230V<->100V converter??? Yamaha-B50 Power Amp

Ron_j

Active Member
I recently acquired a Yamaha B-50 Vintage power Amp made for Japanese market... It only works at 100V. I tested with the 750VA 230V<->120V converter I have, and it seems to be working fine. But my conscience is not allowing me to continue operating it at 120V converter(it actually outs 120V) for prolonged time. As per the specs, it can work on both 50hz and 60hz; so no probs there...So, I just wonder where I can get at least a 500VA 100V converter?

I have never seen one(100V converter) before anyway :) So the main question is, is there something called a 100V converter? I hope there is... Or you guys think 120V is good enough and Yammy can withstand it?

Thanks a ton in advance...
Ron
 
Or you guys think 120V is good enough and Yammy can withstand it?

Thanks a ton in advance...
Ron

I would not. Depending on how closely the components were spec'ed I think it could spell trouble.

I inadvertently (due to rare inattention to detail) ran a 100V device on 120V for a couple years. It seemed to work fine but one day I opened it to clean it as part of routine maintenance and found many caps in the PS to be leaking. It's not that old of a device and it is of a "high end" brand with name brand capacitors. I attribute the, IMO, premature leaking caps to operating at higher voltage than spec'ed for.
 
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You want an autotransformer, aka buck/boost transformer. I'm sure this has come up before, if you search AK you'll probably find one.
 
Remember to allow for inrush and peak load. 3 to 5 times the normal load is a good ratio to use. The 1500W converter posted above would be about right, except you probably want a 120V to 100V transformer as opposed to the 230V to 100V transformer in the link.
 
Most Japaneses equipment I've seen has a dual tapped transformer for 100 and 120V. Unsolder and move one wire...
 
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