Thread Number: 37105  /  Tag: 80s/90s Vacuum Cleaners
Importing a Dyson from Britain?
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Post# 396402   8/7/2018 at 21:24 (2,060 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Sometimes I think it would be neat to have one of the first Dyson DA001 or DC01 cleaners from Britain. These never sold in the US, we had the Amway Cleartrak (now called Workhorse) and Fantom Thunder instead. I don't think we got Dyson until the early 2000s. I've seen and like the first ones with the older logo from 1993-95. Would it be possible to have one of these shipped over from the UK or would the shipping be really high? Also, how much does one of these early Dysons go for? I guess I could look on eBay UK.

Post# 396415 , Reply# 1   8/8/2018 at 01:13 (2,060 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)        

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Probably a couple hundred for shipping, and you'd need a voltage converter unit as well. Pricey for sure. I'd love a UK spec Dyson too, but I'd never afford it on my budget thats for sure.

Post# 396420 , Reply# 2   8/8/2018 at 03:23 (2,060 days old) by electroluxxxx (……)        

I wouldn't think a couple hundred but definitely around a hundred or so. Your best bet would be to get in touch with one of our UK members and see what they have and if they would be willing to see what the postage would be to the States. Would it be worth it? I would say that all depends on how bad you want it as it is a rarity to have a UK machine here in the states but then again it would be something unique to your collection.

if you are looking to use the machine I don't think you would be able to get a voltage converter for the unit due to the fact that you cannot get 220v out of a 120v outlet so you would need to wire in a 220 outlet to use the machine or replace the cord and motor.


Post# 396425 , Reply# 3   8/8/2018 at 07:08 (2,060 days old) by larryeddy (Sandusky, OH)        
I bought a DC-1 from the UK

Worked with the seller and shipping was about 80.00


Post# 396495 , Reply# 4   8/9/2018 at 09:32 (2,058 days old) by Rolls_rapide (-)        

I would be cautious. The plastic would probably be quite brittle now, and I'd imagine that freight handling might not be on the gentle side.

Post# 396537 , Reply# 5   8/9/2018 at 22:56 (2,058 days old) by myles_v (Fredericksburg, VA)        

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For the voltage you could get/make an adapter for your dryer or stove outlet, or you could use one of www.quick220.com/-P-100.html...
The device at the link has two cables which get plugged into outlets on two separate circuits. I haven't personally used one but I know some people who have used them to charge their EVs faster than on 120 volts without having an electrician install 240 electric vehicle service equipment


Post# 396546 , Reply# 6   8/9/2018 at 23:45 (2,058 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)        

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Amazing deal on the shipping there! The seller has to be taking a hit on it just to get it out of his house and be rid of it that badly.

Fingers crossed it survives the trip!


Post# 396549 , Reply# 7   8/10/2018 at 02:14 (2,058 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

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I mean, the thing with the power conversion is not the voltage (as every house in the US has 240v going into it anyway), it's the hertz. The rest-of-the-world had a wrong opinion and thought 50Hz was a good idea, and we wisely chose 60Hz. Depending ENTIRELY on what electronics might be onboard that vacuum cleaner, it may or may not matter. If it's a typical 'universal' (AC/DC) motor, 240V at 60Hz should work just fine. If it's... literally anything else, you might have a problem. It's an older vac, though, so I'd imagine it should have a normal universal motor and no electronic gadgetry. Though if it did have any computers on board, those would likely be fine, too, because they rectify the AC to DC power anyway.

Wiring a 240v outlet would be a piece of cake for anybody who knows their way around a breaker box. You could legit just install a 240v outlet right next to the breaker box and make a special extension cord long enough to reach your vacuuming grounds. (I personally wouldn't use a 120v outlet with a 120v extension cord, because I know somebody else would inevitably wind up plugging something else into it.) Add a $2 plug converter to convert to UK or EU plug, and that all in would be way cheaper than buying a $200 step-up converter. Or, like Miles said, you could make a plug adapter (maybe pigtail style) for a dryer, stove, or even window A/C plug, if you have one of those handy.


Post# 396589 , Reply# 8   8/10/2018 at 22:15 (2,057 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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I hadn't thought it being a major issue stepping from 120 to 220V. I have a small converter that I use to power a 220V fan on 120V. It only cost a few dollars.

I am assuming because of the higher wattage of a vacuum cleaner, it will require a larger capacity converter?

That's an issue to with the shipping. I had thought about it being a long trip, but I hadn't considered that the plastic could be brittle because of age.

Last week there was a Dyson DC01 blue and white on eBay UK. The postage to the US is only £35.28 which works out to $45.05. That sounds really low considering it would probably cost about that much to ship a vacuum across the US itself.


Post# 396594 , Reply# 9   8/11/2018 at 01:06 (2,057 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

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Well if you have an inverter, just check its current capacity. And bear in mind that such inverters are usually rated at their PEAK capacity, not their 'maximum' capacity, ie, a '200 watt' inverter probably isn't meant to run more than 150 watts for more than a second or two. This is because most appliances take a lot more than their rated wattage to simply turn on, but once on, they use less power, about what their watt rating is.

Also remember that amps are different for different voltages, but watts are the same no matter what (amps x volts = watts).

Also, also, you should usually message the ebay seller and confirm with them that they're ok with shipping to the US, as it can be a pain to ship internationally.


Post# 396666 , Reply# 10   8/12/2018 at 16:17 (2,055 days old) by Rolls_rapide (-)        
50 Hz

There is nothing wrong with 50 Hz. In fact I find that the audible mains hum is less annoying than at 60 Hz.

"...with no great technical reason to prefer one over the other...", so says Wikipaedia, referencing: 'A.C. Monteith , C.F. Wagner (ed), Electrical Transmission and Distribution Reference Book 4th Edition, Westinghouse Electric Corporation 1950, page 6'.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Rolls_rapide's LINK


Post# 396693 , Reply# 11   8/13/2018 at 08:23 (2,055 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

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Well, that's just like... your opinion, man.

Not to derail the topic, but yeah, I've watched PAL tv (50hz), on a crt anyway, I can see the refresh rate of the screen, it's painful to watch. Yeah, yeah, LCDs exist now. Plus apparently transformers need to be a bit bigger for 50Hz. Consider the millions of them that have been made. Lot of copper.

Anyhow, we're all used to what we know.



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