Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines
The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: classixs on January 29, 2021, 04:12:22 pm
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I just got off of the phone with Dorita @ Jensen & I asked about the price difference of the 2.5" 110v vrs the 220v .
This is what she said , "they only make maybe 25 at a time ,they are wound differently, and we use different wire"
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Jensen still winds their own belly heaters. as far as I know.
Wow! Tom Sr was really serious about keeping production in-house. I guess that makes sense since they wind the generators and also zap the magnets for them.
I guess you'll have to take your case to the management. :D
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Jensen still winds their own belly heaters. as far as I know.
My point exactly, and why i fail to see the need for a $33 pricedifference.
The outsourced Hot-Watt heaters has a price difference of just $8.30, which stands to good reason with me, given that Hot-Watt probably charges a bit more for such a niche request.
With Jensen i wouldn´t consider a 220V heater a niche request.
Might be semi-rare compared to 110V versions, but regardless of how few they might sell, it´s an official part of their productline, and not some special build i request.
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That’s great Jan! 8)
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Could just throw a 110V heater under it, but the problem is that the 10 is an original 220V version, and would like to keep it that way.
First original 1970s 220V #10 i´ve seen, and furthermore most likely born as a demonstrator/salesmans example for the European market back then.
Does it have a 220V tag, or just the usual Jensen way of crossing out and re-marking?
[attachimg=1]
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Jensen still winds their own belly heaters. as far as I know.
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Could just throw a 110V heater under it, but the problem is that the 10 is an original 220V version, and would like to keep it that way.
First original 1970s 220V #10 i´ve seen, and furthermore most likely born as a demonstrator/salesmans example for the European market back then.
Does it have a 220V tag, or just the usual Jensen way of crossing out and re-marking?
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If I had to guess, I would say it's probably more of a 100-1 ratio between 115v-220v. Jensen is such a tiny company that a special run of high voltage heater blankets, assuming they outsource those like the immersion heaters, might be quite expensive.
The obvious solution for the collector is to just buy a Variac. For boiler control, I always run my 120V Jensens with either a Triac based Dremel speed controller or a genuine Staco variac.
Of course, for your country you would need the 220V variac or similar device.
[attachimg=1]
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I suspect Scott is spot on as well, but still don´t get it...
Why would any manufacturer do this, and turn away potentional customers like that?
Would demand very little effort and space, to ensure that a few always was in stock of these, when setting up to make the 110V heaters anyway.
The weird thing is, that the difference between 110V and 220v versions of the same 2½" heaters, declines from $33.20 to $29.85 if i order it with a power cord, which would indicate that the 220V cord is cheaper (which they could be, since they carry less amps, and therefore could use a smaller diameter).
But to make the confusion complete, they take the overall difference on the 3" heaters down to $13.70 without power cord, but then up to $14.20 with the exact same cords, indicating that the 220V cords suddenly is more expensive???
"same 2½" heaters, declines from $33.20 to $29.85 if I order it with a power cord"
Jan I buy it with the cord because I cant buy a cord locally for $3.35 & they are a good heavy cord 16/3 awg I believe , I also don't think they differentiate between the 2.5" & the 3" heaters are far as cords go, they have 1 size. I cant explain they're reasoning though.
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I suspect Scott is spot on as well, but still don´t get it...
Why would any manufacturer do this, and turn away potentional customers like that?
Would demand very little effort and space, to ensure that a few always was in stock of these, when setting up to make the 110V heaters anyway.
The weird thing is, that the difference between 110V and 220v versions of the same 2½" heaters, declines from $33.20 to $29.85 if i order it with a power cord, which would indicate that the 220V cord is cheaper (which they could be, since they carry less amps, and therefore could use a smaller diameter).
But to make the confusion complete, they take the overall difference on the 3" heaters down to $13.70 without power cord, but then up to $14.20 with the exact same cords, indicating that the 220V cords suddenly is more expensive???
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If the 10 already has a working 115V, just buy the half priced 115V and slap it onto the other 115V and you’ll be close enough to 220V ;) 😂
What an amazing idea Nick ;D
Could just throw a 110V heater under it, but the problem is that the 10 is an original 220V version, and would like to keep it that way.
First original 1970s 220V #10 i´ve seen, and furthermore most likely born as a demonstrator/salesmans example for the European market back then.
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Yawsa , I suspect Scott has correctly hit the nail on the head, I can't imagine even twice the amount of nichrome can be more than a few dollars more...🙄
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If the 10 already has a working 115V, just buy the half priced 115V and slap it onto the other 115V and you’ll be close enough to 220V ;) 😂
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Because they can?
Guessing but they probably sell 5 115V to every one of the 220V.
Gil and others who are more informed can weigh in.
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Got a bit of a surprise today, when entering the Jensen website to look for a 2½" belly heater.
I need a 220V version for a rather special #10 here, and really am wondering why those cost nearly twice that of a 115V version?
Well aware that the 115V version is "standard", and 220V might be considered a "special order"....but still, they´re relatively identical production/parts-wise.
(Might be a difference in gauge/length of nichrome wire, but doubt that can justify a difference of $33.20 on its own.)