Everything you need to know about European electricity
May 30th, 2007, 03:13 PM
#43
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After reading everyone's comments last night, I emailed Franzus "fried" a flat iron last year in Italy, even though I used a convertor. I ws particularly interested in wha to use for a camera battery charger in Europe also.
This is the best response to detailed questions that I have seen:
"Thank you for your e-mail inquiry about using a flat iron and a hair dryer in a 220/240V country.
The 1600 watt converter should not be used with any appliance that contains electronic components. Curling irons, flat irons and hair dryers that are equipped with a re-set button on the plug usually contain electronic circuitry components. Therefore, we do not recommend using these types of appliances with converters if they are over 25 watts.
Although converters can be used with some battery chargers, the 1600 converter is NOT the correct one for any battery charger.
We would recommend that you purchase a dual voltage flat iron and a dual voltage hair dryer. Dual voltage appliances are capable of operating in both voltage systems (120V and 220V) and do not require conversion devices. These types of appliances only require the proper adapter plug or plugs to fit the foreign outlet. One should confirm the outlet configuration of the countries of usage to confirm what adapter plugs you will need.
Dual voltage hair dryers, unlike dual flat irons, will have a screw-like switch on the handle which needs to be changed to the 200-v side setting when in a 220/240V country. This is important. To confirm if your appliance has this feature, please look on the rating plate. If it says 100-240V or 120/240V or similar, it is dual.
If you really wish to use any 120V flat iron, over 25 watt curling iron or 120V hair dryer, you would need to use a transformer, with the wattage determining the model transformer needed. Transformers can be heavy so they are not practical. The better way to go is to purchase these appliances with the dual voltage feature (or sometimes they use the wording worldwide or universal). These appliances are available wherever they sell hair styling appliances or on www.conair.com. We sell dual voltage hair dryers on www.franzus.com as well.
As far as battery chargers, you need to look on the charger where it say INPUT AC or similar. If it says 100-240V, it is dual and only the proper adapter plug(s) are needed. If the charger says 120V, then you need to determine the AC wattage. If 120V and under 25 watts, you can use our dual wattage converter (1875CK or TS-2000) in the LOW setting. If 120V and over 25 watts, you will need to use our Model F-11 50 Watt International Transformer. You may or may not need additional adapter plugs.
Our converters and 50 watt Transformer are light weight; however, a transformer for a 72 watt flat iron would weigh about two pounds--for an 1800 watt hair dryer the transformer would weigh over 5 pounds. That is why we recommend going with dual voltage ones!
I hope that this is helpful. We wish you a wonderful and safe trip!"
Customer Service
Franzus Company
(a Division of Conair)
www.franzus.com
www.conair.com
This is the best response to detailed questions that I have seen:
"Thank you for your e-mail inquiry about using a flat iron and a hair dryer in a 220/240V country.
The 1600 watt converter should not be used with any appliance that contains electronic components. Curling irons, flat irons and hair dryers that are equipped with a re-set button on the plug usually contain electronic circuitry components. Therefore, we do not recommend using these types of appliances with converters if they are over 25 watts.
Although converters can be used with some battery chargers, the 1600 converter is NOT the correct one for any battery charger.
We would recommend that you purchase a dual voltage flat iron and a dual voltage hair dryer. Dual voltage appliances are capable of operating in both voltage systems (120V and 220V) and do not require conversion devices. These types of appliances only require the proper adapter plug or plugs to fit the foreign outlet. One should confirm the outlet configuration of the countries of usage to confirm what adapter plugs you will need.
Dual voltage hair dryers, unlike dual flat irons, will have a screw-like switch on the handle which needs to be changed to the 200-v side setting when in a 220/240V country. This is important. To confirm if your appliance has this feature, please look on the rating plate. If it says 100-240V or 120/240V or similar, it is dual.
If you really wish to use any 120V flat iron, over 25 watt curling iron or 120V hair dryer, you would need to use a transformer, with the wattage determining the model transformer needed. Transformers can be heavy so they are not practical. The better way to go is to purchase these appliances with the dual voltage feature (or sometimes they use the wording worldwide or universal). These appliances are available wherever they sell hair styling appliances or on www.conair.com. We sell dual voltage hair dryers on www.franzus.com as well.
As far as battery chargers, you need to look on the charger where it say INPUT AC or similar. If it says 100-240V, it is dual and only the proper adapter plug(s) are needed. If the charger says 120V, then you need to determine the AC wattage. If 120V and under 25 watts, you can use our dual wattage converter (1875CK or TS-2000) in the LOW setting. If 120V and over 25 watts, you will need to use our Model F-11 50 Watt International Transformer. You may or may not need additional adapter plugs.
Our converters and 50 watt Transformer are light weight; however, a transformer for a 72 watt flat iron would weigh about two pounds--for an 1800 watt hair dryer the transformer would weigh over 5 pounds. That is why we recommend going with dual voltage ones!
I hope that this is helpful. We wish you a wonderful and safe trip!"
Customer Service
Franzus Company
(a Division of Conair)
www.franzus.com
www.conair.com
May 30th, 2007, 03:51 PM
#44
Join Date: Jan 2005
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R-
And here I thought hysteresis had to do with pacemakers...
We moved to Spain when I was 10, many years ago. We had to put everything on huge transformers. I remember my clock losing 10 minutes every hour and having to buy another one
And here I thought hysteresis had to do with pacemakers...
We moved to Spain when I was 10, many years ago. We had to put everything on huge transformers. I remember my clock losing 10 minutes every hour and having to buy another one
May 30th, 2007, 10:31 PM
#45
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>you would need to use a transformer, with the wattage determining the model transformer needed.
Wow, right answer, I'm surprised!!! Can it be they themselves are selling the "converter crap", knowing very well it shouldn't be used and MUSTN'T be used? (Unless you know what you're doing and don't care for foreign law).
Wow, right answer, I'm surprised!!! Can it be they themselves are selling the "converter crap", knowing very well it shouldn't be used and MUSTN'T be used? (Unless you know what you're doing and don't care for foreign law).
Jul 9th, 2007, 07:30 PM
#46
I'm considering taking the curling iron I bought in the UK (3 square prongs)to Europe this fall and would look for the necessary adaptor plug there to make it work with a continental (2 round prongs) outlet.
Any advice if this could be easily done or should I just buy a new curling iron in Austria? Thanks for taking the time to advise--
Any advice if this could be easily done or should I just buy a new curling iron in Austria? Thanks for taking the time to advise--
Jul 9th, 2007, 09:19 PM
#47
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Of course you can get your British curling irons (or anything else) to work on the Continent: 60 million of us spend a huge slug of our lives using our gadgets across the Channel.
The only complication is that, whereas plug adapters are sold everywhere in Britain, they're a lot rarer on the Continent. If you're going somewhere electrical shops might be difficult to find (like renting a flat in a ski resort), you might remember to pick one up at whatever airport shopping place youi stumble on during your travels.
The only complication is that, whereas plug adapters are sold everywhere in Britain, they're a lot rarer on the Continent. If you're going somewhere electrical shops might be difficult to find (like renting a flat in a ski resort), you might remember to pick one up at whatever airport shopping place youi stumble on during your travels.
Jul 25th, 2007, 08:28 PM
#49
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I carry an Australian 4 way power board so all I need to do is use one plug adaptor. I then plug all my Aussie appliances into the power board. It also helps when there is a limited number of sockets. This was the case in the camps and lodges in Tanzania.
There is a question whether a power board from the US (110 volt) is safe to use with 220 volt systems. I don't know, but didn't have any problems using the Australian power board in North America.
There is a question whether a power board from the US (110 volt) is safe to use with 220 volt systems. I don't know, but didn't have any problems using the Australian power board in North America.
