Hoping someone might have a voltage + frequency converter I could borrow? I’d like to test an Australia-spec radio alarm clock (230-240V @ 50Hz) on our Freedom Grid. I suppose I need a step-up converter for voltage and a step-down converter for frequency.
For reference, the clock in question is the transforming weirdo shown here. I got it for a song because it was sold as “untested” – almost certainly meaning “tested and dead” – but want to make sure before taking it apart and replacing its guts with modern tech.
I think the 60Hz → 50Hz conversion might be necessary because clocks of this era will sometimes use the AC frequency to regulate the clock. Getting a voltage converter isn’t terrible, adding frequency to the mix gets expensive in a hurry
(I did consider converting it to 120V @ 60Hz myself if I could track down the right transformer and chip pins, but the inside is… not exactly serviceable)
Tricky problem though. Like you said, it’s easy enough to step down the voltage, but the frequency throws a big wrench in things. A variable frequency drive — usually for a motor — is my first thought, but that has to be overkill…
My other thought would have been to replace the power supply (curious what the inside looks like!) but it’s not as fun when you’re risking a mod on something you can’t easily replace.
A VFD might be something somebody has laying around, though (indeed, we just removed one from the Rong Fu that might be configurable to be useful for this application)
Alternately, you can also find “universal” automotive (12V supply) inverters that can be configured for 120V-60Hz or 230-50Hz operation that are probably cheaper than a travel power converter.
@JohnWickham I’ll post a photo in the next day or so, because it’s genuinely fascinating how crammed together it is. That’s part of the reason I have low hopes for it working – some things in there make it look more like a personal project than a finished product. It’s entirely possible someone else had been in there already.
@Jon I didn’t know about those car adapters – thanks! Looks like this and this (if I want to make things a smidge more elegant) along with my desktop power supply should let me test it out on the cheap. And if I’m honest with myself, this is probably not the last time I’ll buy some old piece of tech that was meant to run on a different grid…
