Hopscotch,
Well put!
I can do the Nuclear stuff with ease, but electrical...Foggeddaboutit.
M

lol hopscotch...sorry, that's what my radioshack sales guy told me, as well as a few other electronics stores. So how frightening is that......

Since I really don't even understand how you mean that I was so erroneous, I'll leave the goodfolks here to your all-apparent knowledge. In the meanwhile, I'll going to go cut up some patients...

Hopscotch, I'm sure your spot on with most of your info but "All of Europe uses 220 volts" doesn't sound right since we in the UK are on 240V.

Maybe we often don't appear to want to be part of Europe but for now we are.

I don't know what you are talking about. Everything I said is/was accurate. I said canuck will not need a <b>transformer</b> for the dual voltage appliance - - and I clarified that the little kinds of transformers sold to the public are commonly called converters (or convertors).

And thus, I stand by this statement - - &lt;&lt;A converter IS a transformer&gt;&gt; as 100% accurate. I agree with you that a &quot;converter&quot; (or) transformer does not alter the frequency; crazymina said that wrong. It steps up or steps down the voltage.

I didn't say I used a transformer MADE of lead - - I was trying to convey that it was very heavy and very dense - - <b>like</b> a lead brick, I said.

I have no idea how you could be refuting these simple factual statements I made.

OK ok, I can see I said that wrong. But I got the high-tech jargon wrong...however someone somewhere knew what I meant (and I think I meant the right thing.) Not that it helps matters....ah well...

The bottom line...your curling iron will work with an adapter from the sounds of it. And don't take a hairdryer...my cousin nearly started a fire with hers!

Miss OP- I have the Conair Instant heat, curling brush, 20 settings, says 120V/240V AC,50/60HZ 75W on the back (need strong light &amp; mag glass to read). I have used it US &amp; on a ship with 220 (240, whatever) Works fine. Setting 20 is very HOT. My travel hair dryer has the switch on it. Yes, needs a pretty wide screwdriver to change.
What I need is a 1/2 inch barrel curling brush. No dual setting one that I can find. Need tighter curl as the perm gets old. I guess I could buy one when in 220 territory.

&lt;&lt;And don't take a hairdryer...&gt;&gt;

A proper dual voltage hairdryer should not be a problem unless the building has very old, bad wiring in corcuits that are not meant to handle much above light-bulb wattage. Those seem uncommon nowadays.

But yes, a 110 volt hair dryer can be a huge problem.

Rex, as someone who has talked to lots of travelers who have brought dual voltage dryers to Europe,I would say it's easier just to buy them in there. Mine cost 15 euro at the monoprix, was extremely light and functional. Even a dual voltage dryer just doesn't work to its best potential in Europe...and you're supposed to use it on a lower setting which isn't optimal for many women.

Obviously my cousin did something wrong when she burned holes into the linens in her room though. Personally, I'd just rather throw my hair in a ponytail. That hairdryer I bought ended up being mostly used for drying underwear and socks

Canuck- (isn't it amusing when non-Canucks think the term Canuck is pejorative?-go figure!)

Rex is correct. A converter/transformer (the term is interchangable in this context)-&quot;steps down&quot; the higher voltage of Europe's power systems either 240/230v for U.K. or 230/220v for continental Europe - for appliances using 110v.
As far as having extra &quot;oomph&quot; Wombat, you're absolutely right-240v/220v does have extra &quot;oomph&quot; because it is FAR MORE DANGEROUS in terms of electrical shock-but the higher voltage is also much more efficient from a power systems point of view, accordingly, European power systems designers decided to trade off the safety hazard of higher voltages in order to opt for greater systems efficiency. Because of the greater danger, I'm very careful when using plugs etc. in countries with the higher voltages. Myself, I'll take the 110/120v. lower &quot;oomph&quot; electrical current anyday. (which is of course not saying that 110v can't kill you-it can-but it is far less dangerous than 220v-for this reason American power system designers opted for the lower voltage).

Thanks everyone..I'm set-I'll take curling iron and all the places I'm going have hairdryers..all is well with my world! well, except one thing - I can't figure out what &quot;OP&quot; means - that's what janeg addresses me by and I can't for the life of me figure out what it means? C'mon hopscotch...you can call me canuck-I've been called a lot worse!

OP = &quot;original poster&quot; - - the person who asks the first question on a &quot;thread&quot;.

OK canuck. It looks like you have yourself fixed despite the &quot;help&quot; on this thread.

Some people use the terms transformer and converter as if they were the same thing. This doesn't make it so.

My 1,000 watt converter weighs about 3 ounces. I opened it and it has a couple of diodes and electronic widgets inside.

My 50 watt transformer weighs over a pound. It is full of steel plates and copper wire.

They are both about the same size physically, a little bigger than 1&quot;x1&quot;x2&quot;.

These things are not the same.

Okay... I've got a question. I have the Samsonite converter/adaptor kit but do not have the instructions. But inside is a label indicating which pieces are for which countries. The big, heavy converter piece is labeled &quot;Europe&quot;. There is also a much smaller adaptor piece labeled &quot;Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East&quot;. I know if your appliance is dual voltage that you can skip the convertor and just use the adaptor. But if your appliance is not dual voltage, can you just plug the appliance into the convertor and then the convertor directly into the wall (Europe only)? The prongs look almost exactly the same on my convertor as they do on the &quot;Europe&quot; adaptor, but there are little slits in the prongs on one of them (don't remember which one right now). If that question makes sense to anyone, thanks in advance for a reply. If not, sorry to further boggle anyone's mind today.

One more verification...after reading this thread, am I correct in assuming that since my curling iron says 120v/240v AC 50/60hz 85w and my hair dryer says 125/250v AC 60hz 1875w all I need is a plug adapter? Thanks!

Hi euro,

&gt;am I correct in assuming that since my curling iron says 120v/240v AC 50/60hz 85w and my hair dryer says 125/250v AC 60hz 1875w all I need is a plug adapter? &lt;

Yes.

One caveat, you have one of the newer high power hair dryers. The wiring in an old building in Europe might not be able to handle it.

You will know if you start it up and the lights go off in about a minute.

Hi Ira,

Thanks for the info. I think I may leave the hairdryer at home...it's kind of big anyway...plus having light is important to me ;-)

The older dual voltage appliances have a switch on them that you turn to the correct voltage. The newer dual voltage appliances automatically switch.

You are all amazing. I was just having this discussion with my husband who said that all we need are adapters. I have a Conair Travel Hair Dryer that I like to take even though most places have one. I like this one. Since it is an older model I doubt that it is dual voltage. From reading this thread I assume that I will also need a converter to use this product. Do all things then work if you use a converter and an adapter.

We are leaving on Saturday for Berlin so would appreciate fast answers.

Thanks

Spiegelcjs - You dryer will have the voltage on it somewhere so if it is just says 110-120 you will need the converter. Not all converters are created equal! The first time I went to Europe my curling iron simply would not heat but my blow dryer would work. Before my 2nd trip I looked at converters again and discovered that you needed to also look at the wattage on your appliances. Some converters are rated for low wattage(25 or 50 - battery chargers, shavers,etc.)and others for high wattage (50-1875 - curling irons,etc). There are also converters which will handle both and have a high-low switch or newer ones that automatically switch from high to low and will say so on the packaging.

For my 2nd trip I bought one with the high-low switch and my curling iron worked! Your hair dryer won't work the same as it does in the US and you may have to use it on low only. Many hair appliances sound like they are going to blow up or fry when using them with converters.

It may be time to retire the old hair dryer and buy a new one that is dual voltage. Probably cost the sanes as buying adapters and converters.

Thanks