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We are making our first trip to Florida next year and wondered about power adapters. We have a digital camera using rechargeable batteries. Is our UK battery charger likely to work (using the appropriate US plug) given the 240/110v difference.
Thanks
Gary
caroline
11-09-2002, 14:00
We've found in the past that our chargers do work - but they seem to take longer to charge
Caroline
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
11-09-2002, 14:07
We've forund that too Caroline.
We just bought one of those US to UK plug adapters at the airport and plug the batteries in as normal. I guess with nearly half the voltage it's bound to take longer to recharge the batteries.
John & Sarah Rooke
www.floridadreamvilla.co.uk
www.orlandovillas.com
www.vacation-rental-villas.com
www.park-tickets.com
www.orlando-guide.info
caroline
11-09-2002, 15:47
I knew they'rd be a technical explanation for it <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>
Caroline
carole7007
11-09-2002, 18:13
Does anyone know if you can buy an adapter the other way round,
we have the UK to USA one, that we take with us to the Villa, but
I would like to bring set of US lights home but would need a USA - UK adapter have looked, but can't seem to find one, or don't they make them !!
Thanks
Carole & Keith
They do make a US to UK adapter probably easier to get in the US, however the lights will be rated for US voltage 110v, plugging them into 240v will give them a nasty shock! You can get power transformers to step the power down. see this site for info
http://www.voltagevalet.com/foreign.html
Gary
Many adapters for electronic equipment are dual voltage...the circuitry just adjusts. For example, my digital camera charger is rated 100 Volts (Japan) to 240 volts.
Look on your charger and it will say something like Input: 100-240V
By the way, it will not take twice as long to charge at 110v as 220v with a device like this, as the voltage is halved but the current is doubled. Total power is the same.
Edited by - mmfan on 18/09/2002 02:53:16
caroline
18-09-2002, 10:46
quote:
Many adapters for electronic equipment are dual voltage...the circuitry just adjusts. For example, my digital camera charger is rated 100 Volts (Japan) to 240 volts.
Look on your charger and it will say something like Input: 100-240V
By the way, it will not take twice as long to charge at 110v as 220v with a device like this, as the voltage is halved but the current is doubled. Total power is the same.
Edited by - mmfan on 18/09/2002 02:53:16
Not being technically minded <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle> perhaps you can tell me why a UK hairdryer used with an adaptor works at half speed in the US and my batteries that usually charge up in an hour or so take double the time?? I just assumed it was because they only receive half the "juice" they needed <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>
Caroline
steph_goodrum
18-09-2002, 11:35
Dixons do a US to UK adaptor for around £15. or If, like me you have a partner in the building trade, they will no doubt have at least 1 of the 110v transformers, (yellow box) as all site work uses this for safety, so you could run it from there and keep the transformer in the garage.
My travel kettle, despite being dual voltage, took so long to boil in the US that I ended up going to Walmart and just buying a normal kettle for $9.99 when I went before. It's a bit bigger but is very useful if we're going somewhere that doesn't have facilities.
Babblin Boo
Hubbie says the US to UK adapters are limited on the amount of power you can use. They are OK provided you are not using them on somethig which has a lot of wattage like a power drill( yes he has been known to buy stuff like that in the US!!!)
Julie Carty
steph_goodrum
18-09-2002, 14:35
Julie
You're lucky, it's not a good holiday for Mick unless he comes back with at least a couple of new drills or other assorted tools and 2 or 3 pairs of steel toe-cap trainers! Like I said though because he has the 110v transformers he can buy any of them and use them here.
Babblin Boo
tinkerbell
18-09-2002, 15:46
I took a hairdryer out to orlando one time, which apparently didnt like the conversion! It was quicker for me to get someone to blow on my hair!!!
My mobile phone charger was very slective with which plugs it would work in or not!!
Tink
Electronics and motors work differently. A hairdryer will work at half speed because the motor makes half as strong a magnetic field at half the voltage (the heater will also be anemic). You have to wind the motor differently to produce the same resulting speed. The power adaptors in sophisticated electronics have a circuit that varies the current with the voltage...producing the same net output. Remember, your computer only runs at somewhere around 18 volts anyway..so going from 240 to 18 or 120 to 18 is still a big step down.
Here is a cut and paste from the Dell Website for one of their notebook pc's:
AC Adapter:
Input voltage: 90 to 135 VAC and 164 to 264 VAC
Input current (maximum): 1.5A
Output current: 4.5A max. at 4-second pulse, 3.5A continuous
Output power: 70 W
So the battery sees 70Watts coming at it no matter what the input voltage. It's the input current that varies.
[/quote]
Not being technically minded <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle> perhaps you can tell me why a UK hairdryer used with an adaptor works at half speed in the US and my batteries that usually charge up in an hour or so take double the time?? I just assumed it was because they only receive half the "juice" they needed <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>
Caroline
[/quote]
Edited by - mmfan on 19/09/2002 00:35:23
caroline
19-09-2002, 13:51
Thanks MMFAN - I think I understand now - it's something that's puzzled me for years!
Caroline