What happens if you plug a 12 volt appliance into 240 volt power supply?

Answer 1

The power rating on the converter won't be high enough. You cannot exceede the power capacity of the source, no matter how hard you try. In the US outlets are 15A at 120V. 15A * 120V = 1800W. No matter what you do, you cannot draw more power than that from the outlet. Also, you are limited by the weakest link in your chain. The next link is the converter itself. If you can get a converter with a power rating higher than your appliance, and the appliance draws under 1800W, then yes, you can power it with a converter. (Though, if it draws 1800W, or over 1500W to be practical, it will need a dedicated line.) So, for a small appliance bought overseas, yes this will work. For Ranges and Dryers, no it will not. There is a reason they are not designed to plug in to regular outlets. Range: 50A at 240V: 12,000 Watts max. 6.7x the amount of power a 120V outlet can supply. Dryer: 30A at 240V: 7,200 Watts max. 4 times the amount of power a 120V outlet can supply. The previous answer is not correct. Of course you can. There's absolutely no reason why it would not work. The outlet and the power source it is connected to has no limit as to the amount of power that can be drawn, for all intents and purposes. The current is artificially limited by the circuit's fuse/circuit breaker for safety reasons. Given sufficiently thick wire, the circuit can draw 50, 100, 200A with no problem. The reason the circuits are current-limited is due to the relatively thin wires between the power source and the outlet. Thinner wires heat up faster as the current passing through them increases. At a certain current level, the wire can heat up enough to be a fire hazard. A step-up transformer is simply wire wrapped around two iron cores. One side is connected to the 120V source (the outlet). The other side is connected to the appliance. The changing voltage on one side (AC) induces voltage changes on the other side proportional to the ratio of the number of turns of wire. This is basically the opposite of the step-down transformer connecting your house to the power grid. What would you use instead of a step-up transformer anyway?

Answer 2

At best, nothing will happen; the appliances won't run. At worst, the appliance will try to run on the lower voltage, fail to do so, and damage some of the mechanical parts. This is one of the reasons why a 240V appliance has a different plug than a 110V item.

Answer 3

No, the device will not function properly.

Some devices can operate on both voltages, a computer power supply for example. Most devices require a properly wired outlet connected to the correct voltage source.

In the US most houses are supplied with 220/240 volt to their utility panel. An electrician can help you install an outlet for your device.

Note:

The above answer is correct. In addition, within the United States, cord caps, {plugs}, and receptacles, {outlets}, have unique configurations for various voltages and currents that prevent plugging in 120 volt loads to 240 volt sources. At the same time, they prevent you from plugging in a 30 amp device into a 20 amp outlet.

Answer 4

If the appliance has an internal fuse, the fuse will open immediately. That's a good thing.

It's the only chance you have of saving the appliance.

If there is no internal fuse, expect the appliance to die a catastrophic, permanent death,

so quickly that you may not even see or hear any evidence of it happening.

However, if the appliance is so solidly built that it does survive briefly, then you could be

treated to a sound and light show during the process of its destruction, in the form of

smoke and sparks.

Answer 5

This scenario can not happen as the two types of plugs have different pin configurations. This is done for safety reasons so that these types of mistakes will not happen.