Starting a fresh thread here on this topic since the previous thread is getting so deep that it is not easily digestible. Hope that's ok.
Brief background (see prior thread for full details): I became enamored with the Mafell LO55 router - a very innovative and interesting tool that is not yet available in the USA market. I naively purchased this tool assuming that I could either run it directly off USA 240V/60Hz power or through an inexpensive voltage step up transformer. This did not work. Members of the community really stepped up with suggestions and insights into what might be going wrong. A summary of the consensus was that (a) these are universal motors which should run on 60 Hz power just faster; (b) the cheap step up transformer might be the culprit due to startup surge or some issue with delivered voltage; and (c) that the router electronics were unlikely to be directly assessing the frequency for a variety of reasons.
Summary:
1. Attaching the router to 240V/60Hz power via the step up transformer doesn't work. Lights up but throws an error and motor doesn't start.
2. Creating an adapter to allow the router to be directly plugged into 240V/60Hz power doesn't work with similar behavior.
I then acquired a variable AC power source that would allow me to alter voltage and frequency independently.
3. Giving the router 230V/60Hz power - same fault condition and motor does not start.
4. Setting the power source to deliver 230V/50Hz power - the router works completely normally.
So the take home message are:
a. The Mafell LO55 router must be run on 230V/50Hz power to function normally. This is almost certainly because the electronics are sensing the frequency and not allowing the motor (which can almost certainly run at either 50 or 60 Hz) to start.
b. If you want to run this router in the USA you are going to have to come up with a mechanism to provide it with 50Hz power. Obviously, using an expensive test apparatus to feed it custom power works but this isn't such a practical option for most users. Another option that was discussed was using a battery (or solar) to DC to AC 230V/50Hz conversion path (using a power invertor similar to what might be used in a European RV) could potentially be a successful and cost effective strategy. I suspect that if such a setup could be built cost effectively that the router would work fine provided the AC output from the device was 230V/50Hz (which shouldn't be hard).
(c) perhaps the electronic redesign to work with 60Hz power has something to do with why this router is not yet available in the USA market? Or perhaps its just market forces...
SO - The Mafell LO55 works normally in the USA but only if you can provide it with the 50Hz power it requires.
I guess this isn't a massive revelation since the device is designed for 230V/50Hz but at least this has been experimentally proven using stock USA 120V/60Hz power as a starting point.
Brief background (see prior thread for full details): I became enamored with the Mafell LO55 router - a very innovative and interesting tool that is not yet available in the USA market. I naively purchased this tool assuming that I could either run it directly off USA 240V/60Hz power or through an inexpensive voltage step up transformer. This did not work. Members of the community really stepped up with suggestions and insights into what might be going wrong. A summary of the consensus was that (a) these are universal motors which should run on 60 Hz power just faster; (b) the cheap step up transformer might be the culprit due to startup surge or some issue with delivered voltage; and (c) that the router electronics were unlikely to be directly assessing the frequency for a variety of reasons.
Summary:
1. Attaching the router to 240V/60Hz power via the step up transformer doesn't work. Lights up but throws an error and motor doesn't start.
2. Creating an adapter to allow the router to be directly plugged into 240V/60Hz power doesn't work with similar behavior.
I then acquired a variable AC power source that would allow me to alter voltage and frequency independently.
3. Giving the router 230V/60Hz power - same fault condition and motor does not start.
4. Setting the power source to deliver 230V/50Hz power - the router works completely normally.
So the take home message are:
a. The Mafell LO55 router must be run on 230V/50Hz power to function normally. This is almost certainly because the electronics are sensing the frequency and not allowing the motor (which can almost certainly run at either 50 or 60 Hz) to start.
b. If you want to run this router in the USA you are going to have to come up with a mechanism to provide it with 50Hz power. Obviously, using an expensive test apparatus to feed it custom power works but this isn't such a practical option for most users. Another option that was discussed was using a battery (or solar) to DC to AC 230V/50Hz conversion path (using a power invertor similar to what might be used in a European RV) could potentially be a successful and cost effective strategy. I suspect that if such a setup could be built cost effectively that the router would work fine provided the AC output from the device was 230V/50Hz (which shouldn't be hard).
(c) perhaps the electronic redesign to work with 60Hz power has something to do with why this router is not yet available in the USA market? Or perhaps its just market forces...
SO - The Mafell LO55 works normally in the USA but only if you can provide it with the 50Hz power it requires.
I guess this isn't a massive revelation since the device is designed for 230V/50Hz but at least this has been experimentally proven using stock USA 120V/60Hz power as a starting point.
