Welcome, Guest!

Here are some links you may find helpful

Step Down converters nessessary for Japanese systems?

PopetherevXXVIII

Well-known member
Original poster
Registered
Jul 9, 2019
329
79
28
AGName
Godofhardcore
AG Join Date
Mar 31, 2007
I'm in MURICA Land of freedom and 120 Volts.

I also have a Super Famicom/Japanese PS2 and just got a Japanese Model 2 white Saturn.

Somebody in a Facebook Group told me and I quote

"I hope you have a step down convertor. I slowly killed my Japanese Saturn with domestic power."

Should I? Super Famicom is just fine after 2 years with it constantly being plugged in and not nesessarily on.
No issues with my PS2 other than maybe having to prop it up to get games to read.
I doubt whoever had this saturn before me had it going through a step down.
Edit DUH, My framemiester has been plugged in for 2 years with no sign of it going boom.

So I'm not sure, I'm thinking the PSUs are strong enough to handle them but, what say you guys?
 

iOrange

Active member
Registered
Jun 28, 2019
27
10
3
Well, there are two voltages in Japan - 100V and 110V

I wouldn't worry much tbh
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grayp33

Flash

Member
Jun 2, 2019
18
3
3
AGName
Flash
AG Join Date
Oct 19, 2011
There's nothing to worry about. At all. It's within tolerance limits.

Just like standard voltage in Europe is 230V±10%. Which means that you need only shape adapter if you want to use anything designed for 220-230v in 240v countries.

The only problem you can have with Japanese hardware is if it will be old equipment from 50Hz area of Japan which uses synchronous motors, like old turntables, movie projectors or tape recorders. They will run too fast. Same with very old TVs (it's easier for TVs though as all you need is to adjust a pot to make it hold the frames still) or any tech like that from Europe with just step-up transformer.
You'll need a frequency converter.

P.S. I was running Saturn with 120v step-down transformer for years, other stuff from Japan using 70v transformer from some medical equipment. 3DO - works, Saturn works, NGCD - works. Broadcast video monitor works, only makes transformer a little hot because it's 120W and transfomer is 120W. So we can safely assume that 70-120v is fine for Japanese equipment with switching PSUs.
 

StevO9389

Well-known member
Registered
May 30, 2019
46
20
8
I think age and neglect are what slowly killed his Saturn. All of my Japanese consoles have been running fine for hours on end with their original 100v power supplies but they're usually unplugged from the outlet when not in use.
 

Druid II

Well-known member
Registered
Jun 5, 2019
105
68
28
Most Japanese saturns have a power supply rated 100-120V or even 85-132V. You don't need a converter; they'll emit 10% more heat but that's it.

Aging caps are more likely to kill the unit.
 

Flash

Member
Jun 2, 2019
18
3
3
AGName
Flash
AG Join Date
Oct 19, 2011
Most Japanese saturns have a power supply rated 100-120V or even 85-132V. You don't need a converter; they'll emit 10% more heat but that's it.

Aging caps are more likely to kill the unit.
Less than 10%. It's a switching PSU, not a heating element. Nothing will happen if you'll run any Japanese hardware on 120v.
Aging caps sure can be a problem, laser as well.
 

MonkeyBoyJoey

Member
Registered
May 30, 2019
20
22
3
AGName
MonkeyBoyJoey
AG Join Date
March 1, 2015
I'm in MURICA Land of freedom and 120 Volts.

I also have a Super Famicom/Japanese PS2 and just got a Japanese Model 2 white Saturn.

Somebody in a Facebook Group told me and I quote

"I hope you have a step down convertor. I slowly killed my Japanese Saturn with domestic power."

Should I? Super Famicom is just fine after 2 years with it constantly being plugged in and not nesessarily on.
No issues with my PS2 other than maybe having to prop it up to get games to read.
I doubt whoever had this saturn before me had it going through a step down.
Edit DUH, My framemiester has been plugged in for 2 years with no sign of it going boom.

So I'm not sure, I'm thinking the PSUs are strong enough to handle them but, what say you guys?

The others here are right, the systems will be fine. I have a Victor V-Saturn, Famicom, Super Famicom, and PC-Engine with a Super CD-ROM2. The only one of those plugged directly into the wall is the V-Saturn but as the others said, the PSU is designed for 110v-120v. I use a Sega Genesis Model 1 PSU for my Famicom/SFC and a universal one for my PCE and they work fine.

If you are really concerned about your SFC, it can run perfectly fine on a Sega Genesis Model 1 PSU which is specifically designed for US 110v-120v outlets, as can many 9v DC Japanese consoles.

On a side note, if you dabble in PAL devices, you can use the 220v dryer or electric stove outlet to power them. While it is 10Hz higher than the 50Hz they expect, I've been told by professionals that it will work fine.

Yes, the US has 220v standard in most houses for those of you that were unware.
 

Druid II

Well-known member
Registered
Jun 5, 2019
105
68
28
On a side note, if you dabble in PAL devices, you can use the 220v dryer or electric stove outlet to power them. While it is 10Hz higher than the 50Hz they expect, I've been told by professionals that it will work fine.

More importantly, every PAL PSU I have on record states that it works both in 50Hz and 60Hz.
 

Make a donation