Foreign Electricity Questions

[Laurie]

Any tips, hints, suggestions or otherwise on what or where to buy a stepdown transformer and universal set of plug adapters? I need to be able to run a laptop - that's pretty much it since I can charge the camera on the USB - in Burma and quite possibly other places in the world, but that's the starting point.

From the research I've done, there are 4 possible types of plugs used in that country and I'm not having much luck finding all 4 adapters. I could quite possibly end up in other parts of the world and really like the idea of buying an all inclusive type set that will work anywhere. Does such an animal exist? I've seen some online advertised as such, but they consist of half a dozen plugs and none look like the ones that I need. What am I missing?

Also - is the stepdown transformer really necessary? The laptop says it can handle 110 - 240 (Burma is 230v 50Hz). Some research I've seen says no, some says yes otherwise there can be overheating problems. Plus there is fuse protection in the transformers for surges and that eliminates the need to lug around a surge protector - is this true?


Advice?

 

[Ed Guthrie]

Any tips, hints, suggestions or otherwise on what or where to buy a stepdown transformer and universal set of plug adapters? I need to be able to run a laptop - that's pretty much it since I can charge the camera on the USB - in Burma and quite possibly other places in the world, but that's the starting point.

From the research I've done, there are 4 possible types of plugs used in that country and I'm not having much luck finding all 4 adapters. I could quite possibly end up in other parts of the world and really like the idea of buying an all inclusive type set that will work anywhere. Does such an animal exist? I've seen some online advertised as such, but they consist of half a dozen plugs and none look like the ones that I need. What am I missing?

Also - is the stepdown transformer really necessary? The laptop says it can handle 110 - 240 (Burma is 230v 50Hz). Some research I've seen says no, some says yes otherwise there can be overheating problems. Plus there is fuse protection in the transformers for surges and that eliminates the need to lug around a surge protector - is this true?


Advice?

The PC will do fine running on 230V. My favorite supplier of adapters and a stepdown transformer is Radio Shack. YMMV, but the nice thing about their stuff is that your PC's power cord will fit directly into the various adapter plugs provided with the transformer so if the PC is your only power device you don't need to bring the transformer--just bring the adapter plugs. You might wish to also purchase the standard US 3-prong to 2-prong adapter availabe at Home Depot, etc.

 

[ScottM]

Most PC power supplies will run on 110 60Hz or 230 50 Hz power. I find that the only plugs I have needed are the europan (two round rods) and the UK for most applications. If you learn the trick of the UK ones you can use the euro adapter in them as well. If you are going to Australia then you will need their plug and I also have one for Geneva which is only because the darn ITU has them at each work station and the Euro plugs were a pain to insert. You can get the plugs at Radio Shack or at the airport.

Get one of these kits and you will be fine LINK

 

[SkyHog]

When I lived in Italy, we had transformers for most of that stuff. Was a little box that got really hot, and usually had about 4 American style plugs on it.

Don't EVER be tempted to just plug something into the wall with an adapter (even a computer unless you're 100% positive that it works that way). Some electronics have a switch. If it does, use that instead.

 

[ScottM]

When I lived in Italy, we had transformers for most of that stuff. Was a little box that got really hot, and usually had about 4 American style plugs on it.

Don't EVER be tempted to just plug something into the wall with an adapter (even a computer unless you're 100% positive that it works that way). Some electronics have a switch. If it does, use that instead.

Nick most electronics are now switching power supplies and don't have the voltage switch on them. Simply checking the PS to see that th voltage is good for either 110 or 220 will suffice. Even look at at you cellphone charger and it will be a multi-voltage device. It is so expensive to pass the requirements for a PS in each area that most companies now will buy one PS that works in many regions, get it CE and UL approved and that will make it accepted in 90% of the world.

I travel around the world all the time and the old voltage problem that we had 20 years ago are not that much of an issue anymore.

I do remember the days though of living in the UK with my voltage transformers all over the house.

 

[Ghery]

The adapater kit from Radio Shack will cover you in most of the world. Where it will NOT help is South Africa and India. They still use the old British Empire plug (not to be confused with the current receptacles in the UK). There are a few others floating around, but the basics will cover you. Also, I've found in a number of places that there is a universal receptacle that will accept the Euro plug or the US plug interchangably. Still 220 V 50 Hz, but my laptop power supply doesn't care.

Happy travels.

 

[Graueradler]

My experiences are possibly out dated. It has been 30 years since I first established a residence in another country and 20 years since I moved back to the states. At that time, there was a significant difference between transformers and electronic voltage converters. Transformers were bulky but produced a sine wave output and were good for any use that didn't exceed their power rating. Converters may have produced a 110V rms output but the wave shape and peak to peak voltages were different and some electroic devices did not like their output.

We did have a house guest once who didn't realize that plug adapters don't do it all. She plugged some kind of 110 volt hair dryer/curling iron into 230 Volts. Of course, twice the voltage is 4 times the wattage. It very quickly began to resemble a piece of modern art as plastic pieces began to melt and take on different shapes.

 

[Laurie]

Thanks y'all. I appreciate the suggestions and have made my Radio Shack purchases accordingly.

 

[wsuffa]

My favorite adaptor for Europe (non-UK) is one that came with a 110/220 razor. It doesn't work with grounded plugs though.

I've got an adapter kit that was given to me... I want to say it came from one of the larger travel stores, though it may have come from Brookstone or the Sharper Image. About 10 different adapters, I've always had one that worked. I do sometimes carry a transformer with me, as occasionally I end up somewhere with something that leaves the transformer as the only choice.

Laptops and most other electronic gear have either automatic voltage sensing or a switch to choose.

 

[cwyckham]

As everyone else has said, your laptop will have no problems with just a plug adaptor. Desktops are another story. I blew up a power supply recently because I didn't see the little red voltage switch. Oops.

I found that about half of my power supplies were auto switching, but you need to check each one. My scanner, for example, was single voltage while my printer was dual and auto switching and the computer was dual and manual switching. Be careful.