View Full Version : US Electrical Goods
Help!
On a recent trip to the US I purchased a couple of CD players and Gameboys for my kids. I thought I had an adaptor at home to convert them to UK voltage but I just can't find it anywhere :(!
Any tips where I can buy the right adaptor in the UK.
donnapit
03-05-2005, 22:27
Don't know where to get a transformer for the CD player, however if your game boy says the input is 100/240V then it'll work on UK power, however if you only have the 2 pin plug that came with it, you can get a 3 pin plug with a 2 pin shaver socket from anywhere that sells plugs.
Try Maplins, they usually have a good range.
www.maplin.co.uk
CERICROWLEY
03-05-2005, 22:37
Rosie. I was going to say Maplins as well.
Also you could try TLC. Their website is tlc-direct.co.uk we bought a transformer from them the other way around to work gameboys, laptops etc in the states.
It cost us about £40 and is very heavy, not sure what the US to UK one costs or looks like
nicklangdon
03-05-2005, 22:55
Try Partmaster.co.uk.They are part of the Dixons chain.I think i have seen them for around £25.
Robert5988
03-05-2005, 23:36
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Rosie. I was going to say Maplins as well.
Also you could try TLC. Their website is tlc-direct.co.uk we bought a transformer from them the other way around to work gameboys, laptops etc in the states.
It just us about £40 and is very heavy, not sure what the US to UK one costs or looks like[/quote]
There appears to be some confusion here.
Vitually all portable [u]electronic*</u> devices like Gameboys, laptops etc work off DC(direct current)voltage. This DC voltage, can be supplied externally from an rectifier, sometimes from an internal rectifier or internal batteries which may(or may not) be rechargeable by internal circuitry in the device itself. The purpose of these rectifiers is to convert the mains voltage to the correct DC voltage which is normally between 6v to 9v.
The mains voltage is AC(alternating current) 110v in the USA and 240v in UK.
Some electronic devices(dual voltage devices) will accept both 110v and 240v mains voltage and convert either supply to DC. If so all you will need is a simple adaptor to allow the US style plug to fit the UK socket(or vice versa)
If the device will only accept US [u]or</u> UK mains voltage, you will need to get a external rectifier that supplies the correct DC voltage when you are in the 'foreign' country. These are not expensive - a few pounds/dollars - and there are some that provide variable DC voltages. These are the small boxes 2-3 inches square that are normally black or white.
Alternatively you can get a transformer that converts 240v to 110v(or vice versa) but as stated in the quote above they are expensive and heavy.
* do not confuse other devices such as hair dryers, curling tongs with the above. These work on AC voltage and must not be used in the 'foreign' country unless they are specifically designed for dual voltage
i bought a laptop in florida two weeks ago, and it has an input of 110-240v which i think is standard nowadays, as does my mobile charger. i would of thought with game boy being a world wide product they would use a standard power lead that accepts all voltage and just change the plug to fit the country which it is being sold in
Thorogoods
03-05-2005, 23:53
Hi you can buy a gameboy charger from Game Stores its about £5.00. We bought our daughter one for her birthday last year and when we returned to UK tried for a for a adaptor could not find one thought just try in Game as we walked past and hey presto could off saved ourselves a lot of time and just keep the US charger for when we return to Florida.[msnsmile2]