Need Help Star lube sizer Heated base

[icm]

Hi all
I bought second hand Star lube sizer with heated base and bullet feeder and it is just arrived in my hands. But i have a problem... i need heated base specs. Does it work on 110 Volts only? I live in Italy and we have 220 Volts. I think if i use it with 220 Volt i will burn it. In the case it is not possible i am thinking to buy a converter 220 to 110 but i have to know heated base Wattage before to buy.
Can you help me please?
stefano.

[454PB]

According to the Magma website, the heater is available in either 120 or 240 volt, no wattage listed. It should say somewhere on the heater what voltage it was designed for.

Yes, if it's a 120 volt, you will destroy rather quickly with 240 volts. I'm betting the wattage is around 100. Get a transformer rated for 500 watts and you'll be fine.

[icm]

Thanks 454PB.

I did not see any printing on the heater about voltage (will check it better) but i am 99% sure it is 120 V because it comes from U.S.A. Will buy hig rated transformer as you suggest.

Thank you. stefano.

[gary0529]

icm,

Doubt you will need a high rated transformer as the heater plate does not pull all that much current.
I recently called Lyman to get the wattage spec for their base heater and it was only 20 watts.

I am willing to bet that any garden variety current converter you might possess will do the trick as the wife's hair dryer that she uses when she travels to Europe pulls 1000 watts and it is easily handled by the converter she picked up locally and carries when she travels.

Happy casting.

Gary

[timkelley]

Is there a plug on the cord? You should be able to tell from the plug.

[icm]

I just disassembled the heated base and now I know the specs. I found them printed on heating element. It is 120 Volts and 175 Watts. The heating element is like a stick mm102(4 inch) long and mm9(.355) diameter, it is controlled by a simple bimetallic thermostat. I think the better way is to change the heating element that is compatible with Italian voltage (220) and put a new cord with Italian plug (there is not original cord).
Thanks to all. Stefano

[Lloyd Smale]

for what they cost it would probably be easisest just to swap the heater out for one of the ones midway sells. that is if they still sell it and they offer a 220 vt unit. other then that a guy may be able to strip down a clothes iron and adapty the the heated part of the iron and its reostat to the base or maybe find a step down transformer.

[Willbird]

I just disassembled the heated base and now I know the specs. I found them printed on heating element. It is 120 Volts and 175 Watts. The heating element is like a stick mm102(4 inch) long and mm9(.355) diameter, it is controlled by a simple bimetallic thermostat. I think the better way is to change the heating element that is compatible with Italian voltage (220) and put a new cord with Italian plug (there is not original cord).
Thanks to all. Stefano

That strip is probably what is known as a "cartridge heater" you may be able to find them at Mcmaster and Carr, they sell both 220 and 110 volt. Or you could always call Magma and talk to them.

here are the heaters at mcmaster
http://www.mcmaster.com/#cartridge-heaters/=xej7l

Bill

[icm]

To Lloyd Smale

Midway sell complete heated base and it is more expensive than cartridge heater...

To Willbird

Thank you for the link. It is exactly what i need. I found cartridge heater here in Italy, its specs is 3/8 Dia. X 4 inch X 220 Volts. Some problems about Wattage.. i found 250watts. Star cartridge heater is 175 watts. Will search for other shop.

[blysmelter]

other then that a guy may be able to strip down a clothes iron and adapty the the heated part of the iron and its reostat to the base or maybe find a step down transformer.

Mount your press on a pice of aluminium plate, let the plate extend on the rear side of the press, put a el-chepo cloths iron on teh alu-plate. Voila-an adjustable heated base for your lubrizer at the cost of close to nothing.

[Down South]

The clothes iron on a plate that the sizer is mounted to is what I use and it works well. I paid around $9 for the iron. I had to remove the idiot switch that shuts the iron off after a brief period of inactivity, but that was no problem.

[icm]

Yes Down South, the clothes iron is the cheapest way but i bought the sizer, heated base and bullet feeder in stock so now i would like to use it.I found heating element 220 Volt x 200 Watt and it cost € 22. Will change the original star heating element and will not buy transformer and plug adapter. stefano

[runfiverun]

the base plate for the heater is also where the boolit feeder mounts.

[icm]

To runfiverun

Yes, boolit feeder and sizer are mounted on heated base plate and the heating element is inside a hole to heated base. It is easy to remove.