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    Snowsnake's Avatar
    Snowsnake Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Dec 15, 2015, 03:35 PM
    US appliance burnt out on UK electricity
    I connected a US appliance to the UK electricity and it seems I have burnt it out. Smoke & smell!

    I have since bought a step down converter, but all too little too late it seems.

    Can my appliance be fixed?

    It is an electric water filter.
    Waterlogic WL-3101 Firewall Hybrid Home Water Purifier
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #2

    Dec 15, 2015, 05:13 PM
    What did you think would happen when you plugged an appliance that is supposed to run on 120V into a 220V supply?? How did you even plug it in? The plugs are different.

    Can it be fixed? How are we supposed to know. We know nothing about it or what happened? This is like saying "My car died. Can it be fixed?"

    If you can provide a little more detail maybe someone can help. I'd say your best bet is to contact the manufacturer. Many times small appliances like this cannot be repaired.
    ma0641's Avatar
    ma0641 Posts: 15,675, Reputation: 1012
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    #3

    Dec 15, 2015, 06:28 PM
    My guess would be no. Too much voltage. As Stan asked, how did you plug it in without a converter?
    smoothy's Avatar
    smoothy Posts: 25,492, Reputation: 2853
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    #4

    Dec 15, 2015, 06:34 PM
    Trust me... seen it before..(lived overseas for a number of years and saw a lot of new arrivals make that mistake). surprisingly a lot of people think if you can get the right plug adapter (thats how they did it) it will work because some electronics have switching supplies that work with a wide range of voltages.

    Problem.. as they just discovered. A lot of items don't.

    Maybe they got lucky and just had a fuse blow...but I'm guessing its a lot more serious. Could easily cost more to fix than replace the item.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #5

    Dec 15, 2015, 09:38 PM
    Happens every semester here with new teachers, hair dryers, small electronics.

    Without someone in a shop looking at it, if there was an internal fuse or if merely a wire burnt that can be replaced?

    But most likely it fried every electronic circuit in it and is not much use now.

    Here in China they do have a two prong outlet that simple things can plug into, but it is all 240 (or so) anywayl
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
    		  
    #6

    Dec 19, 2015, 12:19 PM
    Smoke & smell!
    That says no, it can't be repaired. At least says it would cost more to repair than to replace.
    Missouri Bound's Avatar
    Missouri Bound Posts: 1,532, Reputation: 94
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #7

    Dec 19, 2015, 11:14 PM
    All electric devices run on smoke, not electricity.
    When the smoke runs out, the device quits working.
    Understand?
    stanfortyman's Avatar
    stanfortyman Posts: 5,598, Reputation: 279
    Electrical & Lighting Expert
    		  
    #8

    Dec 20, 2015, 10:16 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Missouri Bound View Post
    All electric devices run on smoke, not electricity.
    When the smoke runs out, the device quits working.
    Understand?
    Magic smoke. It's MAGIC smoke.
    You forgot to mention that.
    Missouri Bound's Avatar
    Missouri Bound Posts: 1,532, Reputation: 94
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    #9

    Dec 20, 2015, 05:56 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by stanfortyman View Post
    Magic smoke. It's MAGIC smoke.
    You forgot to mention that.
    It was told to me many years ago by one of my HVAC techs... I'd forgotten the magic part.
    Thanks.
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