Power Supply

[PAULINE HALL]

Can anyone help me ?

We are going to Orlando in October (1st time) I know that the power supply
is different in the states, so would the adaptor for electrical appliances be the
same as the ones you would take to Europe i.e. 2 pin plug with a 3 pin adaptor

Thank you

Pauline

 

[Astrid]

Hi Pauline

I'm not the one to know too much about anything electrical - however, I know that in the States you need a different adaptor to the ones in Europe.

You need a two (flat) pin adaptor, but I don't know the foggiest about wattage etc. I just keep my fingers crossed and hope I don't blow up!! rolleyes: )

Astrid

 

[PAULINE HALL]

Hello Astrid

Thank you for your reply, I don't suppose you know where I could get
the said adaptors??

Pauline

 

[Astrid]

Hello!

Bought mine at the airport (nothing like a bit of last minute shopping!!)

Otherwise big branches of Boots would sell them or places that sell luggage usually sell things like this. I know the airport branch of WH Smith was selling them but I'm not sure their high street branches would.

Astrid

 

[PAULINE HALL]

Thankyou Astrid

I will keep a lookout for them, failing that I will have a look
at the airport.

Pauline

 

[BevS97]

it's a bit different from Europe - in that in Europe they use the same voltage/wattage (I can't remember what you call it) that we do, but in the US it's different - so as well as changing the shape of the plug, you need to change the electricity as well - lots of appliances like hair dryers have a switch that you can turn from 220 (UK) to 110 (US). Other things will just work more slowly, like kettles etc.

Where you really need to be careful, is if you buy american goods and bring them back to the UK - a little adaptor from Boots will not protect your american applicance from our electricity, as I know to my cost- we fried my cd player when we moved here.

Bev

 

[Goofyish]

The US works on 110V 60Hz and uses Nema 5-15 type plugs and sockets (as do Japan by the way - although they work at 100V 50/60Hz).

We got our adapter from Boots, it also includes various European (Schuko CEE 7) plugs. One problem we had in the hotel room was the lack of 'grip' by the sockets. When we had a UK plug and the adapter pluged into the wall socket they kept falling out. In the end we had to prop them up with the room bible to charge our camcorder!

If anyone needs info. on plugs/voltages etc. I have a nice catalogue which has all the info. about power supplies and plugs from all over the world.

 

[henrydog]

As the US uses 110v is it ok to charge up uk camcorders without some kind of voltage adaptor? or would it just take a bit longer.

Thanks

 

[bengunn]

Only if your camcorder charger says 115-240V on it (and it probably will).