benboy
24th Aug 2006, 06:02 PM
Thanks for the replies fellas
I couldn't post on the old thread by pushing "submit reply". What am I doing wrong?
The problem with the power supply is when the grid was being established in the area 45 years ago, the power company would only take their wires to the property boundary and we had to pay for the rest of the distance. So we have a private spur line of 550m of 2 wires (6 or 7 strands) of 1/4 in diameter. Combine that with the fact that the nearest transformer is 500m beyond that (1050m altogether) and you can see why there is a voltage drop. A nieghbour who was in the same boat bit the bullet 2 years ago and paid for the power company to extend it's lines right up to his back door with a transformer as well. The cost? $15000!! I know I should do the same but I'm too tight! It does mean though that I can't use anything that uses a bit of juice (electrical heating, welder, air-con etc.) Fridges and freezers? Surprisingly they seem to last OK. I have a GE 13cu ft freezer that's worked non-stop for 33 years on the original compressor.
So no small MIG eh?
How about this as an option (A question for the sparkys out there.)
On the American Lincoln website they have small MIGs (25-135amps) that run on 110v. Could I import one and run it with a 240-110 step down transformer? How much are the transformers worth? Is such a thing possible or do I need the full 240v to begin with?
Thanks
Benboy
I couldn't post on the old thread by pushing "submit reply". What am I doing wrong?
The problem with the power supply is when the grid was being established in the area 45 years ago, the power company would only take their wires to the property boundary and we had to pay for the rest of the distance. So we have a private spur line of 550m of 2 wires (6 or 7 strands) of 1/4 in diameter. Combine that with the fact that the nearest transformer is 500m beyond that (1050m altogether) and you can see why there is a voltage drop. A nieghbour who was in the same boat bit the bullet 2 years ago and paid for the power company to extend it's lines right up to his back door with a transformer as well. The cost? $15000!! I know I should do the same but I'm too tight! It does mean though that I can't use anything that uses a bit of juice (electrical heating, welder, air-con etc.) Fridges and freezers? Surprisingly they seem to last OK. I have a GE 13cu ft freezer that's worked non-stop for 33 years on the original compressor.
So no small MIG eh?
How about this as an option (A question for the sparkys out there.)
On the American Lincoln website they have small MIGs (25-135amps) that run on 110v. Could I import one and run it with a 240-110 step down transformer? How much are the transformers worth? Is such a thing possible or do I need the full 240v to begin with?
Thanks
Benboy