up transformer;

https://www.amazon.com/LiteFuze-LT-2000 ... rmer&psc=1


Last edited by stratele52 on Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:34 pm
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Interesting.
I didn't believe you so I put my Fluke in a wall outlet and read 120.2.
All these years I thought we were on 110.
I guess I never checked before.
Thank you for teaching an old dog a new trick.
I love it when that happens.

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 6:46 pm
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The blackface/silverface amps were spec'd for 117 VAC and it was so marked on the tube charts. As well, Fender's first generation solid-state models were also designed to operate on 117 VAC.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2017 11:48 pm
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The Fender amps which I've owned or worked on had the voltage selector switch on the back. Where the power cord goes into the chassis. Red knob and red switch plate. They were all silverface or later era amps. Kinda like this:

Image


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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:12 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:
Interesting.
I didn't believe you so I put my Fluke in a wall outlet and read 120.2.
All these years I thought we were on 110.
I guess I never checked before.
Thank you for teaching an old dog a new trick.
I love it when that happens.


I too learn so much thing here, thank's to all guys.
In Canada sometimes voltage can go to 125 if less demand from users


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Post subject: Re: Amps, Current, Electricty and Not Blowin' Things Up Ques
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:15 am
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BMW2002Ti wrote:
The Fender amps which I've owned or worked on had the voltage selector switch on the back. Where the power cord goes into the chassis. Red knob and red switch plate. They were all silverface or later era amps. Kinda like this:

Image


Export amp ?


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