Converstion question - Hair Clippers 220v-110v

Conversion question 220v to 110v (Hair Clippers)

Dear Members,

Please forgive me if this is too elementary a question, but none of the electronic stores where I am now could figure out the problem so I'm hoping there are members here who can advise. Also, please forgive me if that has been posted before, I did a search for key words but did not find anything.

I purchased a pair of hair clippers in the US with these specs: 110V~60Hz 9W

I am now in Iran and trying to use the clippers but am having some trouble.

I have a "Travel Smart Dual Wattage Converter" with output : 110-120VAC and two settings: 0-25Watts & 25-1875Watts

When I plug the hair clippers in and turn it on, it starts shaking twice as fast and is twice as loud as it was in the US. It feels like it will explode.

I have tried this on other converters purchased here and have run into the same problem. I also found another set of US clippers with similar specs that were left here and they have the same problem.

An additional note, the clippers come with a screw that the manual defines as "Power Screw: Your clipper has a power screw and it has been adjusted for peak efficiency before leaving the factory. However, if voltage in your home is low, you may need to readjust."

When I rotate the screw to the lowest setting, the clipper just a makes very low noise and the blades do not move. If I turn the screw just a bit higher, it goes into freak out mode again and begins to shake violently.

Is there an explanation to this or a possible solution? I figured I would just go and buy a new hair clipper here that is 220v but I wanted to ask someone who is more knowledgeable than I am.

Thank you for your time.

are you on a boat or something where the mains frequency is 400Hz or something like that?

i am not sure what your local supply is like in where you are in Iran.

-maybe your particular place where you are in Iran doesnt have the luxury of nice sinusoidal mains?......maybe your mains comes from an inverter and is more a square wave instead?

Do any other devices behave strangely?..the fact that you had the same problem with an identical pair of clippers suggests to me that its perhaps a "dirty" mains supply...maybe in Iran they dont have PFC laws and the local mains can get very mis-shapen

What you describe sounds like square waves are coming from the voltage converter. I imagine it contains a switching type of converter, since you say it has two switch positions.

Have you used a converter which contains a simple 1:2 step-down transformer? It produces sine waves. It might be larger and more expensive, but quieter with your clippers. They are more in the category of a motorized appliance.

Whereas you're using a converter which is better at charging shavers or powering curling irons, etc. Appliances which tolerate square waves.

Question: Is the frequency in Iran 50 Hz (typical outside the USA)? While this isn't ordinarily a problem, however in your case being at a lower frequency could bring out unexpected resonant behavior in the clippers. Causing shaking. If the clippers contain a coil (inductor, choke) then it may be reaching saturation at the lower frequency. Causing buzzing.

I'm just brainstorming here.

grizedale said:

are you on a boat or something where the mains frequency is 400Hz or something like that?

i am not sure what your local supply is like in where you are in Iran.

-maybe your particular place where you are in Iran doesnt have the luxury of nice sinusoidal mains?......maybe your mains comes from an inverter and is more a square wave instead?

Do any other devices behave strangely?..the fact that you had the same problem with an identical pair of clippers suggests to me that its perhaps a "dirty" mains supply...maybe in Iran they dont have PFC laws and the local mains can get very mis-shapen

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.

Not on a boat . In an apartment.

I tried the clippers at home and at one of the electrician shops as well, had the same problem. (Didn't want to buy another converter if it had the same problem).

The only other items I have had trouble with were video game consoles, GameCube and Xbox. The power adapters were 110v and even with a power converter they wouldn't work. The consoles would turn on for a few seconds then shut off, like enough power wasn't reaching them. I ended up buying 220v after market power adapters that worked just fine. However every item I have had that has a battery has worked fine with the converter.

I thought my home or Iran might be the case, but when I searched online for a solution I found a few others with a simlar problem. So i'm really lost for an explanation.

I have a pair of hair clippers rated for 110v/60hz. i am living in an area that uses 220v.? - Yahoo! Answers

Iraq power converter for hair clippers? - Yahoo! Answers

I HAVE A 115V USA HAIR CLIPPER.LIVE IN UK, SO - FixYa

When I called Wahl, they said that their clippers won't work with converters or 220v and that my only option would be to by their battery powered rechargeable ones. They said those were the only clippers that would work with 220v.

---------- Post added at 23:27 ---------- Previous post was at 23:18 ----------

BradtheRad said:

What you describe sounds like square waves are coming from the voltage converter. I imagine it contains a switching type of converter, since you say it has two switch positions.

Have you used a converter which contains a simple 1:2 step-down transformer? It produces sine waves. It might be larger and more expensive, but quieter with your clippers. They are more in the category of a motorized appliance.

Whereas you're using a converter which is better at charging shavers or powering curling irons, etc. Appliances which tolerate square waves.

Question: Is the frequency in Iran 50 Hz (typical outside the USA)? While this isn't ordinarily a problem, however in your case being at a lower frequency could bring out unexpected resonant behavior in the clippers. Causing shaking. If the clippers contain a coil (inductor, choke) then it may be reaching saturation at the lower frequency. Causing buzzing.

I'm just brainstorming here.

Click to expand...

To be honest, i'm not sure what the frequency is or how I would find that out.

I do think I know what you mean by "a converter which contains a simple 1:2 step-down transformer". We used to have one around here 10-15 years ago. It was very heavy and very expensive. We used it to power an American made Hoover vacuum cleaner that was 110V. I will try to find one and test it with that.

What you describe sounds like square waves are coming from the voltage converter

Click to expand...

.
...I think BradTheRad has solved the mystery here......it'll be a cheap switch mode converter, and its square waves coming out.....instead of sinusoidal....the motor in your clippers will likely need sine wave mains.