AC/AC power conversion for datacenters
Hello, This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could be possible to my high-school-physics mind. I've found some products that seem to be appropriate, but they're geared towards a more industrial purpose. Is there a rackmount 120->220V converter that people out there have used and would recommend? Thanks, Matt -- Matthew Zito GridApp Systems Email: mzito@gridapp.com Cell: 646-220-3551 Phone: 212-358-8211 x 359
Matthew Zito wrote:
This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could be possible to my high-school-physics mind. I've found some products that seem to be appropriate, but they're geared towards a more industrial purpose. Is there a rackmount 120->220V converter that people out there have used and would recommend?
My suggestion, which I have never tried, is to get a UPS with the right wattage and that support 240V out but variable (90V-300V) input. Just a thought. PS Please don't make the mistake that a certain US supplier made with kit shipped to UK and specify 16A connectors which required special wiring (over standard 13A in the UK) as at 240V the current is lower by 240/110 :) Measure watts, not amps. Unless you have a weird PSU of course. Peter
On Tue, 3 Jun 2003, Peter Galbavy wrote:
Matthew Zito wrote:
This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could be possible to my high-school-physics mind. I've found some products that seem to be appropriate, but they're geared towards a more industrial purpose. Is there a rackmount 120->220V converter that people out there have used and would recommend?
My suggestion, which I have never tried, is to get a UPS with the right wattage and that support 240V out but variable (90V-300V) input. Just a thought.
Depends on your hardware obviously but I suspect it'll be cheaper to replace the PSU with one of the same voltage as the supply than messing with ups etc Steve
PS Please don't make the mistake that a certain US supplier made with kit shipped to UK and specify 16A connectors which required special wiring (over standard 13A in the UK) as at 240V the current is lower by 240/110 :) Measure watts, not amps. Unless you have a weird PSU of course.
Peter
On Tue Jun 03, 2003 at 08:48:45PM +0100, Stephen J. Wilcox wrote:
Depends on your hardware obviously but I suspect it'll be cheaper to replace the PSU with one of the same voltage as the supply than messing with ups etc
As you say, depends on the hardware, but take for example the Cisco GSR where the AC PSU only comes with a 220V option - not a problem for us in the UK, but more hassle for putting the routers in the USA. Of course, DC is an option, but high-amppage DC scares me ;-) Simon -- Simon Lockhart | Tel: +44 (0)1628 407720 (x37720) | Si fractum Technology Manager | Fax: +44 (0)1628 407701 (x37701) | non sit, noli BBC Internet Services | Email: Simon.Lockhart@bbc.co.uk | id reficere BBC Technology, Maiden House, Vanwall Road, Maidenhead. SL6 4UB. UK
On Tue, 2 Jun 2003, Matthew Zito wrote:
This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could be possible to my high-school-physics mind. I've found some products that seem to be appropriate, but they're geared towards a more industrial purpose. Is there a rackmount 120->220V converter that people out there have used and would recommend?
It's called a transformer. "Only" 7 amps at 240V is 1.68 KW. This will be rather large and heavy, typically the kind of thing more suited to a NEMA box than a rack mount. It will also consume about 14 amps from the 120V circuit, so it should be on its own breaker. You could mount such an item on a chassis with a rack panel if so inclined but doing such will not likely be in compliance with UL or electrical codes. For a more rack-friendly type of solution, some form of switching supply inverter might work instead of a transformer working at line frequency, but it will be either expensive or not have a clean sinewave output or both. These rectify the input to DC, then use a higher frequency switcher to generate AC with a smaller, lighter transformer, then electronically reconstruct a 60-Hz AC output. I can't recommend a supplier or even say for sure that such an item is available as a stock unit. For that type of power consumption, a 240-volt supply (may be 208 depending on the source feed) is your best bet. I'd question the "not available" statement to be sure, as if 208 or 240 isn't available, then 14 amps at 120 is probably going to be marginally available. -- Jay Hennigan - CCIE #7880 - Network Administration - jay@west.net WestNet: Connecting you to the planet. 805 884-6323 WB6RDV NetLojix Communications, Inc. - http://www.netlojix.com/
On Tue, 3 Jun 2003, Matthew Zito wrote:
This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could
You don't mention why you need this -- as someone mentioned, 220v/7a is 110v/14a. If this is a piece of electronic equipment, it may be cheaper to simply replace the power supply with a 110 supply. If it's something with a 220v motor, you might want to make sure that it isn't also looking for 3 phase power. (Not that I really know the difference -- just enough to know it's something to watch out for). -Chris ========================================================== Chris Candreva -- chris@westnet.com -- (914) 967-7816 WestNet Internet Services of Westchester http://www.westnet.com/
At 02:20 PM 6/3/2003 -0400, Matthew Zito wrote:
This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could be possible to my high-school-physics mind. I've found some products that seem to be appropriate, but they're geared towards a more industrial purpose. Is there a rackmount 120->220V converter that people out there have used and would recommend?
This is from www.grainger.com Their Item # <http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productdetail.jsp?xi=xi&ItemId=1611670360>2CN75 Product Category: <http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/searchcategory.jsp?xi=xi&category=-1610648338>Electrical
<http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/searchcategory.jsp?xi=xi&category=-1610648583>Transformers
<JavaScript:fun_catLowest('-1610648591')>Transformers
Description Transformer 7.5K Watt, 1 Phase (190 to 220)/(380 to 440) Volt Primary 110/220 Volt Secondary Grainger Item: 2CN75 Price (ea) : $810.00 Manufacturer: SQUARE D Mfg. Model#: 7S67F <javascript:popWin('/help_uom.html');>Ship Qty : 1 <javascript:popWin('/help_uom.html')>Sell Qty(Will-Call) : 1 Usually Ships : Special Order Catalog 394 Page: N/A Your website says you are located in NYC. If this is for you and not for a client in Congo, your 120V feed either comes from one leg of a 120/208V three phase service or 120/240V single phase service. If you take any two hot legs in either case, you will be able to power your equipment directly with either 208V or 240V. You will probably need to pay an electrician to do this work for you, but it will probably be easier and much better than running an auxiliary transformer. You should definitely consult an electrician to determine the best solution for your needs. Another option is to replace the power supply in the unit in question. Most equipment vendors now make auto-sensing world power supplies which will work on just about any voltage from 90VAC to 250VAC for homogenization of their products worldwide. -Robert Tellurian Networks - The Ultimate Internet Connection http://www.tellurian.com | 888-TELLURIAN | 973-300-9211 "Good will, like a good name, is got by many actions, and lost by one." - Francis Jeffrey
Here's a 3KW one for E389: http://www.taunus-transformatoren.de/transformers/transformers_110_120_220_2... Zito <mzito@gridapp.com>, (Actually, you don't need a two-coil transformer - a one-coil transformer with a tap in the middle will do, and those may be even cheaper). Note that transformers do NOT change frequency from 50Hz as in EU to 60Hz as in US; typically this is not a problem for electronics power supplies, because the first thing they do is rectify the mains voltage to DC, but you may want to check that with your equipment specs or with their tech support. Note also that if your higher-voltage equipment requires multiple phases, you're out of luck. The "220V" in US is usually two 110V feeds with 180 degrees shift, so there's a zero-point wire as well, allowing asymmetrical loading. This kind of supply may be provided with a transformer, but I've never seen one like that. The EU multi-phase power is typically 3-phases with 120 degree-shifted 230V supplies, there's no way to convert to it from single- or dual-phase power to it w/o electronic invertor or motor-generator combination. --vadim
On Tue, 3 Jun 2003, Vadim Antonov wrote: http://www.pfsc-ice.com/bbo/b/magnet/get_a_110_220_voltage_transformer_11.ht... 2KW - for less than $100 ... enough for 8.5 Amp at 230V. --vadim
Speaking on Deep Background, the Press Secretary whispered:
Hello,
This is marginally related to the power discussions earlier, but does anyone know of a product that steps up 120V AC to 220V AC and is reasonably datacenter-friendly? We're looking at an environment where there's no 220V available - but we only need ~7 amps so conversion could be possible to my high-school-physics mind. I've found some products that seem to be appropriate, but they're geared towards a more industrial purpose. Is there a rackmount 120->220V converter that people out there have used and would recommend?
That's a transformer, period. But where is this that you there is "no" 240vac to be had? You are better off to pay an electrician to pull the 240 in, than spend money and space and HVAC load on a transformer. -- A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com & no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433 is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
participants (9)
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Christopher X. Candreva -
David Lesher -
Jay Hennigan -
Matthew Zito -
Peter Galbavy -
Robert Boyle -
Simon Lockhart -
Stephen J. Wilcox -
Vadim Antonov