Your device will fall in one of three categories: dual voltage, 110-120V only or 220-240V only. If your appliances are not dual voltage, you’ll need a voltage converter or transformer to use them in a country with different voltage outlets. Don’t know if your device is single or dual voltage?There’s an easy way to find out!
After you determine your device voltage, the next step is figuring out the required wattage. Find your device’s power by looking at the label for a number followed by a W, mA or A. These stand for Watts, milliAmps, and Amps. If you see the watts, you can move to the next step. If you have mA or A, you’ll have to do a bit of math. Don’t worry; it’s easy.
| VOLTAGE CONVERTION KEY | ||
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Watts = Voltage x Amps |
Example:120V x 0.8A = 96W |
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Amps = milliAmps x / 1000 |
Example:5mA x / 1000 = 0.005A |
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You’ll want to look for a converter or transformer that provides just a bit more wattage than you need. Devices tend to surge up when they’re turned on, so that little bit of extra power required needs to come from somewhere.
Please note the higher the power requirement (watt), the larger and heavier transformer you’ll need. A typical 2000W transformer can weigh up to 15 pounds, making it less than ideal for travel. However, a 2000W voltage converter is much smaller and compact. 2000W converters are designed for purely resistive electricals without circuit boards, such as standard hair dryers.
Our voltage converter vs transformer guide goes over converter and transformer differences in greater detail. We recommend staying away from such high-powered small voltage converters all together. Choose a safer and more convenient option, by traveling with a dual voltage hair dryer instead.
If you’re traveling the world, this means you’ll need to find the right adapter plug. And you can find it at ceptics.com – where every adapter has been made with your safety in mind so that we can connect the world.
