Euro socket designation. US power grid voltage, electrical plugs and sockets
More than once I have encountered the bewilderment of our tourists, and especially female tourists, who took with them equipment from Russia (a hair dryer, for example), but in the USA the device barely works. You shouldn’t immediately scold the manufacturer, it’s all about tension.
In America, the voltage in the network is 110 volts, so European equipment designed for voltage from 220 to 240 volts works here, frankly speaking, very poorly. Don't count on your favorite hairdryer or curling iron to help you out during your American trip. Either leave them at home and don’t take up space in your suitcase, or make sure in advance that the device is capable of working in full mode— there is equipment that can adapt to any voltage; information can be found in the instructions for the device. Many devices work without problems in any country in the world, but alas, not all.
There are such “stations” in many hotels, but sometimes even Apple owners can’t get anywhere without an adapter.
As for phones, cameras and cameras, you can charge them, but accordingly it will take a little longer than at home. Therefore, make sure in advance that the equipment is ready for use upon arrival; if you have a tour the next day, for example, it will not be pleasant if the camera is not charged within the usual 2 hours.
An important point is the adapter. If you can live without a hairdryer, and hotels usually have one, then such a number will not work with a telephone; without it, most people will get nowhere. Sockets in the USA are completely different from European ones. There is no way to do this without an adapter. Of course, you will find an adapter when you arrive in the USA, but it is not always easy. In many hotels, for some inexplicable reason, there are no adapters. And the “star rating” of a hotel doesn’t mean anything here—sometimes a hostel has an adapter, but a luxury hotel doesn’t. And in the supermarket or pharmacy closest to the hotel (sounds strange, but more on that a little later) there may not be adapters, as we have seen more than once from the example of our tourists, with whom we were looking for adapters upon their arrival.
American outlet
Now imagine the situation - you have just arrived, you are tired, you are not very confident in your English, but you need to charge your devices so as not to be left without communication in the morning. Wandering around the city, not knowing where to get this adapter, is not a pleasant prospect. You can, of course, call the guide, but what if you don’t have a guide or the tour is a group one? In a word, to protect yourself from minor troubles like this, it is better to buy an adapter at the airport (they definitely exist there and are cheaper than in the USA - few people think of buying them upon departure) or in general in your city - nowadays you can find a complete set not a problem at any hardware store.
Returning to the topic of hair dryers and other styling equipment, if you did not bring one with you and purchased replacements from a local store, please ensure that they are rated for more than 110 volts before using them in Russia. Unlike the situation with European devices, which here, in the worst case, simply will not work as needed. Topical appliances can cause serious harm to you at home. My friend, who bought a straightener here, when she tried to use it at home, instead of ideal straight hair, she got volume, and what a volume. The iron exploded in her hands. You can, of course, sue the manufacturer, but it was clearly written on the box (albeit on English) that the device can ONLY operate at a voltage of 110 volts. Which is fair, considering the cost of the iron is $18.
In order not to repeat such an incident in your example, when you see equipment here, be it a toaster for $15 or a super hair dryer for $300, you should make sure that it is adapted for higher voltage and you can use it safely in your country. Those devices that are cheap are most likely designed to serve only in the USA, and even then not for long. The price-quality ratio has not been canceled in any corner of the planet. You shouldn’t sweep $20 coffee makers and waffle makers off the shelves - they are, of course, very nice, and just like in the movies, but they are completely useless in Russia. If you buy a phone or camera here, then there is no need to worry - this equipment is precisely designed to work safely around the world. But with everything else (especially with household appliances) you should be on alert. Especially if you are planning to give someone a gift. It’s unlikely that your boss, having received a mini-coffee maker as a souvenir, will thank you for the fire at home or in the office, and for his phobia of electronics. And then try to prove that you didn’t try to kill your boss. So, everything is like Hippocrates - do no harm.
Well, if you do acquire safe “adapted” equipment, then again, don’t forget about the adapter. Adapter for European socket It’s easy to purchase here - everyone expects that Americans are traveling and will certainly buy an adapter in their homeland, anticipating possible troubles. Why don't we follow their example?
European buyers who had to purchase in the US electronic devices or home appliances, they know that American equipment has a power cord plug configuration that is different from what we are used to. There is also a difference in the network voltage range. Thus, the norm for the United States is a voltage of 110 volts, while in the networks of European countries it is 220 volts.
Therefore, people who want to buy a laptop, smartphone, TV or depilator in the USA are afraid that they will not be able to use these devices.
In fact, they can, but for this you will need to take certain steps. Next, we will try to figure out how to determine the voltage level at which the device operates, and how to adapt a North American device to the networks of the European continent.
Currently, almost all manufacturers equip their products with universal network adapters, power supplies and devices for charging gadgets, which allows the equipment to work in any country in the world.
Finding out the voltage range for a particular product is not difficult. To do this, just look:
- instructions for the device (section dedicated to technical parameters);
- specification on the sticker located on the back of the product;
- description of the device model on the manufacturer's website.
Standard network adapters of this type are included with all modern laptops. In the data indicated on the sticker we can see that this device is universal and can operate from 100 to 240 volts (highlighted in red).
Before purchasing a product, the buyer can first find out what the operating range of the corresponding device is. In addition, you can ask the product seller about the shape of the plug and the permissible voltage level. But it should be remembered that almost any device can be adapted to work with a suitable voltage level.
On the sticker of the electric razor charger we see that the device also operates at a voltage of 100-240 volts (highlighted in red)
Equipment that operates at voltages between 100 and 240 volts
After receiving the goods, you must first make sure that this block power supply is truly universal, because otherwise there is a high risk of damage to the electrical device.
Standard charger For mobile phone. Information that indicates its versatility is highlighted in red.
Then you need to solve the problem with the cord plug American type, which is different from European standard. If, when ordering a product, the store does not offer a European-style plug as an option, then there are two ways out of this situation.
Purchasing an adapter
Buying an adapter for an American-type cord plug to a European-type network is the simplest, cheapest and most popular way to solve the problem. But in in this case one thing to consider important nuance- presence or absence of a grounding contact on the plug.
Mains plug equipped with a grounding pin
If the plug of the purchased device is equipped with a grounding contact, then you should select a universal type adapter. If there is no grounding contact, then a standard adapter is most suitable.
A plug that does not have a grounding pin
Purchasing such an adapter is the optimal solution. Such devices cost about two to three dollars and are sold in many electrical stores. However, the difficulty is that they are not always available for sale.
Types of network adapters designed for plugs without grounding function
But this problem is not insurmountable, since such devices can be purchased on radio markets or via the Internet. For example, a large assortment of such products is presented on the American online auction eBay.
Purchasing the correct power cord
An alternative way to solve the problem is to purchase a new power cord equipped with a plug of the appropriate configuration. You can also use a cord from some other device, for example, from a camera or video camera.
The cord can be purchased for $3-5 at any electronics or home improvement store. But it should be noted that the connector of the purchased cord that is connected to the equipment must fully correspond to the connector of the American cord.
Let's consider a fairly common situation: a laptop was purchased in the United States with a plug configuration typical for that country. The gadget's network adapter states that it is universal and can operate at a network voltage of 100-240 volts. You can solve the problem of replacing the cord in a very simple way:
Initially, the laptop included a power cord with a standard US connector.
The simplest way out is to replace it with a power cord suitable for European networks. There is no need to do anything further because network adapter The laptop can work with any network.
Cases when purchasing a cord is impractical
For some types of equipment, purchasing cords is not justified, and in such cases, preference should be given to purchasing adapters. Devices used primarily with adapters include:
- mobile phones and smartphones, since purchasing a new device for recharging is unprofitable;
- large household appliances in which the cord is connected to the device itself, and can only be replaced by specialists from specialized repair centers;
- devices equipped with complex connectors and connected directly to electrical equipment; in such situations, you can only purchase a suitable cord from service center manufacturing company.
Electrical equipment operating at voltages between 100 and 110 volts
Currently common household appliances, operating strictly at 110 volts. This is, first of all, large equipment that users rarely order through online stores from other parts of the world.
But if the buyer nevertheless received such a product, then he can solve the problem that has arisen quite easily. The best way out In this case, it is necessary to purchase a step-down transformer.
This device reduces voltage electrical network 220V to suitable for the 110V device. It is equipped with all the necessary connectors, so there is no need to purchase any additional adapters. The process of connecting the device to the electrical network via a transformer is carried out by connecting the plugs; no settings are needed.
Selecting the correct transformer power
When choosing a transformer, you need to pay attention to the power level of the electrical appliance with which it will be used, since large equipment, in particular refrigerators, televisions, electric heaters, etc., require a higher power transformer. Therefore, you first need to find out what the power of the electrical appliance is (in Watts-W or Watt), and then buy the most suitable transformer device.
The dimensions of step-down transformers vary. So, for technology with low level power (up to two hundred watts), the transformers are barely larger in size than devices for charging smartphones. A device for equipment with a power of up to three thousand watts can be comparable in its parameters to a two-liter bottle.
An ordinary step-down transformer equipped with an American plug connector
Such devices can be ordered from electronic stores. The cost of transformers with a power of up to two hundred watts is approximately ten dollars. The more high power The connected equipment differs, the more expensive the transformer is. So, the cost of a device for three thousand watts will reach 50-70 dollars.
Step-down transformer for high-power electrical devices
Many buyers order such products via the Internet, in particular, on the American eBay auction, where there is always a large selection of step-down transformers.