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I have acquired a Playstation 2, model "SCPH-55000", i.e., an "NTSC-J" model. It has an internal power supply: the power cable is simply a cable, not a transformer. All of the documentation, both in the manual and on the device itself, says simply "100V", and not "100-120V" or "100/110V", as hardware sometimes does.

Is it safe to run this on 120V? (I know a 120->100 converter is pretty cheap but not needing one is even cheaper.) That is, will it work, without catching on fire, and without significantly shortening the life of the hardware?

Frank
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Ken
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  • I think it's fine, but I'm checking with my dad before I post an answer (he's a physics teacher with a really old electrical-engineering degree so he should be able to help) – Chris Browne Feb 14 '12 at 08:59

3 Answers3

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I don't want to post any guarantees, but I should imagine the PS2 would be OK.

Here's what my dad had to say:

The transformer is unlikely to be damaged in this scenario, but there is a chance that the circuits powered from it (i.e. the 12V and 5V ones) could be. They would be receiving about 20% more voltage than they should (i.e. 14.4V and 6V respectively) and whilst a good electronics designer would take account of this possibility, I do not know whether or not this applies with Playstation? Mains supply voltages can vary, and electricity providers usually work within agreed tolerance limits. The problem here, of course, is that the manufacturer may have designed the equipment well, and allowed for a reasonable over-voltage which would accept up to 120V, but if the user now operates the equipment on a 'nominally 120V' supply, and this supply reaches its 'upper limit', it does get a bit risky. Here in the UK where we (sensibly) use 230V, we can tolerate quite a severe under- or over-voltage as it is proportionally smaller. But then, we British do like to think we're quite tolerant, eh!

Sorry about the borderline-racist comment at the end, he's a funny old chap.

Hope this helps!

Chris Browne
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If that is a Japanse PS2, then it is safe. Enjoy your Ps2 :D.

Jabalma
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Yes, 20 volts should not be what would fry or even damage your Playstation. Having lived overseas for a couple years and experiencing 220 voltage instead of 110 scared me into learning about the voltage tolerance of stuff, and I sadly learned this lesson with the frying of an electronic drum kit. :( expensive mistake, yes. learning experience, yes. So, you should be ok. Sony Playstation, as well as most other companies, design their region specific products to tolerate a range of voltage, because everyone knows that power can vary from source to source within a region.

Portali5t
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