Does anyone use a 110v transformer at home?

[sardine]

Here's a question.

I've got a box full of Hitatchi 9 " grinders, all in spare parts, I got from a closed down hire company. Some are 110 v some 240 v. But theres no part numbers or rating stickers. How do you tell what voltage the rotors and stators are ?

 

[Hitch]

Most decent brands Bosch/Makita/Hitachi seem to do the range of the higher end gear in both 240 or 110, but most of the more specialist gear seems to be 110, mag drills, bevellers etc....
What you don't tend to find, is Parkside powertools in 110....hence any possible 110v tool seems to be built heavier.
We use a mix at work, use exactly the same model tools in 110 and 240.

I use 110 gear at home, that way, if I need it on site or whatever I have it in 110, plus as mentioned, the plugs are better (although 240 versions could be used)

Even a new 3.3kva Transformer is only about £50, loads of second hand ones kicking about usually too.

 

[brightspark]

most ive ever paid for second hand 110 trannys is 25 quid and a few i have less than that

 

[piman]

Hello P09689,

"
Not being an electrician I have always wondered why 110v is considered safer than 240v when the thing that kills you, current, is higher on the 110v system!"

True up to a point but you don't understand the fundamentals. The current you pass through your body is dependent on your resistance and the lower the voltage you are in contact with the less current passes through you, so the difference between 240 volt and 55 volt is about 4 and a bit so the current will be reduced by 4 and a bit if you contact 55 instead of 240 volts. It is irrelevant that a 110 volt tool takes over twice the current of a 240 volt tool for the same power.

Alec

 

[Kent]

I am slowly swapping to 110v for all hand tools. at present most of my shop tools are 240v and my site tools are 110v (with exceptions of welders and two other tools). If you Don't need the extra why risk any increased risk? A spark I use said he had gone the other way and now used 240v when he could as he didn't like humping the transformers about- though I just put them at the power point available then run twin plug extension leads out (it feels more comforting when 110v leads are run out over wet grass or farm yards etc. and holding onto 110v rather than 240v)
When the new shop is finished I might run 110v plug in points with a central transformer?
Some sites wont let you on using 240v so sooner or later all tradesmen need to get some 110v stuff

 

[brightspark]

the reason110v gear is cheaper second hand is it eliminates most diy punters at sales or car booties as they dont want to spend on a 110 tranny and half of the knocked of gear is 110v off sites

 

[zx9]

The main reason for using the yellow site transformers is for safety. The output is 110v centre tapped to earth, this means the voltage with respect to earth is 55v, perfectly safe in most instances. It may be worth your while getting one if you use power tools outside.

The main reason for using 110V transformer at home............... the kit I bought use on site, VAT reclaimed and written down against profits can er be used at home. (don't tell the tax man )

 

[brightspark]

The main reason for using 110V transformer at home............... the kit I bought use on site, VAT reclaimed and written down against profits can er be used at home. (don't tell the tax man )

dont u allready think the tax folk dont know that there not stupid

 

[zx9]

the reason110v gear is cheaper second hand is it eliminates most diy punters at sales or car booties as they dont want to spend on a 110 tranny and half of the knocked of gear is 110v off sites

But see my previous post, no point buying S/H unless they give me a VAT recipt.

 

[zx9]

dont u allready think the tax folk dont know that there not stupid

True but sorting out percentage use work v. home it is not going to happen.

 

[brightspark]

But see my previous post, no point buying S/H unless they give me a VAT recipt.

but there not charging vat on it so u cant claim back what hasnt been added in the 1st place

 

[zx9]

but there not charging vat on it so u cant claim back what hasnt been added in the 1st place

True.

 

[Maker]

plus its easier to refuse to lend them out - I have commando plugs on all my 240V tools as well for that reason.

I've thought about doing that but it would mean I can only use them in my workshop (Or at a campsite), not indoors or at someone elses house. Would it be safe to connect a 3 pin plug to a ceeform socket to use as an adaptor to let you use them anywhere?

 

[the snooper]

Commando plugs don't have a fuse in them as they are fused at the fusebox/consumer unit

which means when something goes wrong it can be the end of it as its not protected as well as it would be with its own low rated fuse

 

[Maker]

So if there's no need for a fuse, why do our normal 3 pin plugs still have them then?

 

[the snooper]

not to mention not every fuse box has rcd there is also the possibility that something does go wrong only causing an increase in amps drawn heating up and causing a fire and the mcb or rcd wont trip until too late

 

[rtbcomp]

So if there's no need for a fuse, why do our normal 3 pin plugs still have them then?

To protect the cable from the appliance to the plug. The ring is rated at 30 Amps, the mains cable at (say) 13, this means you could get 30 amps down a 13 amp cable if there was a short in the appliance. This is even more important for low current devices which use a 1A plug,

If there was no fuse in the plug the appliance cable would have to be rated at 30 amps so the MCB tripped before the cable burnt out.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I've started buying 110v tools just for DIY as better bargains than the same in 240v. That means my transformer only gets used at home

 

[Kent]

There is a point here people value sh stuff on what it cost new inc. VAT . nice tidy clean SH gear can get very near to new items with trade discount at net.

Personally I don't buy anything I suspect might have been stolen 1. its handling 2. I think of the misfortune of the guy who it was stolen from (bad Karma)

 

[skotl]

Safety of 110v transformers

The reason that 110v "site transformers" are safe(r) is because they are isolating transformers, not because of their 55v centre tap or 110v output.
As stated earlier in the thread, it's not the voltage but the current that will kill you - as little as 75ma (source).

However, any electrical force is dangerous only when it uses you to complete a circuit. With UK electrical mains, the physical ground is the return path for the electrical current so if you stick your finger on the live pin while standing in your garage then the electricity flows through your hand, up your arm, down your chest (unfortunately, traversing your heart) down your legs, into the ground and back to the substation - you have become a piece of electrical cable*.

Site transformers are isolating transformers, which means that they present a live and neutral (return) on the other side of the transformer which are not connected to the physical earth. So if you touch the live conductor the electricity has no path across your body to the return (unless you are dumb enough to also be touching the neutral with your other hand!).

This is why many sites demand 110v kit - there is a far higher risk of equipment or cable damage on a busy site and the isolation massively reduces the risk of someone receiving an electric shock.

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(*This is why RCDs are essential - they detect an uneven leak to earth, probably caused by you sticking your finger in a 240v socket, and disconnect the supply rapidly. Most RCDs are designed to trigger at 35ma or less)