Foreign Appliances in USA

[jrmylmach1]

I have a question that I hope the community here can answer.

We are building a new home and we want to put the washlet toilet seats in the house. Obviously, we are 120/240v in the US. I work in Japan and can get the same seats at about half the cost of them in the States. However, in Japan the voltage is 100v.

If I plug the 100v seat into a 120v outlet, will it destroy the electronics in it? Or will it have no effect?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Gary S]

What does the appliance label say?

 

[Norcal]

Electrical devices must be listed & labeled by a NRTL, Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, which UL is one, I doubt that something made for the domestic Japanese market will have the required NTRL listing & 100V on a 120V supply is not good.

 

[nehog]

My experience says unless it is rated as 100-120 (or higher) it is best not to do it.

 

[shoturtle]

Depending on the product, you will need to be concern with the Hz as well. Not sure if Japan uses 60Hz.

 

[jrmylmach1]

Ok. Thanks for the replies. They are labeled as 100v 50-60hz. So looks like I will try and find a model made for international use for sale over here. Not the easiest to find. Or **** it up and pay the US price.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Depending on the product, you will need to be concern with the Hz as well. Not sure if Japan uses 60Hz.

Actually, its an odd situation, as Japan is split, with one part of the country using 50 hz, and the other part using 60 hz. This is why having that nuclear reactor shut down was such a problem, as the two grids are totally separated and unable to move power between them due to the cycle difference. Eastern Japan is 50 Hz (Tokyo, Kawasaki, Sapporo, Yokohoma, and Sendai) while Western Japan is 60 Hz (Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Hiroshima).

Charles

 

[shoturtle]

That is very strange indeed with having both 50 and 60hz. They should standardize it under one cycle.

 

[Zelatore]

Actually, its an odd situation, as Japan is split, with one part of the country using 50 hz, and the other part using 60 hz. This is why having that nuclear reactor shut down was such a problem, as the two grids are totally separated and unable to move power between them due to the cycle difference. Eastern Japan is 50 Hz (Tokyo, Kawasaki, Sapporo, Yokohoma, and Sendai) while Western Japan is 60 Hz (Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Hiroshima).

Charles

Wow, never knew that. I assumed they were 50 hz. Any special reason they are split? Seems really inefficient, and very un-Japanese.

 

[CNGsaves]

Wow, never knew that. I assumed they were 50 hz. Any special reason they are split? Seems really inefficient, and very un-Japanese.

That's incredible info on the Japanese difference in 50 vs 60 Hz. Guess it takes a Tsunami to expose their great weakness. With such a small landmass, doesn't really make sense to have the difference.

Now what explains the USA military having 400 Hz equipment?? There are ton of awesome generators for sale on GovLiquidation but bunch of them are 400 Hz. Is that standard in other parts of world??

 

[Norcal]

That's incredible info on the Japanese difference in 50 vs 60 Hz. Guess it takes a Tsunami to expose their great weakness. With such a small landmass, doesn't really make sense to have the difference.

Now what explains the USA military having 400 Hz equipment?? There are ton of awesome generators for sale on GovLiquidation but bunch of them are 400 Hz. Is that standard in other parts of world??

The 50/60 HZ issue had to do w/ the American occupation of Japan after WWII, & 400HZ is used on aircraft because motors & transformers are smaller & w/ aircraft less weight is desirable.

 

[larry4406]

My company just sold a house to a customer that wanted to put in the Toto Washolets - heated toilet seat with heated rinse water spray attachment for aftermath cleanup.

Any event, we had to fish in new electrical outlets (GFI) for each bathroom with the outlet placed low and close to the toilet. These were home runs back to the panel.

For your lower voltage units, could you not put a small step down transformer near your panel to deliver dropped voltage to the toilet specific outlets? Not sure how this would work with GFI protection.

 

[jrmylmach1]

My company just sold a house to a customer that wanted to put in the Toto Washolets - heated toilet seat with heated rinse water spray attachment for aftermath cleanup.

Any event, we had to fish in new electrical outlets (GFI) for each bathroom with the outlet placed low and close to the toilet. These were home runs back to the panel.

For your lower voltage units, could you not put a small step down transformer near your panel to deliver dropped voltage to the toilet specific outlets? Not sure how this would work with GFI protection.

That is something that I was wondering about also. If there was some way to reduce the voltage just enough. This will be in new construction so I can do whatever is possible.


Also, for whoever said the Japanese are efficient, I used to think that also. Until I started working over here. There are so many inefficiencies that we deal with daily that it is amazing that anything ever gets finished here. They just hide it very well.

 

[nehog]

One possible solution would be to take a small 120 to 12 volt, 5* amp transformer and wire it in a buck configuration. (*That assumes that those seats draw less than 5 amps!)

Just make sure you wire in a buck configuration and not in a boost one!!!

 

[larry4406]

The Toto units our customer put in were a little over 7 amps each at 120V. The seat is heated and it heats the spray water. I guess you have to be comfortable.

 

[jrmylmach1]

The Toto units our customer put in were a little over 7 amps each at 120V. The seat is heated and it heats the spray water. I guess you have to be comfortable.

Yea, me personally, I don't care. I never use the ones that are in all the hotels over here. But my wife hates being cold, so I gotta keep her happy.

I was wondering what the draw for them would be. I was looking at some literature that I picked up at the store on them and it appears to me that they draw around 1200W. (Of course it is all written in Japanese, and I don't read Japanese) So if my calculations are correct that would be about 12 Amps at 100V or 10 Amps at 120V.

 

[Kevin C]

Assuming the resistance of the heating element is fixed, the current would be the same at either voltage. So at 120 V you would get 20% more heat output. If there is a thermostat then the average current should be limited but the current with heater o should be higher.

Also, 1000 watts sounds pretty high.

Norcal, have you had to get products certified? I am going through the NTRL, CE and CB process on some lab equipment. Steep learning curve.

 

[madosta]

Hold on... what's the matter with this:

I love technology but... wow. HOYTIE TOYTIE WOMEN!

 

[jrmylmach1]

Hold on... what's the matter with this:

I love technology but... wow. HOYTIE TOYTIE WOMEN!

Ahhh, that had me laughing pretty good. I know, I know. What is it with these women and their comfort? I'm good with going out in the bushes and using a leaf. But alas, she can, and will, make my life hell if she isn't comfortable. I guess that is why I work as hard as I do. So she can be comfortable.

I'm going to have to ask someone here who reads Japanese what the wattage is on these things. It sure looks like at says 1200W in the brochure.

 

[nehog]

Assuming the resistance of the heating element is fixed, the current would be the same at either voltage. So at 120 V you would get 20% more heat output...

Were this true, then heating elements would not have voltage ratings!

No: study Ohm's law and it will show you how voltage, current and resistance interact. Raise voltage and current also increases. Resistance is the only fixed thing* in the equation!

*actually a resistance element's resistance does vary with temperature. Connect that element to a higher voltage it will get hotter, and the resistance will change. However without very careful engineering you can't use that resistance change to compensate for variable line voltage.

 

[Norcal]

Assuming the resistance of the heating element is fixed, the current would be the same at either voltage. So at 120 V you would get 20% more heat output. If there is a thermostat then the average current should be limited but the current with heater o should be higher.

Also, 1000 watts sounds pretty high.

Norcal, have you had to get products certified? I am going through the NTRL, CE and CB process on some lab equipment. Steep learning curve.

No I have not,but have heard it is quite expensive.