120 volts converter

[Devanshu]

I'll be going abroad for a few weeks and I have an AC100-120V charger and since there are different plugs in other countries, I need a converter. I have a 220V converter lying around the house and I was wondering if that was usable w/ my charger or if I have to get a new one. If I have to get a new one, what should I look for? Thanks

[defense]

I know RadioShack sells foreign current converters. I don't know about your charger...are you going to Europe? You need to get the plug extension as well if you are..because I believe the outlets are non-polarized like they are here in the U.S. Ask someone from Radio Shack about your charger...I think that "pyrate" guy said he worked for Radio Shack on here...PM him..he "should" know the answer to that question.

[gmatov]

I think Radio Shack will sell you a whole kit of different plug adapters so you can plug in a 110 device.

Bsically it's removing the second of 3 legs. They have 2 hot wires, we have 2 hot wires, 110 uses 1, 220 uses both.

Mot of the countries have different receptacles, the main reason you buy whole kit, so you can cover all of Europe.

BTW theyare also 50, rather than 60 cycle, so many devices run slowe and do heat up, whether enough to damage them,depends on the device.

Cheerss,

George

[Devanshu]

Thanks...i'll go to radio shack tomorrow.

[donpedro]

I'll be going abroad for a few weeks and I have an AC100-120V charger and since there are different plugs in other countries, I need a converter. I have a 220V converter lying around the house and I was wondering if that was usable w/ my charger or if I have to get a new one. If I have to get a new one, what should I look for? Thanks

How many Watts does your charger use and how many Watts your converter can handle. To which country are you going ? Do you have brand name and model or picture of your converter ? Maybe only thing that you need is plug adapter.

[Devanshu]

I dont know about watts, but here's what it says on my charger...

AC ADAPTOR
INPUT: AC100-120V 50/60Hz 29VA
OUPUT: DC5.9V 2A

and here's what it says on the converter...

RECOTON
Model No. ADF50
Foreing Voltage Converter
Converts 220-240 Volt AC to 110-120 Volt AC
UP TO 50 WATTS MAXIMUM

I'll be going to india. I'll see what I can do about the picture...

[donpedro]

You should be fine with what you have. Only part missing (or you might have it somewhere) is plug adapter.

more info here
http://www.buytravelconverter.com/destinations/india.htm
http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/nongr.htm
http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm

[Devanshu]

Is a plug adapter just the thing that plugs the converter in the wall? If so, the converter I have has one built in.

[donpedro]

Is a plug adapter just the thing that plugs the converter in the wall? If so, the converter I have has one built in.

Yes. Just a thing that you plug to wall and converter to that thing and charger to converter and whatever you have to charger

[donpedro]

Does this look acurate ?

[Devanshu]

Thats the one

[gmatov]

But, if you are going to several countries you are going to have several different wall outlet configurations. Your unit might not, probably won't, fit.

It's why you go to RS or somewhere to buy a Universal travel kit. It will have a bunch of wall adapters in it, the same aspect as plugging RCA cables into an adapter with mini stereo to your sound card.

Go to RS online and search for it. It will probably show you configuration for several countries.

George

[Devanshu]

I'm only going to one to visit family. Although I do have 14 hours in london....

[gmatov]

In that case go on line and see what they use in that country and buy that, although I think you can probably buy one there.

[donpedro]

gmatov, I undesrtand that you are trying to help, but if you read this post than you will see that it should be solved. Links and info about what he needs is posted.

Devanshu, do you still need anything or you are done with this post and you have all the answers that you need ?

[Devanshu]

I have what I need...thanks everyone!

[gmatov]

dompedro,

Thanks for the links. I find them very interesting.

I hope, however, that you have educated Devanshu sufficiently that he, and, possibly, you did see the disclaimers that many of the countries, one of which, unspecified, he is going to, use several types of wall outlets, even within the same city.

The stepdown Xformer you pictured has "A" plug on the other side. An adapter is needed for the country, possibly even the particular hotel or house he is going to be at.

As cautions in the pages you linked to advise, the only way to know is to call to find out.

Not simply to say "I've settled it. It's all done. Close this thread."

I won't add any clips, as I have no idea where he is going, but if he does go to your links, clicks on the country of destination, sees half a dozen different receptacle styles in use in that country, and was going to go there with the wrong one, we might soon be asking "Where's devanshu, we haven't heard from him since his vacation started?" It's happened before.

Devanshu,

I hope you have perused dompedro's links. I hope you also see the caution about using your surge protector. In many of the pges of descriptions are warnings against it, "...may damage your equipment..."

You're on your own, now, lad. Take the advise or leave it. Not a super simple matter.

Cheers,

George

[donpedro]

gmatov, your current post is very good and informative, but you should also read whole post before you post no offence... but he said that he is going to India and I hope he did read all the information about plugs and different types even in India as I did when I visited those pages.

And since he posted all the information from his stuff.... it seems that he is just fine. Only part that I am not sure is that "plug" since I don't know which one does he have.

[gmatov]

Dompedro

That was my point. Devanshu was agreeing with everything you said, even to when he said yes, I've got that, tho' your links showed 3 common formats, and if the "large 16A" and the "small 5A" are physically not interchangable, 4 common formats. More could be possible.

I do see, now, from the 6th post, that he is going to India. I missed that.

Did you, yourself, read the most interesting information at your 3rd link? I have worked with electricity in industrial settings, and you would be goggle-eyed at all the different variations we use here, let alone foriegn nations.

I have 4 different variations in my own workshop.

Devanshu is going to have to, I fear, get in touch with his relatives and ask how they are set up, or buy a travel kit as I first proposed.

When my eldest daughter returned from living in Germany and Korea, and visiting other European states, she brought home a sack full of adapters.

Now, this should be enough on the subject.

Cheers,

George

[indolikaa]

Oh, I don't know about that, George.

I can see this thread spinning out of control, with moderators forced to resort to vigorous bookings in hopes of salvaging what's left of mankind's decency at dvdrhelp.com.

I envision defense entering the fray, shoving the infamous 'angled' 2-pin adapter straight up jeex's nose. Then comes Will Hay screaming not unlike Mel Gibson in Braveheart, 'Piss off ye believers of the 60-cycle alternating-current transformer!' Not far behind him rushes in Baldrick the Unconcerned carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.

That's when it gets ugly. And whose gonna pay the proton-charging bill for that escapade?

.indolikaa.
117 VAC

[gmatov]

Now we're getting into painful areas.

Industry, again, I've lived through the "angled 2 pin +grd" which the company, in its infiite wisdom, decreed would be used for the next 6 months. No adapters, or so few you guarded yours with your life. OR, you took a pair of pliers and made the blades paralell. Illegal, but you do have to get the job done.

Back to dompedro's 3rd link, interesting. Edison-Westinghouse war of the currents. "Westinghousing" condemned criminals as tho' DC can't kill. I work with 250 DC every day. I would rather stick my finger into a 110 AC socket anytime. More often than not, it just feels like you hit your funnybone.

If there weren't 250 million Europeans already using 220V 50 ~, and only the metro areas of the US (pre TVA), using 110V60~, Europe might have changed. Too expensive to junk all their electricals, tho', so they still pay through the nose for an innefficient distribution-generation, system.

Somebody has to make these decisions. To bad it has to be a corp with a vested interest.

We, on the other hand, are, more or less, in the catbird's seat. + sucks, we buy -. - sucks, we buy +. Eventually, one format would win out, EXCEPT, we have those who bought X, and Y is no good, and we have those who bought Y, and X is no good. And, there is no Z on the horizon.

I bought a LiteOn dual, I don't care who wins, so long as the survivor works on my machine. So far, I have burned mostly -, but one DVD idn't work, so reburned it to +and it did. Probably coincidence. Won't worry about trying it again on-, as I have a backup and that was the whole point.

Ah, well, so she goes.

Cheers,

George

[donpedro]

Devanshu is going to have to, I fear, get in touch with his relatives and ask how they are set up, or buy a travel kit as I first proposed.

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