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Converters and Adaptors: Traveling With Electronics
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Click here for a guide on how to tell if your appliances are dual voltage.
Many appliances today are dual voltage. This means they are built with the ability to run on the 110-volt electrical system we have here in North America and the 220-volt electrical systems found throughout the world. So before you start shopping check and see if your devices are dual voltage. All you'll need to use a dual voltage appliance overseas is a simple plug adaptor.
However, most appliances purchased in North America are designed only to operate on our 110-volt electrical system. Therefore if you want to take one of these 110-volt appliances outside of the country, you might need a converter, especially if you're hopping over the pond to Europe. Many Caribbean countries use 110 or 120-volt electricity, as does Mexico, Canada, Japan, Taiwan and much of Central America. For these countries, once again, all you'll need is an adaptor plug.
But if you're on your way to Europe, and you've got an appliance you just have to take, and it's not dual voltage, we can help you out.
Most of Europe uses an electrical system that operates between 220 and 240 volts. If you try to use an appliance that is designed to take 110 volts in an outlet that dispenses 220 volts, you'll be very unhappy with the results (which almost always involve the destruction of your appliance, and can even damage the building's electrical system.)
If you've got a low-wattage, non-heating appliance, like a rapid battery charger, CD player, electric toothbrush or shaver, and even most curling irons - a 50 Watt Converter will be all
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you'll need - as long as you only need to use it short term (20-30 minutes at a time, maximum.) If you'd like to use a low wattage appliance continuously, or for longer periods of time, the 85 Watt Long-Term Converter is the way to go.
Now, if you have a higher wattage appliance that you'd like to use overseas, such as non-electrical heating devices - clothes steamers, coffee makers, curlers, bottle and food warmers, hair dryers, heating pads, irons - a 2000 Watt Short Term Converter is what you're looking for. But, be very careful when using it because any of these devices that also contain electronic components (temperature control, timers, etc.) can be severely damaged if used with this voltage converter.
So if you do want to use an electronically controlled device - anything that uses a timer, temperature control device, digital timing, auto-start or shut-off functions, or anything with temperature detection circuits - we recommend choosing a dual-voltage appliance, since converters that can handle those types of electronics are bulky, heavy, and quite costly.
If you want to use both low and high Wattage devices on the same trip, we also have a 50/2000 Watt Automatic Converter, which will sense the wattage needs of you appliance and automatically switch to the correct setting.
Click here to find your destination's voltage and plug type.
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