I'm moving overseas from the US and have some festool 110V 60hz tools to
bring. They are much cheaper here in the US, so I thought I would stock up.
I was looking at the 150 sander & asked the dealer if he could get the
European model which would be 50hz. He said he couldn't & that Festool had
told him their American tools would not work in Europe. Anyone any
experience with this? I've brought other items over and used a transformer
to step down the voltage from 220 to 110. I know the hz can cause issues
such as the tool running about 17% slower (50hz/60hz), but not work at all?
Doesn't sound right?

In article ,
Chris wrote:
I'm moving overseas from the US and have some festool 110V 60hz tools to
bring. They are much cheaper here in the US, so I thought I would stock
up. I was looking at the 150 sander & asked the dealer if he could get
the European model which would be 50hz. He said he couldn't & that
Festool had told him their American tools would not work in Europe.
Anyone any experience with this? I've brought other items over and used
a transformer to step down the voltage from 220 to 110. I know the hz
can cause issues such as the tool running about 17% slower (50hz/60hz),
but not work at all? Doesn't sound right?

Most power tools use universal motors which aren't effected by frequency.

--
*Letting a cat out of the bag is easier than putting it back in *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Sounds like a FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt).

From a manufacturers viewpoint it's expensive and inconvenient to make
different products for different markets.

Check the motor rating labels on the tool - most say 50/60Hz, and even
if it doesn't a motor is unlikely to be damaged provided the voltage
is correct.

In the UK 110V site tools are commonplace - and a site transformer
used (like these
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16158/...VA-Transformer
)

(They're isolation transformers, so contact with the phase wire is
less dangerous)

As Festool have demountable power cords, you would just have to make
one up to fit a UK site transformer to cover all your tools.

On Mar 13, 4:29*am, "Chris" wrote:
I'm moving overseas from the US and have some festool 110V 60hz tools to
bring. They are much cheaper here in the US, so I thought I would stock up..
I was looking at the 150 sander & asked the dealer if he could get the
European model which would be 50hz. He said he couldn't & that Festool had
told him their American tools would not work in Europe. Anyone any
experience with this? I've brought other items over and used a transformer
to step down the voltage from 220 to 110. I know the hz can cause issues
such as the tool running about 17% slower (50hz/60hz), but not work at all?
Doesn't sound right?

For your info we have been doing the exact oppsite for the last 50+
years.
We have a 230 volt Wolf drill bought in 1953, by using a transformer
to step up the 115 to 230 we still use it today, in Canada.
In a country using 230 you can step down from 230 to 115 volts.
As mentioned 115 volts tools often used that way in UK.
I have read that ingeniously the transformer not only isolates the
tool from the 230 volt side, it also, the 115 volt output being centre
tapped to ground reduces the voltage at the tool to about 58 volts
RMS; safer.