What electronics will work

[captlemons]

Hello

I know this probably sounds like a very obvious question, but we are looking to move to the US later in the year, i know most european electrical equipment will not work so will leave them behind, but can anyone advise if things like the childrens PSP, WII, chargers (phones, psp, nintendo etc) will work, or anything else come to that.

All comments greatly appreciated

Many thanks:

[Rachel_Heath]

Hola & Welcome to the forums!

First off, I'd pretty much forget about any phones - landline or cell. Whilst GSM is supported here you'll have an upwards struggle using it and with prices dropping fast you may be better off getting a new phone with a plan you like covering the areas you travel in.

As for anything else, the simple answer is, it depends. Many items these days are dual voltage and will work quite happily off 110 VAC (US) as much as 220 VAC (Pretty much most of the rest of the world - thank you Thomas Edison!). Some auto sense and switch, others will require you to flick a switch first.

That said you will need to buy plug converters to allow you to plug the items into a US Power socket and take heed of what items need to be grounded (Earthed) - not all power sockets here are 3 pronged (many older sockets are 2 wire).

If you have any items that will only take 220 VAC then all's not lost - you can buy step-up converters that will take a 110 VAC source and spit out a 220 VAC output. I've got two which have been going strong for over 10 years now (including one that powers my old Yamaha amplifier that still sounds so sweet I cannot bear to part with it) and a couple of other UK items.

For items such as the PSP you may also find you could simply purchase a US adapter here for it.

You'd be surprised what does work here; just the other day I finally (and with much sadness) donated my trusty 21inch computer monitor (aka my personal gym for all the effort it took to move it! <giggle>) that I brought in the UK in 1995 and brought with me here and used constantly.

[captlemons]

thanks very much, thats a big helpi dont have to break it to the kids that there beloved games will no longer work, the computer was another thing id forgotten about, thanks, best stock up on adaptors etc.

[JandkDavis]

One thing that I have found is that the games for the Wii etc are regional so although the existing ones will work and you can fix the power situation, if you want to buy any new games you will have to buy them from Europe and not gain from the lower US priced items. Nintendo DS is non-regional but most others are regional.

[synthia]

You can check each item. Each one should have a label indicating the voltage. If the item is rated 110-250, or something close to that, it will work in the US.

Keep in mind that electronic goods are much cheaper in the US. Check sites for big discount stores like Circuit City and Best Buy.

Many things in the US are going to seem cheap to you. A paperback book will come with the same numbers as in the UK, say 7.99, which is probably what will be on the same book in the UK. But in the US it is in dollars. CDs and DVDs are also going to be cheaper.

[pauldwhyte]

Hiya

I was told that appliances such as washing machines, hairdryers, toasters - things with motors generally, would not work. Is this true or does the 110 - 250 v rule stand on these items too? I know that when Emma tried to dry her hair with her UK hairdryer in a hotel recently that it was running v slow!

Thanks peeps, moving on 04 Aug, dead excited!

Paul

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by pauldwhyte

I was told that appliances such as washing machines, hairdryers, toasters - things with motors generally, would not work. Is this true or does the 110 - 250 v rule stand on these items too? I know that when Emma tried to dry her hair with her UK hairdryer in a hotel recently that it was running v slow!

As with most things - it depends. There are hairdryers that take either 110 or 250v. Usually they have a switch to change from one voltage to the other. If not, it's possible to use a travel converter or transformer, but be careful that you get one that takes the wattage of the appliance. (Hairdryers are usually 1500watts these days.)

I know people who have run large appliances off a real transformer - but transformers are heavy and normally not worth the trouble. As I understand it, too, the difference in frequency (50 Hz vs 60 Hz) will ultimately ruin the motor.

Large appliances differ in much more than just the voltage, too. In the US, appliances like dishwashers and washing machines connect to your hot water line and use hot water from the water heater rather than heating their own water as they do in Europe.
Cheers,
Bev

[twostep]

Bev you are talking about washers from the 80s. Look into some Siemens, LG and even Maytag. Top of the line front loaders with all the whistles and bells. Trust me - I could not do it without.

Is it worth to waste container space on small appliances? No. They are so cheap by the time you buy a transformer, put up with the change in performance and power usage you could have bought a brand new appliance. Hairdryers start under 10$. If you are just traveling - every decent hotel has hairdryers (some even built in), irons ... free of charge.

Yes - every house has a 220 Volt connection but 30 Amp and 60 Hertz. Give your big appliances to someone who can use them in Europe.

[synthia]

Most appliances don't even have external switches either more. Look at the information on the appliance. If the range is 110-240 or 115-220 or anything like that, the electronics are designed to handle the full range of voltages without your intervention. This is certainly true of laptops and cell phones and camera batter chargers. I've used all of these in both 220 and 110 countries, with absolutely no problems.

The adaptors for the prongs on the end of the plug are a pain, and I agree that it might not be worth bringing small appliances. Though it is nice not to have to go out and get everything in the midst of getting settled.

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by twostep

Bev you are talking about washers from the 80s. Look into some Siemens, LG and even Maytag. Top of the line front loaders with all the whistles and bells. Trust me - I could not do it without.

Twostep, but you're already over there. Bringing a washer or dryer from Europe to the US just strikes me as a complete waste of effort, given all the differences. (Actually, the people I know who have imported washers and dryers from America to Europe strike me as pretty anal about the whole thing, too.)

It's possible to make them work, but not really worth all the hassle, IMO.
Cheers,
Bev