Power Bright VC500W Voltage Transformer 500 Watt Step Up/Down Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $44.99
Sale Price: $30.22
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

DOES NOT OVERHEAT, RUNS MY WIFE'S SINGER SWING MACHINE SHE BROUGHT FROM HONG KONG YEARS AGO..... SHE HAS MADE NUMEROUS HEAVY SOFA CUSHIONS AND ALTERED SEVERAL PANTS AND JACKETS ...

SEEMS FINE AFTER ABOUT 20 HOURS USING IT OVER TWO MONTHS...

Just remember, as with any "residential quality" transformer, buy 40-70% more output than your normal wattage load, and the transformer life expectancy will increase by double... (I'm retired electrician).

UPDATE 9-6-2012 : Yes, the instructions are next to useless, but now two friends of mine also have these, with no problems either. Transformers are darn near bullet proof or defective one or the other. But if you hook them up incorrectly, they will burn out quite quickly, depending on what you did wrong, and what load was on the transformer.

I just wonder if users are asking qualified people how to hook up, or just winging it.... BTW, I had pretty good luck with their customer service in North Carolina. You might call them if you are unsure of your installation ability.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

First, be aware that when this transformer steps up the voltage, it simply doubles it and that is all it does. Since in the USA voltage is 120 Volts (it has not been 110 volts for a very long time) it outputs 240 volts not 220. It does not change the Hz so the output is 240V 60Hz. You should check whatever you are plugging into the "220V" outlet to make sure that it can operate at 240V 60Hz. The second problem is that the "Universal" outlet does not ground the widely used "Schuko" plug, so saying it is "Universal" is highly misleading. Also, be sure to get a much larger wattage than the nominal wattage of whatever you are plugging into it. I tried a 500 watt version with my 165 watt gelato machine but it kept blowing the fuse when the compressor cycled on. Which brings me to the third weakness which is the fuse sure they give you two spare ones, but a circuit breaker would be much better.

That said, this unit is inexpensive compared to what you would have to pay for one with a circuit breaker and a Schuko plug in addition to the "Universal" plug. So it might serve your purposes, just make sure whatever you are going to plug into it will work on 240V 60hz, doesn't use a Schuko plug and doesn't have wattage spikes that are many times their nominal wattage.

Best Deals for Power Bright VC500W Voltage Transformer 500 Watt Step Up/Down

I recently moved from Singapore (220v) to the US (110v) and wanted to keep using my stereo. I therefore bought this transformer. It is pretty heavy, but working fine as long as you watch limit your appliances do not exceed the max of 500 Watts. Please read manual before using it. There is a little plug at the back that you need to set whether you want 120-220 conversion or 220-110 conversion. For some appliances, like my Imac and Samsung TV there is no need to use a transformer because they run both on 100 and 220 volts. All you need then is a new power cord. Also for all 12v, 6v powered smaller devices and chargers you could also just buy a new power plug. These plugs cost you a few bucks and are cheaper than a convertor. However for my Pioneer stereo I needed a transformer and this product does the work perfectly. I could recommend this to anyone.

Honest reviews on Power Bright VC500W Voltage Transformer 500 Watt Step Up/Down

I purchased this item to run 110v US computer, amplifier and lcd projectors in London, England for a show there. It worked perfectly, running for 12 hours each day. Also used it to charge phones and computers overnight, worked great.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Power Bright VC500W Voltage Transformer 500 Watt Step Up/Down

A step up transformer is a conceptually simple item and I've never owned another model so I can't make a comparison. However, I can say that I was very happy with the fact that the product came with extra fuses. The case is metal, not plastic. I like that the input voltage is set with a jumper.. no accidentally hitting a switch. As you can see from the picture, 220V output can handle most plug configurations.