When traveling from the EU to the USA, what kind of power adapter am I going to need?
I'm going to be traveling from the EU to the USA for a few days. During my stay, I need to be able to charge personal devices such as my laptop, my phone, and my shaving machine.
Coming from a country with 230V and 50Hz power, what off-the-shelf equipment am I going to need to use the 120V and 60Hz network in the US?
(I see adapters on Amazon that convert the shape of the plug but they explicitly mention that they don't convert voltage or frequency, so I'm a bit puzzled about their usefulness.)
Best Answer
The first thing to do is check all your appliances. Check wether they are multi voltage. You will see that printed on them somewhere. I have yet to encounter a laptop or mobile phone charger that was not good for 100-250V, 50-60Hz. Those kinds of adaptors have been accepting a wide range of AC voltages and frequencies by default for a long time.
The shaver may or may not be an issue. If it is a battery powered one, with a charger, then in all likelihood that charger will accept any voltage as well.
If all your appliance are of the "any voltage" kind, than all you need is a plug adaptor that adapts the shape of your EU plug so that it fits in a US socket.
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What power adapter do I need for USA?
When living in the United States of America you don't need a power plug adapter in the United States of America. Your power plugs fit. We recommend you to pack a 3 to 2 prong adapter in case type B sockets are not available. Your appliances with plug A and plug B fit.Can I change a European plug to a U.S. plug?
- Most electronic devices have a 110v-220v transformer or dual voltage (110/220 VAC) for worldwide use. If your devices have it, all you have to do is simply plug this adapter and you can use it in the USA.Are American plug sockets the same as Europe?
You need a power plug adapter in the United States of America, when living in the United Kingdom. You also need a voltage converter. Be extra careful with certain appliances because of the difference in frequency.How do I know if I need a converter or adapter?
Check the label and/or owner's manual: If it says something similar to \u201cINPUT AC 120 VAC 60 Hz 200 W,\u201d then your gadget is single-voltage and can only be used on 120 V. If you want to use it elsewhere, you'll need a converter.TRAVEL ADAPTERS and Power PLUGS explained | World Travel Tips
More answers regarding when traveling from the EU to the USA, what kind of power adapter am I going to need?
Answer 2
As others have said, almost all laptop and phone chargers will support 100-250V at 50 or 60Hz. They have switch mode power supplies, which for various technical reasons I won't go into, are very easy to build to support all the world's major domestic voltage and frequency standards, so almost all of them are built as such. Check on the chargers themselves to be sure. It's also quite likely your shaver will support this; again, check on it to be sure. If this is the case, a travel adaptor would be sufficient, converting the shape of the plug only.
However, a word of warning. I would also suggest buying from a reputable retailer in your home country (maybe an online one), and not from a site like Amazon or eBay where a huge variety of companies can sell things claiming to be other things with limited policing, and where fakes are common. Sure, in all likelihood there won't be a problem, but I wouldn't want to be putting myself in danger of electrocution or fire, which are both certainly possibilities based on the horrific adaptors I've seen in the past. On the other hand, things bought in reputable retail stores or from the websites thereof are generally quite good at complying with all relevant electrical safety regulations. Even if it costs a bit more, to me this is worth the peace of mind.
On a similar note, buy one that is solely designed to convert US sockets for EU plugs. These tend to be a lot more sturdy and safe than the ones designed to convert anything to anything.
Answer 3
I see adapters on Amazon that convert the shape of the plug but they explicitly mention that they don't convert voltage or frequency, so I'm a bit puzzled about their usefulness.
This is called an Adapter: The European plug will be adaped to the US power plug (it will not convert the 240V to 110V AC power source) .
Most (if not all of all) Laptops can switch automatically between the 2 (dual-voltage), so only a plug Adapter is needed.
For your phone, which will probably be based on a USB-Charger, the plug Adapter can also be used.
For your shaving machine you will have to look at the label.
If it states: "110-240V~/50-60Hz" (dual-voltage), then a plug Adapter can also be used.
(A quick search shows that many do, but make sure that 60 Hz required in the US is also supported) .
Not using a Converter (where needed) from a 240V (European) appliance to the 110V (US) should cause no harm, it will just not recieve enough energy to work properly (the raser may run slower).
The answer linked below gives many useful details about the whole topic.
Sources:
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Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Aleks Marinkovic, Pixabay