Porsche Sign Wiring

[jaudette3]

Well, this is kinda on-topic. I'm hoping there are folks here who understand electricity.

A few years ago I bought a large dealer PORSCHE sign from a seller in Italy. I finally have my new garage and I'm getting to install it. The sign has interior flourescent lighting but no cord -- it appears to be all wired through a small switch-block. My challenge is that it is the European 220V. Can I just go ahead and wire up a pig-tail and plug it directly into U.S. 110V? I do have 220V as well, but I understand U.S. 220V is different from European 220V.

Or should I just go ahead and replace the lighting and start from scratch?

Thanks for your help.

Regards,
John

[real550A]

John-
For European appliances and computer stuff, there is usually a reverse
converter used if you intend to plug it in to 120vac. It is 120 input/240 output.
Depending upon how much wattage your bulbs are, you can get the converter
at Radio Shack. My current printer is a Euro 240 model and uses a 44watt
converter. Hope this helps. Mike

[Richard]

John,
It's a little off your question, but a neighbor's house was just partially destroyed by a fire that started in their garage. (They don't know the cause yet, it's still being investigated.)

So my two cents advice is to talk with a qualified electrician and depending on how complicated it is, maybe hire him to wire your new sign. It's a lot cheaper than having something short out and start a fire. Good luck. Sounds like a neat sign.
Rich

[Neunelfer]

Well... if it's florescent, my guess is you'll need new (120v) ballast(s) for x number of bulb sets.

Are they standard size florescents? If so... what wattage? How many of them total?

Armed with that info, head to your local HD (Home Depot) and check out their ballast selection in the lighting aisle. Once you have the proper ballast(s) in there you either hard wire it to a box and a switch or wire the proper plug on it.

I tend to agree that if you're not that familiar with the process you should hire an electrician -or- send the damn troublesome sign to me and I'll keep it in my garage for ya! (it surely will be more trouble than it's worth)

[70SATMan]

Can I just go ahead and wire up a pig-tail and plug it directly into U.S. 110V? I do have 220V as well, but I understand U.S. 220V is different from European 220V.

Or should I just go ahead and replace the lighting and start from scratch?
Regards,
John

Don't plug it in! Odds are it just wouldn't be enough to exite with 110VAC. Don't connect to US 220VAC as that is Phase to Phase and not Phase to Neutral which ROW 220/240 is.

If it is just an internal Fluorescent fixture, I'd just replace it with a new US 110V version. Probably cheaper than buying a step up transformer even though those are readily available too.