Voltage Converters and Safe Use of Electrical Equipment when Traveling Overseas

People often wonder if there is a difference between voltage converters and voltage regulators.  A regulator acts as both a converter and a voltage stabilizer.  A converter ensures that the power supply delivered to an electrical item is the correct voltage and a stabilizer provides protection against a fluctuating power supply

Importance of Choosing the Correct Converter

People often wonder if their electrical items will work overseas, and in most cases, choosing the correct transformer or converter (depending on the electrical item involved) will enable most devices to work correctly.  The USA and a number of countries in South America and the Caribbean use a power supply that is 110 volts and 60 Hz.  The rest of the world use a supply that 220 volts and 50 Hz.    Voltage converters cause power to step up (110 to 220 volts) or step down (220 to 110V) 

Power Plugs and Converters

People who travel overseas usually need to take a converter and often an international adaptor plug that enables the device to be plugged into a power outlet, regardless of shape and angle of the plug.   It is important to remember that a plug is not a converter or a transformer and you will need to purchase them separately from the adaptor plug.  

Safe Use of Converters

As a guide, you must know the watts your device requires to work correctly.  You can find this information either on the device itself or in the owner’s instruction manual.   It is useful to buy a converter that is at least 50% higher than your appliance needs.    Operating a device on a converter that is higher than your device requires it should not damage the device; however operating a device with a converter that is less than required may cause your device not to work.  Most modern equipment won’t be affected by the difference in electricity generation at 50v or 60v.

Many online stores carry a great amount of stock and can assist you in choosing good quality voltage converters that will ensure that your appliances function wherever you travel.  For less expensive appliances, it may be worth buying a cheap device in the country you are visiting, but remember that purchasing and taking a converter will provide you with peace of mind that equipment you need to take with you will continue to function correctly. 

Region and Code Free DVD Players Explained

Have you ever popped a new DVD into you player and gotten nothing but a message over the TV that read “Region Error?”  Believe it or not there is a simple explanation and no it isn’t you nor is anything wrong with the disk. Actually, a TV from one country and a DVD player from yet another will not always communicate due to pre-set regional codes. Whether you just moved countries, travel constantly for business or an avid traveler, region code free DVD players can make watching any disc from anywhere possible.

Regional Code
Regional codes were created in the USA to control the release of movies all over the world through a locking and number system. The DVD region locking system is what decides which DVDs can be played on which regional DVD players. The regions are:

·         Region one: United States and Canada

·         Region Two: Europe, Japan, Egypt, Greenland, South Africa and the Middle East

·         Region Three: Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

·         Region Four: Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America, Mexico, Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean.

·         Zone Five: Eastern Europe, India, North Korea, Major part of Africa, Mongolia, and Russia

·         Zone six: China.

Regional Differences

Different regions in the world use different standards for both DVD players and TVs. North American countries usually use NTSC, while European and Asian countries prefer the standards of PAL while France uses the older SECAM standards. All this put together can become quite complicated for the viewer, since the right compatibility of local standards with a different instrument is required in each region.

Region-Free DVD Player
A region free DVD player is able to read and play any DVD regardless of the region code standards pre-set by the DVD disc by manufactures. A region free DVD player makes it possible to have any combination of standards work together. If you can’t find a code free player that is made in your country, purchase whichever one you can and then buy foreign plug adapters to fit your home.
Going to the movie theater can be expensive if you go often. If you’re a movie lover, there’s probably nothing that you love more than watching movies in the comfort of your own home. Don’t risk getting the popcorn made just to get an error message when you could just buy a region code free DVD player and never have to worry.

Use Power Converters When Travelling

There are two electrical transmission systems used in the world. Both are based on different transmission mechanisms which are based on different voltages. The system used in the USA is based on a voltage supply of 110V, as opposed to 220V which is used in Europe and the eastern countries. The electric appliances which are made for use in one particular system cannot work in the other system. For example, if a TV is bought in the USA, that means that it cannot be used in Europe with the local power supply.

Foreign Plug Adapters

The world has now become a global village, which means that faster methods of transportation have made it possible for people to travel the length of the world in just a few hours. This has resulted in people travelling to far off countries as a normal way of life.  In such cases, it is important to have some sort of convertor to change the voltage of one system to the other, so that the device will function and won’t be damaged. This feat is accomplished by foreign plug adapters. They are handy to use when on the go during a foreign travelling trip.

Deluxe Automatic Voltage Regulator

When the power adapters started to appear in the market, they featured manual operation. This means that the voltage needed to be selected manually. However, with advances in technology, the deluxe automatic voltage regulator was introduced, which automatically detected the input voltage and made the appropriate conversion required for the operation of the appliance. This made it easy to use without any risk of wrong manual selection, which could possibly lead to the damage of the appliance.

International Adapter Plugs

The recent advances in e-commerce have made it possible for people to order consumer products, especially the electric appliances, anywhere in the world. For example, when importing a device to Europe from the USA, the difference of power transmission systems needs to be kept in mind. In such a case, international adapter plugs are used as convertors of the voltage. The plugs are used with the sockets providing the voltage of the host system, and then they convert it into the native voltage that’s needed for the operation of the appliance.

Many of the electric appliances that we’ve come to rely on in our lives aren’t inexpensive.  That’s why it’s important when travelling to make use of the power convertors are so that the appliance can be used in a different system without any risk of damage. Such power converters are easily available in the market and are quite affordable.

What To Consider When Buying A Multi System TV

A Multisystem TV is a television capable of receiving and displaying different video systems like PAL, SECAM and NTSC. They will operate in 99% of the world because they have a dual power supply (the exceptions being France, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay) and do not require a voltage convertor.

What Are The Advantages Of A Multi System TV?

The picture quality of a Multi System TV is vastly superior to that of a conventional television, and this quality may be even further enhanced depending on whether you choose LCD or plasma. 

Technology has tackled the problem of scan lines that can be visible in conventional units. These lines are created by the electronic beam used to scan the picture tube from top to bottom regularly and repeatedly. Multi Systems include built-in line doubling, and that makes the scan lines disappear. There are few drawbacks of a Multi System TV compared to a conventional TV. Multi System TVs also have a perfect, flat viewing area with no curvature hampering the picture and causing distortion around the screen edges.

Which Is Better: LCD or Plasma?

If you are going to invest in a multisystem TV then you should take full advantage of modern technology and look at LCD and Plasma units. LCD/LED televisions fit well in rooms saturated with natural light, but don’t do well in rooms that rely mainly on artificially controlled lighting.  With a LCD TV, you’ll see sharp vivid colours, and because of this watching sports and movies will take on a whole new intensity.  Keep in mind that LCDs are thinner than other types of televisions but this thinness is merely aesthetic and adds no enhancement to performance.

Plasma televisions are bigger than most other televisions with sizes starting at 42” so if you can’t fit a unit of this size in your room, you’ll be better off with a LCD.  Plasma televisions are good in normally lit rooms and offer viewers more natural looking images in movies, nature programs and live action sports.  But they don’t perform as well in rooms that are flooded with natural light as this impairs the bright eye popping colour.

Before making a decision about whether you’ll buy an LCD or a Plasma TV, try both types in a room with natural lighting. This is important because fluorescent lit showrooms will simply not give you the best idea of how these televisions will perform in your house.

Pack Your Own Electric Travel First Aid Kit

One of the best tips I ever got from another global traveler was to take a little “electric first aid kit” with me abroad.  This turned out to save me a lot of hassle and down time by being prepared for the kinds of “mismatches” that occur when you move from one country’s electrical system to another.

There are two main kinds of mismatches.  The first is voltage.  The United States and Canadian electric systems both operate with 110-volt direct electric current, however most of the rest of the world uses 220 volt direct current. That means that if you want t to use your US or Canadian electric and electronic appliances and gadgets, e.g.., Nintendo Wiis and rechargeable wireless headsets, in other countries, you are going to need voltage converters or transformers in order to increase the voltage. 

You will be alerted to this anyway, because your North American plug, with the two parallel prongs (even those that use a third prong for grounding instead of just widening one of the two), will not fit in the outlets abroad.  This is a good thing or you’d hear a zzzzppppfff and perhaps smell a whiff of smoke, because those 220 volts just cruise right through your poor little 110 gadget’s body and burn the thing to a crisp.

Keep in mind that many modern electronic gadgets operate with alternating current and have a boxlike AC adapter between the wall outlet and the actual device that can work with an input of either 220 volts or 110 volts.  To be on the safe side, read the markings on the cable or adapter box.

If you want to be prepared for just about anything when you move abroad or are traveling for extended periods, here’s what you should considering packing in your “electrical first aid kit”:

 1.  One or more lightweight voltage converters.  They are cheap, easy to pack, and useful for a variety of small electric appliances.

2.  A heavy duty “step up” deluxe automatic voltage regulator with at least two outlets for electrical appliances (for example, a hot pot or a curling iron).

3.  A voltage transformer for use with electronic devices, namely those with an electronic chip or circuit.  This would radios, boom boxes, stereos, and “smart” electronic appliances.

4.  Two or more extension power cords.  If you take your home office equipment, for example, you can use one transformer with a power cord into which you can plug your printer, scanner, PC, etc.  They also can be plugged into the wall with an adaptor for then plugging in your laptop, cell phone, etc., that work with either voltage level.

5.  Various plug adapters.  You can buy sets of these or just those that you will need for the area in which you will be living or traveling.  For many South American outlets, for example in Argentina, you will need a plug adapter with a “V” shape.

Pack it all in a plastic waterproof container inside one of your packing boxes or suitcases that you will open when you first arrive so that you can enjoy your modern conveniences right away.  You can do the rest of your unpacking while you listen to music on your stereo equipment!

ABCs for the First-Time HDTV Buyer

If you are in the market for a new TV and a bit confused about all the new jargon, e.g., HDTV, multisystem TVs, etc., read on and become an informed consumer before you start hitting the stores or internet electronics retailers.

Why would I want a digital television?

If you have been watching TV on an old set, your picture is based on a system that is over half a century old.  You will be amazed at the better picture quality and sound with digital television.  I bet you have already dumped your old Brownie or Polaroid camera for a super digital model—so why not do the same with your television?  HDTVs offer higher quality images that are sharper, and crisper.

What do “DTV” and “HDTV” stand for?

DT stands for Digital Television, those that receive any one of the 18 digital signaling methods.  Digital TVs fall into three categories:  High Definition TV (HDTV), Enhanced Digital TV (EDTV), and Standard Definition TV (SDTV).  At normal viewing distances, the HDTV outperforms the other two.

 What does “High Definition” mean?

High Definition Television.  Definition refers to the resolution of the image, i.e., the sharpness. The old analog TV signals are comprised of 525 interlacing lines that can be disrupted by flickering, ghosting, and blurring.  The digital TVs receive the signals digitally—in the for of 0s and 1s, which get rid of those problems and produce superior pictures, with crisp, vivid images of up to 1080 lines.  Think of the difference in precision between a digital clock and a typical analog clock.

Would a converter that changes the digital signal to analog work?

Well, yes, if you want to take a really superior picture and turn it into one that can flicker, blur and ghost.  If you are that attached to your old set, move it to your bedroom and put the new digital multisystem TV in the living room where everyone can enjoy it! 

What is “digital sound” and “digital surround” TV?

Again, digital refers to the fact that the signal is received as “0” or “1,” which makes for a purer signal without the usual interference.  Thus digital TV offers sound as good as you can get at the movie theater by using 6-channel Dolby.  If you want to have that cinematic effect, you can buy a system with more than two regular stereo channels to have the sound surround you literally. 

What digital broadcasts can I get now?

Yes, you can receive digital broadcasts.  Major TV networks with digital programming include ABC, CBS, NBC, HBO, and Fox, and more are on the way.

In some, you can get some great buys on multisystem TVs that not only offer you the advantages of digital TV but work with any worldwide system.  If you like the world of TV, treat yourself to the best set you can afford!

  

5 Must-Know Rules for Expats about Electric Voltage

Let this serve as a warning to other U.S. expats.  If you plan on taking any of your electronic equipment with you, you absolutely need to know about voltage, converters, and plugs.  After seven years abroad, I’ve developed some good tips about how to enjoy your electronics without the fuss, muss, and burned equipment.  Take note of these tried and tested rules below—and send me any you have!

A few years ago I moved to beautiful Buenos Aires with my Sony stereo, HP laptop, HP scanner, HP printer, Fellows paper shredder, not to mention a Mr. Coffee, Sony digital camera, and probably a few other things that escape my memory. 

After I got here, I discovered how hard it was to get things to work.  First, I zapped the scanner by accidentally plugging it into a 220-volt outlet.  That’s usually hard to do because the plugs for 110 volts don’t fit into the 220 voltage outlets here, as a rule. 

But at a local store I had just recently purchased an extension cord with a power strip with outlets adapted to either 220-volt or 110-volt type plugs.  All it took was being in too much of a hurry to notice, and hsszzap!  The minute the acrid smell hit my nostrils, I knew the poor scanner adapter cord would need replacing!

 Rule #1:  Label your outlets with the voltage as necessary.  One of mine is now plugged into one of those voltage converters that steps the 220-volt current down to 110, so it is labeled “110.”  Treat yourself and get adeluxe automatic voltage regulator.

Rule #2: Label your electronics as necessary.  I’ve had to drop my computer and stereo off at the local repair shop, and I’m taking no chances.  I’ve labeled each clearly with warning tags that these are 110-volt items.  I also mention it clearly.  So far, so good.  Maybe this really isn’t necessary, but it costs me nothing and gives me piece of mind.

 Rule #3:  Get at least two high quality voltage converters for convenience sake.  My stereo, in the living room of course, is plugged into a converter hidden from view.  That is a little too far for recharging my toothbrush and running my KitchenAid mixer, so I installed a second voltage regulator on the kitchen counter for the mixer and other appliances.  Frankly, I’d like to hide it in a counter and run the wires out of sight, but well, you can’t have everything!

 Rule #4:  Know what you can plug in safely.  I took my lamps into a local electric shop to change them to 220-volts, and guess what?  It turns out that my U.S. lamps are so well made, with good thick electric cords, that they easily support the higher voltage.  All I needed to do was insert a 220-volt bulb, and voila!  Alas, when I plugged in my Christmas tree lights, they went fizzle and emitted that tell-tale burnt odor.  I went out and bought 220-volt strings.  Problem solved! 

Rule #5:  Forgive yourself if you make a mistake.  Part of the adventure of expat living is learning, so figure a few mishaps are bound to happen on the journey.  Learn to laugh at it and move on.