There is no damn way that that little motor that runs a ball cleaner needs 220v to run.. use some common sense please lol
BallStar Optima BCM201 Ball Cleaner..............NOT ELECTRICALLY SAFE
- Thread starter Hungarian
- Start date
I learnt a long time ago that offering advice/opinion on forums regarding what I deal with on a professional level, isn't wise. His post isn't completely accurate but contains nothing that could potentially lead someone down a hazardous path, so I get to dodge this one in good conscious.
You are correct. Most fractional HP loads such as this dinky little ball cleaner need not be served with 220V. However, the subject motor is rated at 220V / 50 Hz. Care to tell us why you think this is?
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
The reason is so they can sell the unit in all world markets using the same motor.
I have the very same BallStar machine which I refer to as a crockpot design because of the way the lid lifts.
It was used when I bought it on eBay 1997. The machine has operated successfully for 26 years without
any problems using Diamond Mist Liquid Cleaner and Aramith Ball polish that is sparingly applied to every
pool ball using small dots (4-5) of polish. I periodically remove the pads and light wire brush clean them.
I’ve replaced the pads twice and this BallStar has worked like a champion until last year when the UPS
power switch (green toggle switch) on the outside wall cracked and eventually broke from continued use.
Obtaining an original factory replacement was impossible & I communicated with the factory in South Korea.
There weren’t any parts with their USA distributors until very recently. The part costs only a few bucks and
my buddy was helping me follow when parts might become available. Low and behold a month ago, I go to
his house to play pool in his man cave, which is just an incredible incredible setup, he handed me two new
UPS switches. One was to install and the other was backup inventory just in case. The next day I returned
and he installed the switch that took 10 mins because of the small opening space to work with. The Ball Star
is operational again and I expect it will run another 20+ years because of the durability of its original design.
Sierra Billiards is where I have an annual membership and they clean the pool balls every day using a 16 ball
Diamond polisher. With my Ball Star, I can polish 8 balls at a time so i have to do it twice. But the Ball Star is
so much quieter than the Diamond Polisher. You can hear it running playing pool on a distant table 50’ away.
Getting this Ball Star was one of the smartest investments I ever made when it comes to pool accessories.
It was used when I bought it on eBay 1997. The machine has operated successfully for 26 years without
any problems using Diamond Mist Liquid Cleaner and Aramith Ball polish that is sparingly applied to every
pool ball using small dots (4-5) of polish. I periodically remove the pads and light wire brush clean them.
I’ve replaced the pads twice and this BallStar has worked like a champion until last year when the UPS
power switch (green toggle switch) on the outside wall cracked and eventually broke from continued use.
Obtaining an original factory replacement was impossible & I communicated with the factory in South Korea.
There weren’t any parts with their USA distributors until very recently. The part costs only a few bucks and
my buddy was helping me follow when parts might become available. Low and behold a month ago, I go to
his house to play pool in his man cave, which is just an incredible incredible setup, he handed me two new
UPS switches. One was to install and the other was backup inventory just in case. The next day I returned
and he installed the switch that took 10 mins because of the small opening space to work with. The Ball Star
is operational again and I expect it will run another 20+ years because of the durability of its original design.
Sierra Billiards is where I have an annual membership and they clean the pool balls every day using a 16 ball
Diamond polisher. With my Ball Star, I can polish 8 balls at a time so i have to do it twice. But the Ball Star is
so much quieter than the Diamond Polisher. You can hear it running playing pool on a distant table 50’ away.
Getting this Ball Star was one of the smartest investments I ever made when it comes to pool accessories.
Exactly. We use 120V in the USA. Europe and many other places is 220 - 240V. Not sure why trob has decided to trigger?
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
Trob hasn't ever left Alabama, much less designed anything.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
Trob is from Bama? I always thought he was Eastern European.
That answers a lot.
I have no clue where he is from, just the feeling I get.
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
I never said it should take 220v to run, smart guy. I have always been instructed that you shouldn't run a 220v motor on 120v. Others say that it is fine, okay, they probably know more than I do and what the research I have done says.
your right smart guy .. you shouldn’t. Lol thats what I’m saying. basic common sense tells me that a small motor in that thing that runs for 5 to 10 mins at most doesn’t need 220v. Your dryer needs that .. not a pool ball cleaner.
I’m from pa. wtf do you get bama
I wish I was from down south.
Western PA?your right smart guy .. you shouldn’t. Lol thats what I’m saying. basic common sense tells me that a small motor in that thing that runs for 5 to 10 mins at most doesn’t need 220v. Your dryer needs that .. not a pool ball cleaner.
I’m from pa. wtf do you get bama
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
your right smart guy .. you shouldn’t. Lol thats what I’m saying. basic common sense tells me that a small motor in that thing that runs for 5 to 10 mins at most doesn’t need 220v. Your dryer needs that .. not a pool ball cleaner.
I’m from pa. wtf do you get bama
Let me spell it out for you:
They use 220v in other countries. They don't have 120v in most other countries.
I never said they needed 220v. I said that the motor was rated for 220v 50hz which they use in Europe and Asia.
I've already stated that my research suggested that using a 220v motor on 120v can cause it to overheat. According to others it isn't an issue.
I get Alabama from the way that you write.
poolf4natic
Registered
Electronic Parts Outlet
epohouston.com
If you have an electronics parts store in your aera they'll have one and will cost less than $10. The one I bought was a hair too large in diameter so I had to open up the hole in the tank with a step bit.
These types of fuse holders are rated for 250VAC. The machine runs on 120VAC. I soldered mine. I can't remember if the original fuse holder was soldered or not. The label on the front says 10 Amps. You will want to use a fast acting fuse. I tested it with different fuses sizes down to a 5A fuse. No need for a 10A fuse.
For $750 plus shipping to Houston I can fix it for you.
poolf4natic
Registered
L
I’ll consider it ;P
Electronic Parts Outlet
If you have an electronics parts store in your aera they'll have one and will cost less than $10. The one I bought was a hair too large in diameter so I had to open up the hole in the tank with a step bit.
These types of fuse holders are rated for 250VAC. The machine runs on 120VAC. I soldered mine. I can't remember if the original fuse holder was soldered or not. The label on the front says 10 Amps. You will want to use a fast acting fuse. I tested it with different fuses sizes down to a 5A fuse. No need for a 10A fuse.
For $750 plus shipping to Houston I can fix it for you.
I’ll consider it ;P
That's a bargain at twice the price!!!!!Electronic Parts Outlet
If you have an electronics parts store in your aera they'll have one and will cost less than $10. The one I bought was a hair too large in diameter so I had to open up the hole in the tank with a step bit.
These types of fuse holders are rated for 250VAC. The machine runs on 120VAC. I soldered mine. I can't remember if the original fuse holder was soldered or not. The label on the front says 10 Amps. You will want to use a fast acting fuse. I tested it with different fuses sizes down to a 5A fuse. No need for a 10A fuse.
For $750 plus shipping to Houston I can fix it for you.
Actually, a dryer motor runs on 110 volt. The reason electric dryers require 220 volt power is to make the heat required for efficient drying. The 220 is created by two 110 hot legs that are out of phase with each other. Leg (or line) 1 connects to one end of the heating element and leg 2 connects to the other. Because they are out of phase with each other each one acts as a neutral for the other, thus creating twice the amperage with the same current flow. The motor is simply connected to one of the 110 volt legs.your right smart guy .. you shouldn’t. Lol thats what I’m saying. basic common sense tells me that a small motor in that thing that runs for 5 to 10 mins at most doesn’t need 220v. Your dryer needs that .. not a pool ball cleaner.
I’m from pa. wtf do you get bama
You have the idea right but what you are saying is not exactly correct. Heater loads are purely resistive and linear unlike motors which are inductive loads. The Ohm's Law formula used with heaters to calculate how voltage, current, resistance, and wattage react with each other. Without going to far into the details since unlike heaters, motors are inductive loads making them non linear which causes them to react to current, voltage and power differently than heaters.
Heater loads being purely resistive making them very simple.
Ohm's Law:
Using Ohm's Law you will see for a given resistance of the heater, voltage and current are directly proportional.
Residential Example:
Let's say you have a 10kW heater in an electric air handler to heat your house. When you apply 240V across the heater it will draw 41.66A. When you apply 120V across the same heater it will draw 83.32A.
When you pay for your electricity you are pretty much paying for Amps. So anytime you can use 240V in a residential application you save money.
220V @50Hz is what the whole of Europe use. I'm guessing it's made for the European market and they just switched the power cord for the US market.
If it's been running for 15 years, It's probably not that problematic. I think the other way around 110V @60hz running on 220V @50Hz would be a much bigger problem...
My old pool hall used a Ballstar machine and it needs regular cleaning to work well. Never liked the Ballstar cleaning solution, so I used Aramith polish, you only need a few drops now and then.