Converter/Adaptor for Australia?

Electric adaptor's VS converter's or "what the heck do I need???" !

Please, I need some help about electric converter's, adaptor's, or whatever!

When I search (on Amazon) for "electric converter's for Australia", I get "adaptor's", not converter's. Don't we need converter's to use our 110 V US, in Australia?

All I want to do is to charge our Kindle's and our phone's while we're in Sydney.

Any help will be very appreciated! Links would be even better :),

Thanks,

Check the label on your charger; it should say something like "INPUT: 110-240V".

If it does then you're good to go as far as voltage is concerned. Most electronic chargers & hairdryers now are multi-voltage.

The only thing you need now is a plug adapter.

If it doesn't say "110-240V", but something like "100-130V" then you will need a voltage converter in addition to a plug adapter.

A quick trip to Radio Shack with your existing stuff should answer your concerns.

I suggest you get something like this

http://www.amazon.com/PowerFast-International-Charging-accelerated-countries/dp/B006GWO7UA

I assume your phone also charges from a USB cable so this charger will work for both your Kindle and your phone.

With this sort of charger you don't have to worry about 100v versus 220v as the charger handles that automatically.

We use a similar charger when travelling from Australia to other parts of the world.

Good advice given so far, the main thing is to check the voltage range on each of your appliances to see if an adaptor will work, in most cases they do.:D

I know the Kindle will work with such an adaptor as I have a Kindle myself, and most modern phones will too.

Also going the other way, we use our adapter on board and plug all our aussie plugged items into the US power points. Never a problem.

I think you are thinking of an inverter/converter from 240 volts to 12 volts, like a car. We use AC current in our homes etc, and most appliances are able to handle the voltage range as people previously have stated. :)

Check the label on your charger; it should say something like "INPUT: 110-240V".

 

If it does then you're good to go as far as voltage is concerned. Most electronic chargers & hairdryers now are multi-voltage.

 

The only thing you need now is a plug adapter.

 

If it doesn't say "110-240V", but something like "100-130V" then you will need a voltage converter in addition to a plug adapter.

 

A quick trip to Radio Shack with your existing stuff should answer your concerns.

Philob has hit the nail on the head, please OP listen to his advice. Australia has been lucky for a long time getting most of its electrical goods with dual voltage unlike other countries, because someone here can plug there 240v appliance into a 110v plug using an adpater does not mean you can.

Everything we buy for travel is dual voltage: mobile phones readers. Camera chargers. Computers. Tablets. Etc. then all we ever need are adaptors.

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Philob has hit the nail on the head, please OP listen to his advice. Australia has been lucky for a long time getting most of its electrical goods with dual voltage unlike other countries, because someone here can plug there 240v appliance into a 110v plug using an adpater does not mean you can.

Icerecon, devices like Kindles and most mobile phones charge using USB cables. International wall chargers that have USB plugs are capable of handling both 220v and 110v, that's whay they are "international".

The charger converts the wall current to that required by a USB cable.

Usually the only items produced in USA that only take 110v are heavy duty things like kitchen appliances, eg cookers, coffee makers and heaters. Most travel items these days can take up to 240v. Maybe check things like heated rollers and hair dryers etc.

Agreed, hairdryers, hair straighteners, rollers etc could be a problem but, again, many of the those items have dual voltage switches on them, especially if they are designed for travel.

I suggest you get something like this

http://www.amazon.com/PowerFast-International-Charging-accelerated-countries/dp/B006GWO7UA

 

I assume your phone also charges from a USB cable so this charger will work for both your Kindle and your phone.

 

With this sort of charger you don't have to worry about 100v versus 220v as the charger handles that automatically.

 

We use a similar charger when travelling from Australia to other parts of the world.

I am thinking that we need to charge 1xcamera, 2x mobile phones, 1x iPad pretty much every evening. Any advice for Aus devices that are going O.S.? Europe & USA in particular?

I am thinking that we need to charge 1xcamera, 2x mobile phones, 1x iPad pretty much every evening. Any advice for Aus devices that are going O.S.? Europe & USA in particular?

For years we've used two dual port USB wall chargers with exchangable international plugs which handles anything that charges through a USB cable, but after our UK trip last year where I took my laptop plus a new camera that had a special battery and charger, and after staying at some places that had only one available power point and/or hard to read power points, we bought one of these:

http://www.bunnings.com.au/mort-bay-powerboard-surgeprot-2way-2usb-prt-wndup-cord_p4331031

This worked really well on our recent India trip, we just had to take a couple of adaptor plugs, although most of the hotels had international sockets that we could just put the Aussie plug straight into. With the correct adaptors it should also work in the UK, Europe and the rest of Asia.

However I'm fairly certain that the powerboard won't will work in the US so may have to go back to the USB wall plugs plus US adaptors there.

This is the USB charger that we have two off

http://www.hahnel.ie/index.cfm?page=xtrasforipod_usb&id=33&pId=33

I bought them from a Teds Camera store a few years ago.

Lets try & make it simple . AC - Alternating Current DC - Direct Current.

- The US and Canada basically have 110v AC Most other countries including Europe, Asia and Australia are 240v AC. The different countries use many different types of plugs to access their power outlets. One uses ADAPTERS to access the power outlet overseas with the plug of your appliance/charger provided the power source voltage is within the acceptable voltage range as stated on your appliance/adapter . (ADAPTERS do NOT change the voltage, they ADAPT the Overseas power outlet to accept your home plug.)

1. Mainstream electrical appliances like toasters, kettles , hair wands, hair dryers etc are either 110 volts AC or 240 volts AC. So if an Australian plugs in a 240v hot water heater into a 110v power outlet in the US it will still heat but is much slower. But if a US traveller plugs his 110v hot water heater into an outlet in Australia it will blow up.

2. Mobile phones, I pads, I pods and many smaller appliances all run on low voltage DC current. These devices if they plug direct into the power outlet will have a built in converter that changes the power from 110 AC or 240v AC to a much lower voltage DC current . As stated by others check the plug with the device and the device that it is either Universal or has input voltage range of 110 - 240v AC.

3. Many of these devices can also be charged via a USB port . Here the DC power of a PC or from a motor vehicle is used to charge the phone, tablet, pad etc via the USB port . As other have pointed out you can also get universal USB chargers for DC devices that plug into standard power outlets , just be sure to check the input voltage is 110 - 240v AC.

So USA, Canadians and other persons whose home voltage is 110 volts AC , travelling Overseas need to be careful. Australians travelling Overseas basically need a good set of adapters , as most countries will have 240v AC and a good set of adapters will fix all issues. And for Aussies visiting countries with 110v AC your adapters will get you by in most cases especially where the input voltage of the appliance, charger is 110 - 240 V AC.

Seek advice from an electronics store or electrician if in the slightest doubt .

That's not keeping it simple.

Check the appliance and if the appliance can take a range of voltages, get the adaptor.

If it doesn't, get the convertor.:D

Lets try & make it simple . AC - Alternating Current DC - Direct Current.

 

- The US and Canada basically have 110v AC Most other countries including Europe, Asia and Australia are 240v AC. The different countries use many different types of plugs to access their power outlets. One uses ADAPTERS to access the power outlet overseas with the plug of your appliance/charger provided the power source voltage is within the acceptable voltage range as stated on your appliance/adapter . (ADAPTERS do NOT change the voltage, they ADAPT the Overseas power outlet to accept your home plug.)

 

1. Mainstream electrical appliances like toasters, kettles , hair wands, hair dryers etc are either 110 volts AC or 240 volts AC. So if an Australian plugs in a 240v hot water heater into a 110v power outlet in the US it will still heat but is much slower. But if a US traveller plugs his 110v hot water heater into an outlet in Australia it will blow up.

 

2. Mobile phones, I pads, I pods and many smaller appliances all run on low voltage DC current. These devices if they plug direct into the power outlet will have a built in converter that changes the power from 110 AC or 240v AC to a much lower voltage DC current . As stated by others check the plug with the device and the device that it is either Universal or has input voltage range of 110 - 240v AC.

 

3. Many of these devices can also be charged via a USB port . Here the DC power of a PC or from a motor vehicle is used to charge the phone, tablet, pad etc via the USB port . As other have pointed out you can also get universal USB chargers for DC devices that plug into standard power outlets , just be sure to check the input voltage is 110 - 240v AC.

 

So USA, Canadians and other persons whose home voltage is 110 volts AC , travelling Overseas need to be careful. Australians travelling Overseas basically need a good set of adapters , as most countries will have 240v AC and a good set of adapters will fix all issues. And for Aussies visiting countries with 110v AC your adapters will get you by in most cases especially where the input voltage of the appliance, charger is 110 - 240 V AC.

 

Seek advice from an electronics store or electrician if in the slightest doubt .

That's not keeping it simple.

Sorry, while interesting I don't find your post "simple", either :(. I'm thinking you are probably an electrician whom doesn't know that most of us are NOT very versed in electrical "stuff"! Thanks for trying, though!

I'll try and simplify it further.

Most countries have wall socket power that is between 220-240V. Some oddball countries have power that is 100-120V (eg USA, Japan)

Things that are sold worldwide and have rechargable batteries in them (laptops, phones, cameras, etc) generally will take anywhere from 120-240V and work properly (and have this written on them)

Generally items that don't have a battery will only be made to work on one voltage.

If your appliance works with the voltage in the socket, you need an adaptor. These will often only cost a few dollars.

If you need to change the voltage to run your appliance you need a converter. These cost a lot more, and are generally quite heavy. It is probably easier and cheaper to buy a new appliance when you arrive than try and fly with a converter.

I'll try and simplify it further.

 

Most countries have wall socket power that is between 220-240V. Some oddball countries have power that is 100-120V (eg USA, Japan)

 

Things that are sold worldwide and have rechargable batteries in them (laptops, phones, cameras, etc) generally will take anywhere from 120-240V and work properly (and have this written on them)

 

Generally items that don't have a battery will only be made to work on one voltage.

 

If your appliance works with the voltage in the socket, you need an adaptor. These will often only cost a few dollars.

 

If you need to change the voltage to run your appliance you need a converter. These cost a lot more, and are generally quite heavy. It is probably easier and cheaper to buy a new appliance when you arrive than try and fly with a converter.

Excellent try.

BTW, welcome to Cruise critic.:D

Icerecon, devices like Kindles and most mobile phones charge using USB cables. International wall chargers that have USB plugs are capable of handling both 220v and 110v, that's whay they are "international".

 

The charger converts the wall current to that required by a USB cable.

OzKiwiJJ

Thanks for that, as the OP has stated some people are making this subject far harder and I guess more confusing than it is, for them to understand, check the voltages get the adaptor away you go. Glad you added the part about "MOST" mobile phones.

OzKiwiJJ

Thanks for that, as the OP has stated some people are making this subject far harder and I guess more confusing than it is, for them to understand, check the voltages get the adaptor away you go. Glad you added the part about "MOST" mobile phones.

No worries, Stan. :D

Although we haven't done a lot of cruising yet, we are experienced travellers so are used to dealing with the vagaries of international plugs and voltages. Hubby travels to the US at least once a year and has had no problems with standard technology items, but he doesn't try to use major appliances. The worst place is India. Although the voltage is the same as Australia, you take pot luck as to what plugs will fit. We also had some problems in one hotel in Ireland which had some very odd power points. Luckily it also had some that matched our adaptor.

It is harder for those coming from the US to here as there is a real risk of blowing up some some appliances, but Kindles and most phones, which the OP asked about, are usually OK.

I think the main issue you'll have is with heating devices. The normal gadget stuff will be fine.

I think the main issue you'll have is with heating devices. The normal gadget stuff will be fine.

Agree, South America (Brazil, Argentina, Peru) can be very tricky as each hotel seems to change between Europe/USA/Asia/Aus type sockets. However, the better hotels have a variety of options.:D

Thanks, everyone. I think that the adaptor I already have will work. If it doesn't, we'll just wait until we're aboard ship to charge our Kindle's and phone's or see if the hotel has something we can borrow.