will a 110v Immersion Heater work on 220v ?
Jan 12, 2011, 5:01 pm
#1
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will a 110v Immersion Heater work on 220v ?
Hi
I would like to get one of the small Immersion Heater that you would heat up water for coffee, soup etc,
All of them I find in the USA are 110v , but most of the rest of the world is 220v
So will a 110v one just work "better" on 220v or burn it up ?
I did a search in this section and it seemed some people were just using the 110v Immersion Heater wherever they traveled and it worked 110v-220v
Thanks for any info
Rally
I would like to get one of the small Immersion Heater that you would heat up water for coffee, soup etc,
All of them I find in the USA are 110v , but most of the rest of the world is 220v
So will a 110v one just work "better" on 220v or burn it up ?
I did a search in this section and it seemed some people were just using the 110v Immersion Heater wherever they traveled and it worked 110v-220v
Thanks for any info
Rally
Jan 12, 2011, 7:16 pm
#3
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If it's made for 110V, I can guarantee it does not work for 220V.
If you don't believe me, try it. You'll be treated to a nice fireworks show.
If you don't believe me, try it. You'll be treated to a nice fireworks show.
Last edited by Braindrain; Jan 12, 2011 at 9:46 pm Reason: Meant to say 220V rather than 120V.
Jan 12, 2011, 7:30 pm
#4
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Some do and some do not, usually the ones that do only cost a couple of bucks more than the 110 ones.
Check the label or it may be stamped on the handle, but if you can't tell for sure, don't try it and buy a dual voltage one.
Check the label or it may be stamped on the handle, but if you can't tell for sure, don't try it and buy a dual voltage one.
Jan 12, 2011, 7:31 pm
#5
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Several places sell the dual voltage ones including www.magellans.com I've bought several over the years. After a while they just quit working.
Jan 12, 2011, 8:58 pm
#6
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Read the ratings.
Remember that power = volts * amps.
Amps = volts / resistance.
Thus power = volts * volts / resistance.
Since it's the same unit the resistance is fixed and thus the power is proportional to the square of the voltage.
Thus when you double the voltage you multiply the power by four.
I don't think I need to spell out what happens.
If the manufacturer didn't make provisions for it you can't do it, period.
Remember that power = volts * amps.
Amps = volts / resistance.
Thus power = volts * volts / resistance.
Since it's the same unit the resistance is fixed and thus the power is proportional to the square of the voltage.
Thus when you double the voltage you multiply the power by four.
I don't think I need to spell out what happens.
If the manufacturer didn't make provisions for it you can't do it, period.
Jan 13, 2011, 10:49 am
#7
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Thanks , I understand the voltage-amps-watts , I just did not know if they were the same unit for 110v-220v
I can just have my friend in Europe buy me a couple , but if it was the same piece as I could get here then I would buy it....
Rally
I can just have my friend in Europe buy me a couple , but if it was the same piece as I could get here then I would buy it....
Rally
Jan 13, 2011, 12:36 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 657
Let's think about this for a minute....
E=IR
Voltage = Current * Resistance
Every immersion heater I have seen is a passive device. A pointed out previously, resistance will stay the same no matter what.
If you double the voltage, you will double the current for a constant resistance. Current capacity is controlled by wire size.* If the wires are have sufficient diameter, they should be able to carry the current associated with the increased voltage. If they wires are not thick enough, they will get very hot and burn out. The unit is cheap..give it a try and buy another one if there is a problem.
*Some devices have an internal current limiting resistor which will keep the current from reaching high values. I would be surprised to find this on an immersion heater since the purpose of the device is to heat up a coil by passing current through it.
M. Henri
P.E.
E=IR
Voltage = Current * Resistance
Every immersion heater I have seen is a passive device. A pointed out previously, resistance will stay the same no matter what.
If you double the voltage, you will double the current for a constant resistance. Current capacity is controlled by wire size.* If the wires are have sufficient diameter, they should be able to carry the current associated with the increased voltage. If they wires are not thick enough, they will get very hot and burn out. The unit is cheap..give it a try and buy another one if there is a problem.
*Some devices have an internal current limiting resistor which will keep the current from reaching high values. I would be surprised to find this on an immersion heater since the purpose of the device is to heat up a coil by passing current through it.
M. Henri
P.E.
Jan 13, 2011, 9:49 pm
#9
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No. A 110V rated heater will get fried on 220V. OTOH, a 220V heater would "work" on 110V, only not get very hot. Sorry, but life is not fair. 
I suggest an amazon/google search for a 200V heater. Or buy one after you get overseas.
I suggest an amazon/google search for a 200V heater. Or buy one after you get overseas.
Jan 14, 2011, 5:33 am
#10
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I have had one of these for 6 years, bought in the US, mainly used in Europe.
It is made by RJE, Taiwan, product ID CH101. It is UL listed, so has been safety tested to a US standard. When I looked around the internet to buy one, I formed the impression that either all the various brands on sale come from the same Taiwanese factory or one down the road that cloned it.
Mine is marked 120V, 125W; 240V, 500W. As quoted before, the same resistance with double the voltage gives 4x the power. In practical terms for me this means it works great in Europe, but you could die of thirst waiting to make your tea with it in the USA.
Mine came with a US plug fitted, which might cause one to think it is made for the US, so it is important to read the spec, not judge from an image, or the presence of a US plug, whether or not it is suitable for Europe.
I stuck mine under our x-ray machine and see that it is the simplest circuit you could imagine, plug, wires, heating element, no fuse. The point of failure must be designed to be the heating element which must fail inside the metal tube with satisfactory insulation to prevent any short circuit.
I have allowed mine to boil dry, on 220V, without it failing. You wouldn't have wanted to put your fingers on the metal part at that point, but it worked just fine after, so it appears the device is quite robust.
So just buy one on Amazon that is labeled dual voltage, they come with a US-European 2 pin adapter, which you can also use in the UK if you don't mind sticking something else in the ground socket to open the other two, or you can use a regular two pin US- 3 pin UK adapter, just not one with a 1amp fuse (the ones marked Shaver Only).
It is made by RJE, Taiwan, product ID CH101. It is UL listed, so has been safety tested to a US standard. When I looked around the internet to buy one, I formed the impression that either all the various brands on sale come from the same Taiwanese factory or one down the road that cloned it.
Mine is marked 120V, 125W; 240V, 500W. As quoted before, the same resistance with double the voltage gives 4x the power. In practical terms for me this means it works great in Europe, but you could die of thirst waiting to make your tea with it in the USA.
Mine came with a US plug fitted, which might cause one to think it is made for the US, so it is important to read the spec, not judge from an image, or the presence of a US plug, whether or not it is suitable for Europe.
I stuck mine under our x-ray machine and see that it is the simplest circuit you could imagine, plug, wires, heating element, no fuse. The point of failure must be designed to be the heating element which must fail inside the metal tube with satisfactory insulation to prevent any short circuit.
I have allowed mine to boil dry, on 220V, without it failing. You wouldn't have wanted to put your fingers on the metal part at that point, but it worked just fine after, so it appears the device is quite robust.
So just buy one on Amazon that is labeled dual voltage, they come with a US-European 2 pin adapter, which you can also use in the UK if you don't mind sticking something else in the ground socket to open the other two, or you can use a regular two pin US- 3 pin UK adapter, just not one with a 1amp fuse (the ones marked Shaver Only).
Jan 15, 2011, 6:47 pm
#12
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No, it will get as hot, just not as fast. It will eventually boil your water. You just might miss your plane while you enjoy your tea. 
bolding mine. I have the same, purchased IIRC thru magellans.com as their pn EF123. As above posters mentioned, 4X the power overseas.
I also have my older US only which is labeled as 120V, 200W. Physically it is almost identical. I am sure it would fry quickly on 240V, trying to pull 800W. Don't try it.
(whose post in this thread is ^) I am an E, without the P. As I ask every time I find mistakes that PE's from Fortune 500 firms make on the plans they send to me, "What does "PE" stand for, "Partially Enlightened"?" 
I have had one of these for 6 years, bought in the US, mainly used in Europe.
It is made by RJE, Taiwan, product ID CH101. It is UL listed, so has been safety tested to a US standard. When I looked around the internet to buy one, I formed the impression that either all the various brands on sale come from the same Taiwanese factory or one down the road that cloned it.
Mine is marked 120V, 125W; 240V, 500W.
It is made by RJE, Taiwan, product ID CH101. It is UL listed, so has been safety tested to a US standard. When I looked around the internet to buy one, I formed the impression that either all the various brands on sale come from the same Taiwanese factory or one down the road that cloned it.
Mine is marked 120V, 125W; 240V, 500W.
I also have my older US only which is labeled as 120V, 200W. Physically it is almost identical. I am sure it would fry quickly on 240V, trying to pull 800W. Don't try it.
M. Henri
P.E.
P.E.
Jan 15, 2011, 7:02 pm
#13
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There are some inexpensive, lightweight converters that change 230 VAC into 115 VDC, rated at 1000 watts or more. They can be used with devices that heat up, like hair dryers and immersion water heaters. (For the techies, their only active component is a simple diode.) They are not suitable for use with electronic devices, only with simple heating devices.
You probably can find them at travel stores, typically as part of a kit that also includes a set of adapters and a heavier 230 to 115 VAC transformer rated at only about 50 watts.
For example, http://cgi.ebay.com/Foreign-Power-Co...t_10508wt_1082 and http://cgi.ebay.com/Franzus-Foreign-...d#ht_500wt_922
You probably can find them at travel stores, typically as part of a kit that also includes a set of adapters and a heavier 230 to 115 VAC transformer rated at only about 50 watts.
For example, http://cgi.ebay.com/Foreign-Power-Co...t_10508wt_1082 and http://cgi.ebay.com/Franzus-Foreign-...d#ht_500wt_922
Jan 19, 2011, 12:14 am
#14
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Diodes are passive devices. The only way this could be considered active were if it were able to provide some gain like a negative resistance portion of certain types of diodes, but I don't think that's what's in this device.
Jan 21, 2011, 5:30 am
#15
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Hi
I would like to get one of the small Immersion Heater that you would heat up water for coffee, soup etc,
All of them I find in the USA are 110v , but most of the rest of the world is 220v
So will a 110v one just work "better" on 220v or burn it up ?
I did a search in this section and it seemed some people were just using the 110v Immersion Heater wherever they traveled and it worked 110v-220v
Thanks for any info
Rally
I would like to get one of the small Immersion Heater that you would heat up water for coffee, soup etc,
All of them I find in the USA are 110v , but most of the rest of the world is 220v
So will a 110v one just work "better" on 220v or burn it up ?
I did a search in this section and it seemed some people were just using the 110v Immersion Heater wherever they traveled and it worked 110v-220v
Thanks for any info
Rally
S