Hammond AC Power Supply Issues: US versus UK

[EddyG]

If I were to buy a Hammond B3 from the US and transport it to the UK, how would I convert 120V 60 Hz to 240V 50 Hz?
Is there a standard way of doing it for any organ?

[valotus]

If I were to buy a Hammond B3 from the US and transport it to the UK, how would I convert 120V 60 Hz to 240V 50 Hz?
Is there a standard way of doing it for any organ?

First you need a stepdown transformer to get voltage right. Power rating of transformer depends on all 120V equipment you'll going to feed from it, organ, leslie, tone cabinet, etc.

As mains frequency is the thing which keeps Hammond in tune, you then need a 50Hz to 60Hz frequency converter. Probably the most common is Trek II's SC-60D, but there are some cheaper alternatives like Keyboardpartners SWC-60 too. The most important is that frequency is quartz controlled to keep it exactly at 60Hz under any circumstances. Some simple converter may use circuit that allows frequency to alter depending on temperature and current.

Frequency converter is only needed to feed the run motor, all other parts, even start motor are happy with 120V 50Hz.

[enor]

The keyboardpartner converter is excellent. Much more affordable than the TREK, and a more modern design with more options with regards to fine tuning/transposing etc.

[EddyG]

Thanks for that advice. I was beginning to think it might not be possible!

[Wes]

Definitely possible.

The other thing to consider is the Leslie. Again, everything is possible, but you will have to thing about what you are doing.

Wes

[enor]

Thanks for that advice. I was beginning to think it might not be possible!

Quite the opposite, it's much easier and cheaper these days than ever before.

[KC9UDX]

It's a shame though not to use the mains frequency in UK, the only place left in the world insofar as I'm aware, where the mains frequency is still kept brilliantly in line all the time.

God save the Queen!

[drg]

If I understand the physics correctly, and if one could keep the original circuit(as switchable between it and the Trek/Keyboard Partner 50Hz converter) in addition to the new conversion, then could one switch whilst playing and achieve a detuning effect? I'm thinking that an A4/440Hz would then be a slightly flat F#/367Hz ???...and go between the two in a manner similar to a pitch wheel(well, at least the bottom 'half' of a pitch wheel)?

[enor]

The sudden change of frequency might cause the motor to lose sync and stall. Perhaps not when going down, but more likely when going back up.