Voltage Converters - Don't Fry Your Appliances!
Most of North and South America, the Caribbean and Japan
use 110 volts at 60Hz while most European counties use 220 volts at 50Hz. This
means you may need to use voltage converters to use many of your electrical
appliances. Plugging a 110 volt electrical product into a 220 volt socket
without a voltage converter will damage or destroy the appliance.
To know if you need a power converter you should check any
electrical appliance as you pack them for your trip. Each appliance will have
a small rating plate which will tell you if the product is single volt or dual
volt (i.e. Use 110 or 220 or both). If the rating plate says it is a dual volt
appliance you will not need a voltage converter, however, any single volt
appliance will need a travel converter.
There are several different kinds of travel voltage
converters available. Small electronics - like your electric razor or
toothbrush - need a 50 watt converter while heating appliances like heating
pads, hairdryers and curling irons require a stronger ac power converter (a 26 –
1875 watt converter is ideal). Dual voltage source converters are available
that can handle both the low and high end electrical needs.
Almost all travel converters require the use of ac adapters
(In fact I have never seen a travel converter that did not require the use of an
AC adapter) so make sure you bring some along on your trip. Most manufacturers
of travel voltage converters sell them in kits with
power adapters.
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