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HELP needed: American 110 volt QSC PL3.4

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Young Croc
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    Posted: 22 March 2012 at 6:46pm
Good evening,

I have the opportunity to purchase a American QSC PL3.4.
Obviously, it is 110 volt. I need it to work on 230 volt.

The most simple solution would probably be to buy a 230-->110 converter? Is it a save solution? The seller says I need at least a 1500 watt model, but I am a little worried (peaks and so). Besides that, those converters are really large and heavy (at least 10 kg!), so the point of buying a lightweight amp is kinda gone then, haha!
Is it possible to modify the amp to 230 volt? I guess it's a hellish job, so I will hire someone to do it for me.
Does anyone have experience with this? Are there options for me?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 7:36pm
The 120V USA and 230V european versions have different components in the soft start and suppression circuits amongst other things, so internal component changes are necessary.

No point carting around a step-down transformer is there, defeats the object.

I would get the proper one.
Kevin

North Staffordshire

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Young Croc
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 4AC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 7:48pm
Thanks for your response!

Originally posted by kedwardsleisure kedwardsleisure wrote:


No point carting around a step-down transformer is there, defeats the object.

Could you please further explain this sentence?
You mean it isn't worthy carrying around a transformer with this amp?

Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 7:57pm
yes, it would weigh alot
Kevin

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 4AC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 8:04pm
Okay. But would using a converter affect the performance of the amplifier?
Would it matter for the sound, or power?

Dammit, I'm still waiting for the 110-230 converter APP for android! Tongue
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kedwardsleisure Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 8:31pm
Probably not so long as it was sized correctly

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote shagnasty Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 10:16pm
Be care here, you need a 120V transformer, not a 110V, aviod "building site" transformers, as they are 55-0-55 so not 120v or any use... Most are also snad cooled and won't take any continous loading, a 5KVA 240>120V autotransformer is gonna weight at least 15Kg poss 20Kg and remember sepo girlie power pulls twice as many amps so make sure you have 32A connections from your tranny to the amp....
 
My mate was about to buy a US spec pl9.0 until I went throught this with him.....
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ceharden Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 March 2012 at 10:43pm
Definitely not worth the effort.  The cost of either getting the amp modified or finding a suitable transformer (which will be very expensive) is likely to be far more than just finding an equivalent amp designed for 230V.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liteworks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 March 2012 at 10:03am
Best place to ask is on the QSC forum, Bob and the guys have been very helpful in the past with similar questions.

Btw The original PLX are a better bet if your looking at buying from the USA (PLX3402 are similar to the PL3.4 in terms of power output) as they require very little work to mod to 240v (only part needed from memory is a UK spec fuse).  **Obviously it is dangerous working on the highvoltage switching PSU's in these and should only be attempted by a competent person**

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slaz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 March 2012 at 10:35am
Originally posted by Liteworks Liteworks wrote:

Best place to ask is on the QSC forum, Bob and the guys have been very helpful in the past with similar questions.

Btw The original PLX are a better bet if your looking at buying from the USA (PLX3402 are similar to the PL3.4 in terms of power output) as they require very little work to mod to 240v (only part needed from memory is a UK spec fuse).  **Obviously it is dangerous working on the highvoltage switching PSU's in these and should only be attempted by a competent person**



I'm a long way from expert on this stuff, but ..... isn't it relativley easy to make a swich-mode PSU fully 115/230 compatible (i.e. auto-sensing/switching ?). Pretty sure thats the case with e.g. computer PSUs - which ain't that small - approaching 1kW is common these days ....

Mebbe not doing so has more to do with marketing decisions than technical issues. Could also be certification stuff involved too I guess.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Earplug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 March 2012 at 12:27pm
Something similar happened to a friend. He thought he´d got lucky with a LAB amp on ebay and then discovered that it was 110V. I think it cost him about 300€ to have it changed to 230V. He was still happy as it all worked out cheaper than buying the same model over here. Confused


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote levyte357 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 March 2012 at 1:28pm
Originally posted by shagnasty shagnasty wrote:

Be care here, you need a 120V transformer, not a 110V, aviod "building site" transformers, as they are 55-0-55 so not 120v or any use... Most are also snad cooled and won't take any continous loading, a 5KVA 240>120V autotransformer is gonna weight at least 15Kg poss 20Kg and remember sepo girlie power pulls twice as many amps so make sure you have 32A connections from your tranny to the amp....
 
My mate was about to buy a US spec pl9.0 until I went throught this with him.....
 
Smile


Wouldn't touch 110V pl9.0 with barge pole. Wink
"Who am I? I'm the guy who does his job.. You must be the other guy".
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