Power Adapters

[gday]

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]

We've found in the past that our chargers do work - but they seem to take longer to charge

Caroline

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

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]

I knew they'rd be a technical explanation for it <img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle>

Caroline

[carole7007]

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

[gday]

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

[MMFAN]

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]

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]

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

[esprit]

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