Electrical Conversion Options for Conti Prestina

#1: Post by **Coffeecritter** » July 1st, 2016, 2:58 pm

I recently purchased a rebuilt Prestina from an HB member. It's currently set up for 220V, and because I'm not handy or into metalworking, he's kindly offered to install a 110V heating element for me before shipping it to me. The problem is that the SP.428 heating element that worked for negrocorto is not currently in stock at 1st-line and they can't give me a timeframe for when it might be. No one else in the US seems to have the part. So I figure I have these options:

1. Wait patiently for La Spaziale to provide 1st-line the part and then have it shipped to the seller.
2. Purchase a 3000W step-up/down converter (big black box) and stash it in the cabinet under the counter and run on 110V.
3. Have an electrician run a 220V line to where I plan to plumb in the machine. This would be difficult because our crawl space under the house is stuffed full of A/C ducts from retrofitting our 1940 vintage home.

Any comments, suggestions or shared experience would be welcome!

#2: Post by **realdoctor** » July 2nd, 2016, 8:42 pm

Sue,

That part seems to be stocked by Ascaso. Find an Ascaso reseller and ask them to order it. The part number you have is the Ascaso number.

EPNW resells Ascaso as do a few other dealers.

Jim

"he's not a real doctor..."

July 2nd, 2016, 10:23 pm

Unfortunately, no joy from EPNW or any of the other dealers I've contacted. The electrician who last re-wired our house is going to give us an estimate for pulling 220V to the espresso bar.

#4: Post by **drgary** » July 2nd, 2016, 11:48 pm

Coffeecritter wrote:The electrician who last re-wired our house is going to give us an estimate for pulling 220V to the espresso bar.

There's another advantage to that. If you find a great European collectible machine it'll run just fine in your house. Collections can sprout around that outlet.

July 3rd, 2016, 8:57 am

And I won't have to worry about the amperage rating of the other electrical components of the machine.

I remember when we moved into the house it had 10 amp fuses in the fuse box. We had to be very careful about which appliances were on and when. A nice, safe and code-compliant circuit will be comforting.

And yes, Gary, it will enable my vintage machine addiction