Sophia Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 I scored a very cool pedestal lamp from a neighbour and it would be perfect for my fish room. It has this very heavy ballast/plug on it and I can't see '240V' anywhere on it. Looks like it would need a universal plug or an adaptor to make it fit our plug sockets. It appears to have the pin holes for a halogen bulb. Can I use this or is it best sent back to where it came from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 No. Read the input, it's only 100v and american plugs. The lamp will run really bright for about 1 second and then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 hmmmm, so I could give it to my mother in law instead then......... can the plug be changed to one of ours by an electrician or does the 100V mean that it's internal bits are only capable of taking 100V? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstar99 Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 You could get another adapter (a 230/12v one) wired on if you really wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 hmmmm, so I could give it to my mother in law instead then......... can the plug be changed to one of ours by an electrician or does the 100V mean that it's internal bits are only capable of taking 100V? The plug isn't really important, it's the internal bits. At our 230v the adapter will most likely put out 24v volt rather than 12. So assuming it's a simple mechanism what it's connected to will draw draw twice the amperage at twice the voltage, so 4 times the power. Your 300ish watt light will be drawing 1200+ watts You could replace the adapter(Probably the cheapest but hard to find) or get a transformer(Easier but expensive) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 It is not an issue of the plug but an issue that the circuitry inside is designed to be powered by 100v ac not 230 like we have here.. As Ira has said it won't be happy, only option would be to get a transformer to convert 230 to 110 but it's probably easier to just source a 230v one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Thanks for all the replies, I will get rid of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstar99 Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 That "adapter" is basically a transformer converting down to 12V. Its only a lamp nothing complicated just need to change a transformer to a 230 down to 12v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Something like this, with a new wall plug, should work http://www.lightingplus.co.nz/lighting/recessed-lights/ceiling-halogen-12-volt/star-tx-st60-electronic-transformer.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 thanks for the suggestions but I'd rather not risk using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 You could just take the wart to the local lighting shop and ask them if they have a NZ replacement. After all, all you want is 12V AC rated for 30VA going to the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 You could just take the wart to the local lighting shop and ask them if they have a NZ replacement. After all, all you want is 12V AC rated for 30VA going to the light. True, fittings would probably be the same, could be just a plug and play replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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