Electrical Equipment

[woofman 0]

Our move is going to start on 17th July & I want to get rid of things that won't work in the US.

Can anyone advise what will & what won't work from the following list of UK electricals...???

Sony Bravia TV

DVD Player

Video Recorder

CD Players

Table Lamps

Kitchen Small Appliances

Computer

Computer Monitor

Computer Printer / Scanner

Cordless Telephone

Power Drill

Power Garden Blower

What has been your experience with these kind of things...? Have you ditched them or bought transformers?

Any help & advice gratefully received..

[Cécy 44]

I only brought my computer and my electrical epilator. For the rest, it was too bulky or heavy and I knew it would be easier to buy here (plus my fiancé already has a lot of those things).

DVD can be good to bring if you want to be able to read your British DVD's as the American ones are from a different zone.

For the rest, unless it's rather small and you care about it: sell it and buy local. It's much easier and you will save a lot on shipping.

[KHURRAM SERAJ 0]

Our move is going to start on 17th July & I want to get rid of things that won't work in the US.

Can anyone advise what will & what won't work from the following list of UK electricals...???

Sony Bravia TV - Has to be NTSC Compatible to be of use in The US

DVD Player - Has to be NTSC Compatible to be of use in The US

Video Recorder - Has to be NTSC Compatible to be of use in The US

CD Players -Just need transformer

Table Lamps -Just need transformer

Kitchen Small Appliances -Just need transformer

Computer - has a 110/220 switch on the back powersupply so wont even need a transformer

Computer Monitor -Just need transformer

Computer Printer / Scanner - it depends, some printers/scanners have adapters that are 110 and 220 compatible so wont need transformer for those

Cordless Telephone -Just need transformer

Power Drill - Dont know but should just need transformer

Power Garden Blower- Dont know but should just need transformer

What has been your experience with these kind of things...? Have you ditched them or bought transformers?

Any help & advice gratefully received..

Sony Bravia TV - Has to be NTSC Compatible to be of use in The US

DVD Player - Has to be NTSC Compatible to be of use in The US

Video Recorder - Has to be NTSC Compatible to be of use in The US

CD Players -Just need transformer

Table Lamps -Just need transformer

Kitchen Small Appliances -Just need transformer

Computer - has a 110/220 switch on the back powersupply so wont even need a transformer

Computer Monitor -Just need transformer

Computer Printer / Scanner - it depends, some printers/scanners have adapters that are 110 and 220 compatible so wont need transformer for those

Cordless Telephone -Just need transformer

Power Drill - Dont know but should just need transformer

Power Garden Blower- Dont know but should just need transformer

[Saddle Bronc 124]

For some items (such as power tools), best approach is to sell at "garage sale" or "yard sale", and buy anew in US.

[featherB 1]

For some items (such as power tools), best approach is to sell at "garage sale" or "yard sale", and buy anew in US.

... or eBay. That's what I did with every electrical thing I owned, apart from my laptop.

[Shub 78]

Sony Bravia TV

DVD Player

Video Recorder

-> Those devices (especially the DVD player and VCR) usually have an integrated power block which is not universal (i.e. does not accept 100~240V input), therefore you will need a step-up converter between the wall jack and the device(s), as power in the States is ~110V, while it's ~220V in the UK (and most of the world).

CD Players

-> Depends. Batteries are universal, and so are music CDs, so that won't be a big problem. If they're portable players and you're planning on using them plugged, then check that the power adapter bears the mention "Input: 100-240V" (or approximately equivalent values). If it does, you only need a plug adapter. If it doesn't, you need a step-up adapter (as mentioned above). If they're not portable players, then the same applies as for your TV/DVD/VCR.

Table Lamps

Kitchen Small Appliances

-> You can definitely forget about the lamps, and very probably about the kitchen appliances (small or big).

Computer

-> Almost all computer power supplies (not just laptops') have been universal for as long as I've known, as in they will accept voltage from all over the world, and so you should simply get a US cord. However, computer power supplies can come in two flavors:

1) 100% universal and automatic

2) universal but with a switch somewhere on the unit to switch between 110 and 220V. The switch is usually on the accessible part of the unit, i.e. on the back of the computer near where you plug the power cord, but is sometimes inside (so you'd have to open the computer and find the switch)

-> Computer Monitor

Pretty much the same as your TV.

Internal power block? You can probably forget about it, but do make sure (read the label/etched writing on the back or read the specs in the manual)

External power block? Read the label and look for the Input mention, see if it says 100-240V or only ~220.

Computer Printer / Scanner

Cordless Telephone

Power Drill

Power Garden Blower

-> I have little experience with any of those to give a reliable response. My gut feeling on the printer and scanner is that they won't be universal and will therefore need a step-up transformer. I guess by cordless phone you didn't mean cell phone, but if you did mean cell phone, cell phone chargers are almost always universal in terms of accepted voltage, though you will need a plug adapter.

[~krakatoa~ 27]

Our move is going to start on 17th July & I want to get rid of things that won't work in the US.

Can anyone advise what will & what won't work from the following list of UK electricals...???

Sony Bravia TV

DVD Player

Video Recorder

CD Players

Table Lamps

Kitchen Small Appliances

Computer

Computer Monitor

Computer Printer / Scanner

Cordless Telephone

Power Drill

Power Garden Blower

What has been your experience with these kind of things...? Have you ditched them or bought transformers?

Any help & advice gratefully received..

The appliances I brought with me are my laptop (universal voltage), scanner-printer-copier in one (I wasn't expecting it to work here but I'm using it now, without converters--the challenge was finding a compatible ink here), CD player works, desk top computer works and the rest I left back in the Phils. (uses 220 V). I wished I brought my car though, just expensive to ship it

[Dr_LHA 3]

Our move is going to start on 17th July & I want to get rid of things that won't work in the US.

Can anyone advise what will & what won't work from the following list of UK electricals...???

Sony Bravia TV

DVD Player

Video Recorder

CD Players

Table Lamps

Kitchen Small Appliances

Don't bother bringing any of the above unless you want a house full of buzzing transformers. Sell in the UK, buy new in the USA. The TV stuff will only be useful for watching UK DVDs on anyway as USA uses NTSC.

Computer

Computer Monitor

Computer Printer / Scanner

Computer stuff usually have universal voltage power adapters, so as long as that is true its fine to bring.

Cordless Telephone

Might be OK.

Power Drill

Power Garden Blower

Sell and buy in the USA.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

For some items (such as power tools), best approach is to sell at "garage sale" or "yard sale", and buy anew in US.

... or eBay. That's what I did with every electrical thing I owned, apart from my laptop.

Same difference--eBay is just "yard sale on web".

[Candace 2]

I am not sure it is true for all table lamps, but the all the lamps I have here in Germany (including a British one) just need the plugs changing for using with the US supply, no transformer required, as the voltage is in the bulbs and not in the appliance.

Edited to add of course the bulbs need to be changed as well as the plus, if that wasn't clear!

Edited June 28, 2007 by Candace

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I am not sure it is true for all table lamps, but the all the lamps I have here in Germany (including a British one) just need the plugs changing for using with the US supply, no transformer required, as the voltage is in the bulbs and not in the appliance.

Edited to add of course the bulbs need to be changed as well as the plus, if that wasn't clear!

Generally, that would mean changing almost the entire electrics from socket to plug.

If I remember correctly, most European bulbs are bayonet-mount (note: I used Indian bulbs for the model, and presumed similar in Europe) while US bulbs are threaded.

[Candace 2]

I am not sure it is true for all table lamps, but the all the lamps I have here in Germany (including a British one) just need the plugs changing for using with the US supply, no transformer required, as the voltage is in the bulbs and not in the appliance.

Edited to add of course the bulbs need to be changed as well as the plus, if that wasn't clear!

Generally, that would mean changing almost the entire electrics from socket to plug.

If I remember correctly, most European bulbs are bayonet-mount (note: I used Indian bulbs for the model, and presumed similar in Europe) while US bulbs are threaded.

Well, since a lamp by definition is just the plug, the bulb and a bunch of wires in between, that's probably about right!

Changing my plugs over however was not too much of a hassle, and worth it if you really want to keep a lamp (one of mine was a gift and I really didn't want to get rid of it.) And yes, I forgot to mention the lack of bayonet bulbs in 110v but luckily the fittings on the lamps I have are the threaded kind.