Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
firesafety101  
#1 Posted : 05 June 2016 11:27:52(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Some guidance please.

When travelling to USA and wishing to use their electrical sockets for my UK appliances what adapters should I use.
I hear they are on 110v DC and that needs to be transformed up to our 240v to avoid frying the appliance.
A Kurdziel  
#2 Posted : 05 June 2016 13:30:03(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

If all you are taking with you is your laptop and other IT equipment as these run on 9V/12V all you will need is a US standard charger to convert to 110 V AC ( nobody uses DC for mains) to your IT equipment operating voltage. if you are intending to bring along power tools etc then I would not bother.
firesafety101  
#3 Posted : 05 June 2016 14:35:12(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Hi there will be phone chargers and hair dryers, straighteners etc. (not for me of course ha ha)

gerrysharpe  
#4 Posted : 05 June 2016 16:26:50(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
gerrysharpe

Phone Chargers you can use with a plug adapter, in essence anything that has a working voltage of 110v or less.

So things that use 240v in the UK without a transformer would just be dead weight in your luggage

Things like hair dyers etc can be bought over there pretty cheap in places like walmart or sears.
paul.skyrme  
#5 Posted : 06 June 2016 20:48:45(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
paul.skyrme

OK,
2nd go, well fed up, as I misjudged how long it had taken me to reply, and, as I was typing into the site, it logged me out, & I lost the blinking lot!

Not happy.
This timeout is a bit excessive, also no spell checker, no ability to edit posts, this forum software is really in the dark ages!

Right, I’ll try again.

UK, 230V 50 Hz ac.
US, 110V 60 Hz ac.

There are other weird & wonderful supply types in the US, but at a receptacle for general use then the above would in general be true.

There is no large scale dc distribution any more.

This may make a comeback, and is, in the UK, but, I suspect that this will have some serious issues, because I have already come across so called electricians that can’t cope with the different challenges with ELC & dc!

IT equipment tends to run internally @ 3.3/5/9/12/15/24 V dc.

The Lenovo laptop I am typing this on has a 20V dc input voltage, i.e. the output of the PSU, which I strongly suspect contains a Switched Mode Power Supply.
The allowable inputs to this are 100-240V ac 50/60Hz.

Most wall wart chargers have similar allowable inputs, including Apple.

Now as far as motors go a motor designed to run @ 50Hz will run a little faster @ 60Hz, but this is nothing to worry about.

Much modern CE marked equipment has a universal input voltage of 100-240 (250) V 50/60 Hz.

This will be on the equipment rating plate with the CE marking, in which case you will be fine.

As far as hair dryers & straighteners go, I know that the females of the species in my household are very attached to their specific devices. IF, they have “allowable” input voltages then you will be fine, else, don’t bother. Me I’m not so fussy, I use anything available to dry my mane!

FS, if you want any more help, please give me a shout.
imponderabilius  
#6 Posted : 07 June 2016 08:20:20(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
imponderabilius

I've just come back from Cuba. I used simple socket adapters to charge my phone, camera, etc and all worked fine. Hair dryer was provided at the hostel so I can't really help you with that one... ;)
sadlass  
#7 Posted : 07 June 2016 14:17:16(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
sadlass

Paul
Sympathy with your lost typing -- happened to me so often, you'd think I would have learnt. I try to make effort to type into Word and then copy / paste but such a faff.
Another tactic is to copy the text every few lines, so at least you don't lose ALL.

Very comprehensive response BTW.
firesafety101  
#8 Posted : 07 June 2016 14:29:20(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

Thank you all.

Sadlass whenever I pose an electrical question I hope Paul sees it and responds.

His advice is always excellent.

Thank you Paul.

I think we have all suffered the lost typing at some stage, most frustrating. I also have tried typing into the word processor but just get lazy sometimes. Then Sod's law kicks in.

Users browsing this topic
Guest
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.