Will I need a converter for my USA laptop in Botswana?

Will I need a converter for my USA laptop in Botswana? - Space grey type c USB hub with multiple different ports connected to laptop

My laptop’s input is 100-240V AC 50/60Hz. I’m travelling to Botswana, where they use 230 volts at 50 hertz. Do I need a converter or a transformer?



Best Answer

Since 230V is in the range 100-240V, you do not need a transformer. You will probably need an adapter. Botswana doesn't seem to have a standard; can you find out what kind of plugs are in your hotel, or the business you're visiting?

I would suggest bringing at least one adapter labeled Africa and a British one, but consider a universal adapter so you can work with whatever you find:

enter image description here

My universal didn't work in South Africa; the hotel, however, sold adapters. You may end up buying one there once you know what plug you are working with.




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Do I need a voltage converter for my laptop?

Computers are electronic devices and therefore they must be used with a transformer, unless they are dual voltage. Fortunately, nowadays all laptop, tablet and phone chargers are dual voltage, so they can be used with only a travel adapter.

What adapter do I need for Botswana?

For Botswana there are two associated plug types, types D and G. Plug type D is the plug which has three round pins in a triangular pattern and plug type G is the plug which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Botswana operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

Do I need a voltage converter for Botswana?

In Botswana the standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. You cannot use your electric appliances in Botswana without a voltage converter, because the standard voltage in Botswana (230 V) is higher than in Canada (120 V).

Do I need an adapter or converter?

The big difference between an adapter and a converter is electricity. While the purpose of an adapter is to simply help the plugs on your electronics fit into (or more aptly, adapt to the shape of) foreign outlets, a converter's job is to change the voltage found in an outlet to match that of your devices.



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More answers regarding will I need a converter for my USA laptop in Botswana?

Answer 2

Here's a canonical reference for Peter Green's answer (sorry, too long for a comment).

Botswana uses Type D, Type G and Type M sockets. See:

noting the panel to the right contains 'Botswana' in each case.

These are specified here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets:_British_and_related_types

Type G are BS1363 square-pin British sockets (i.e. what you now see in the UK). The plugs look like this:

Type G BS1636 square-pin British plug

(source: Wikimedia commons)

And the sockets look like this:

Type G BS1636 square-pin British socket

(source: Wikimedia commons)

Types D (5A) and M (15A) are the old round-pin British 5A and 15A sockets (BS546) which are hardly ever seen in the UK now save for some specialist applications where fused plugs are undesirable (e.g. stage lighting where changing fuses is difficult). They are much better known as South African standard (SABS1661 is the SA standard for the 15A variant, which is allegedly more common for power outlets), which is why they are used in Botswana.

The plugs look like this (left hand 15A, middle 5A, right hand an irrelevant 2A plug):

enter image description here

(source: Wikimedia commons)

and the sockets look like this (left hand 15A, right hand 5A):

enter image description hereenter image description here

(source: Wikimedia commons)

These are relatively unusual on the 'plug' side of universal adaptors (i.e. adaptors that support multiple types of power sockets, as well as allowing multiple things to be plugged into them). You can however buy adaptors that plug into only these sockets, and support multiple types of plug - e.g. (for example) here (unaffiliated link) and here (Amazon, unaffiliated link).

You do not need a transformer as (per Kate Gregory's answer) your laptop power supply will take between 100V and 240V at either 50 or 60Hz, and the supply is 230V (within the voltage range) at 50Hz (one of the options). You merely need a physical adapter (as per the above). Most modern power supply units are similar, but it is best to check (as you did).

Answer 3

You don't need a transformer, but you will need one or more plug adaptors. From some googling it seems that Botswana uses a mixture of British 5A, 13A and 15A plug types.

Unfortunately in my googling I failed to find a source of adaptors for connecting American plugs to 5A and 15A BS546 sockets that I was happy to recommend. The only ones I found had horrible universal sockets (the type that fits lots of plugs, none of them very well) and the BS1363 adaptor in the range was unfused, which doesn't inspire confidence (BS1363 plugs should always be fused).

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska, PhotoMIX Company