Voltage Conversion Guide – Things you should know before buying a voltage converter

QUESTION – What should I know before buying a voltage converter?

ANSWER – First thing you should know is that different countries operate in different voltage suppliers. The U.S, Mexico, and Canada for example, operate in 110-120 volts, while most countries in Europe operate in 220-240 volts. Some countries even operate on both voltage suppliers such as Brazil and Vietnam, although you might not find the dual voltage everywhere you go in those countries. So you should get acquainted with the voltage supply of the country you intend to visit.

Second thing you should know is the voltage information about your equipment. Some electronic devices are dual voltage, and will work fine with the difference in power supply. But that is not the case with most of the electronic equipments in your house hold. If you have a 110 volts device that you need to take to a country with 220 volts power supply, you will need a voltage converter – most specifically you will need a Step Down voltage converter. If you have 220 volts equipment that you are taking to a country with a 110 volts power supply, you will also need a converter – specifically a Step up voltage converter.

Third and final thing you should know is the wattage information of the equipment you wish to use in a foreign country. This information will allow you to purchase a voltage converter that is able to handle the wattage required for your equipment to work. For example, if you intend to take your 110 volts hair dryer to a 220 volts power supplied country, and your hair dryer wattage information is 1400 watts, you need to acquire a Step Down voltage converter able to handle at least 1800 watts. The voltage converter’s manufacturers advise the purchase of a voltage converter able to handle 25-30% more power than the device requires to work.

Once you get acquainted with the information above, you will be ready to make an informed decision about the best voltage converter for you. If you are still having problems figuring it out, please check our Voltage Converter Help page. It is a simple way to find the answers you need about the voltage converter that’s right for you.