OT travel power adaptor

On Friday, January 27, 2017 at 10:32:35 AM UTC-5, snipped-for-privacy@ccanoemail.ca wrot e:

There are 3 categories of converters

2) adapters that are small transformers that weigh about 2 lbs and resemble a large wall wart. They are rated for about 50 Watts. You should use the se for small electronics that need 120V and cannot tolerate 240 V. This is what you need. These are the safest to use on small devices. Do NOT use t his for a high wattage appliance like a hair dryer.

If you have #1 converter and #2 device be very careful. If you plug in a d evice that needs #2 into a #1 converter, it will kill the device instantly. There will be no second chances, instant death.

Hope this helps,

Mark

According to this guy, you only need an adapter to fit European sockets since the European voltage is dual voltage.

I'm uncertain of it's validity.

NNNNOOOO...

What he said was the "gadgets" today are dual, NOT the electric supply lines in Europe !!!

Quote: "Today's *gadgets* are "dual voltage," which means they work on both American and European current. "

Thanks Mark. My earlier searches found only the adaptors or the big 5 pound transformers - rated for ~ 200 watts - but I went back online and did find a couple "converters". links below. They are rated 1600 - 1800 watts - the online description seems to confirm that they are meant for appliances only - " most irons, hair dryers, and clothes steamers " .. not electronics - as you warned.

John T.

Yep, that went over my head. Thanks for clarifying.

I have some (newer, IIRC) power adapters that are marked "Input:

One op[tion is a better charger for those items. Switch mode chargers are more efficient than the old transformer "wall warts" and are generally pretty well voltage agnostic.

Otherwise you need an autotransformer (which is heavy and generally speaking "not cheap")

The third one on your list is what you want. The "tell" is it can convert both ways - which means it IS a transformer. Excellent price too - Again - do NOT use it for hair drier, clothes iron, etc - 200 watts MAXIMUM -so no more than about 1.5 amps @ 120 volts (which is

European voltage is NOT dual voltage.

What he's saying is (he misses the MOST) electronic gadgets are dual voltage. Hoiwever, if they do not say "dual voltage" or "input voltage 100-240" they are NOT dual voltage and will toast very quickly when plugged into a euro socket. Some earlier equipment was dual voltage but not auto switcdhing - you needed to flip a switch.

Either get a "universal voltage" charger for the devices you need to use, or buy the transformer. I took a transformer with me when I went to Zambia in the seventies, and bought universal voltage chargers for my devices for my travels over the last 25 or more years.

And he forgot to insert that important word "most" or "many" or "some".

I think you are reading something wrong. There are dozens of them available from Amazon, Target Staples, etc. Europe has a two pin plug but half that is the US voltage so it takes the juice off of one side.

You can get 110 from their 220, but when they say it does not change voltage you cannot get 220 from the USA 110 sockets.

I think I paid $10 for mine some years ago. Newer ones have USB ports too.

And I also have some very recent devices that say "input 120 volts

From what I have read online and here < Mark's reply > - the most common ones are merely " plug adaptors " - they come with the warning that they do not convert voltage

- ie they deliver 220 volts to your device. The ones that convert voltage need to be used with caution - as per these instructions :

.. not meant for any device that contains electronics ; nor devices with ground fault protection; nor power strips .. John T.

First be sure that your other chargers are not 120/240. Usually if they are big clunky things they have a transformer in them and they are single voltage. The smaller, lighter ones are "wide mouth". I would also look to see how many of these things charge with 5v or

Op, for you 120v camera battery charger, you need #2 type, the transformer type. There are small 50 watt ones that are like wall warts. Mark

How old is that. Are you sure it doesn't work on 240. I just bought this real cheap battery charger, with two batteries, auto plug, and european adapter for iirc $14 and it runs on 100-240

I have only the nameplate on the devices to go by - these are chargers for Ni-MH AA AAA batteries - both of my everyday units were 120 volt - but I dug around the house and found a third one that is 100 - 240 volt so I'm good, now. If I were to judge them by apparent "build quality" - I would say the older 120 volt units are better built - heavier weight, thicker plastic, stronger metal contacts... probably the reason that they were my everyday units. John T.

heavier because they are basically a 60hz transformer while the "universal" unit runs a small, light, high frequency transformer.

Not likely any better quality.

Of course. They're made by Americans for Americans. Not for pointy headed liberals who think it's cool to leave America, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

If you're going to Ireland, you're probably some pointy headed liberal too.