Japanese AC in US socket?

[Singletriad]

I just got a hold of a Super Grafx CIB. I noticed the AC adapter is from japan which accepts 100V. before I test the system out I wanted to know, can this not be used in the American sockets since its 110V or is the difference negligible? Thanks

[alec006]

It's actually a big difference, the voltage at my house reads 118.9 volts on average and I have a few Japanese power supplys that I wouldn't dare plug in. If you want to use that 100v AC adapter then you would have to get a step down transformer.

[MarioMania]

It's ok, as long you un-plug it when you not using it

[Singletriad]

See, this is the problem. half of everyone says its perfectly fine and they always play their japanese systems with no problems. half the people say dont do it (but I have never heard of anyone blowing anything) I'm thinking its probably safe then

[Bojay1997]

See, this is the problem. half of everyone says its perfectly fine and they always play their japanese systems with no problems. half the people say dont do it (but I have never heard of anyone blowing anything) I'm thinking its probably safe then

It really depends on how your house is wired. If you have a relatively new home (1970s or newer), you're probably not going to damage the system since the variation is fairly small. If you have an older home or just bad wiring (like the guy who is getting almost 120V from his outlets), it's possible you could do damage. Frankly, good quality step down gear has gotten very reasonably priced in recent years, so if it's something valuable or that you can't easily repair or replace, it's not a terrible idea to just use the protection.

[alec006]

The only problem I see with it is the AC adapter will be much warmer since it's receiving 20 volts more and theoretically the AC adapter will burn out faster that way. When it comes to electronics thou, I would still use a step down transformer since electronics can be sensitive.

[RP2A03]

Actually, American mains power is 120 volts. It hasn't been 110 volts since the 1950s.

It is my opinion that it is safe to use your Japanese power supply in a U.S. socket; I have done so with my Twin Famicom with no problems. Just keep in mind that your adapter will run hotter which may result in a slightly decreased lifespan. It will also output a little more voltage when it is feed 120v instead of 100v, but that is what voltage regulators are for.

[Aussie2B]

It's fine, go for it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just being paranoid and has no evidence of it being detrimental. Even leaving them plugged in is fine.

[Lanzo]

Ummm. will a JP Power supply fit into an American Socket without an adapter? I have a Saturn that has to big cylinder shape poles.

[DeputyMoniker]

Ummm. will a JP Power supply fit into an American Socket without an adapter? I have a Saturn that has to big cylinder shape poles.

That's not a Japanese plug. Physically, JP plugs are the same as ours. I bought a CD player in Australia, and another in Malaysia that had the round ones you speak of. They both came with an adapter, though and I'm sure your Saturn came with one if it is Japanese.

EDIT: I've had both experiences. I have a Japanese TV, other electronics, (and a JP Saturn) and they've all lasted eight years over here. The only thing that gave me a problem was a set of computer speakers that sizzled to death as soon as I plugged them in. So, it could go either way. If it's important enough to care about, use protection.

http://tinyurl.com/3wsmrya

[kedawa]

It really depends on how your house is wired. If you have a relatively new home (1970s or newer), you're probably not going to damage the system since the variation is fairly small. If you have an older home or just bad wiring (like the guy who is getting almost 120V from his outlets), it's possible you could do damage. Frankly, good quality step down gear has gotten very reasonably priced in recent years, so if it's something valuable or that you can't easily repair or replace, it's not a terrible idea to just use the protection.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you aren't an electrician. The voltage you get has nothing to with what type of wiring is in your house and everything to do with the load on the actual power lines. The only number that you can count on when it comes to your electrical service is the alternating frequency of the current. Voltage can vary quite a bit not only from one area to another, but also by time of day. During periods of peak usage, the voltage can drop to as low as 100V, but it will always be 60Hz.

Whether or not it's safe to use a Japanese adapter depends on the tolerance of the components. In general, there are voltage regulators in the console itself that can accept a pretty wide range of voltages.

Most Japanese AC adapters are identical to their American counterparts internally anyway, and only have different specs on the casing in order to conform to local standards.

My advice would be to measure the output voltage of the adapter under load, and if it's much more than 10% higher than the rated output, consider getting a stepdown convertor. Otherwise, don't worry about it.

[FABombjoy]

Math time!

100/9 = ~11.1, the input:output ratio of the transformer. For every 11.1 units of input voltage, you get 1 unit of output voltage.

Therefore:
100 / 11.1 = ~9v
120 / 11.1 = ~10.8v

So in a 120 outlet, it outputs 10.8v. You can run a Supergrafx on 12v, if not more.

In short: I wouldn't sweat it.

[Singletriad]

Thanks everyone. I've been playing my super grafx and V.saturn for the last day and no problems, so everything is fine. thanks again