Do I Need A Voltage Converter or Plug Adapter?

Trying to figure out what you need in order to make your electrical appliances work overseas can be a little confusing. But never fear. We here at Le TRAVEL STORE have put together this guide to help you figure out exactly what you need.

Foreign Electricity & Plugs

The electricity coming out of the wall in the USA is 110 volts. In most other countries it is 220 volts. This means that you either need a voltage converter, or an appliance that accepts both 110v and 220v – appliances that accept both are said to be dual voltage.

Most countries also use a different plug shape than the USA. In order to make your plug fit in the wall,

Other Countries that Use 110 volts

A few other countries use 110v, meaning you can just plug your US appliance right in. These countries include Japan, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and many places in the Carribean, Central America, and the Pacific Islands.

Dual Voltage Appliances

Dual Voltage Appliances accept both 110v and 220v, so all you need is a plug adapter to make your plug fit in the wall. You don’t need a voltage converter. Appliances that are made for travel (travel hair dryers, travel irons, etc.) are almost always dual voltage.

The following appliances are nearly always dual voltage:

• Laptop Computer Battery Chargers
• Camera Battery Chargers
• Cell Phone Chargers
• IPod Chargers

How Can I Find Out If My Appliance is Dual Voltage?

On every electrical appliance there is an indications panel with a bunch of writing in it. This will tell you if your appliance is dual voltage.

• Dual Voltage appliances will say 110/220vac, or 120~240vac, or something similar. This means it accepts both 110 volts and 220 volts.
• Single Voltage appliances will just say 110vac or 120vac

NOTE: For laptops, cameras, cell phone chargers, and other battery chargers, the indications panel is found on the charger itself.

My Appliance is Dual Voltage – What Do I Need?

All you need is a plug adapter to make your plug fit in the wall. If your plug has 2 pins, you can use the ungrounded adapter (UG). If you have 3 pins, you need the grounded adapter (G). Here’s what you need for some common destinations:

• Continental Europe plug adapter: (UG-A or G-A)
• Great Britain and Ireland plug adapter: (UG-D or G-D)
• Australia/ New Zealand plug adapter: (UG-C or G-C)
• Find out more about plug adapters on our plug adapters page.

My Appliances is Not Dual Voltage – What Do I Need?

You need a voltage converter and a plug adapter. The easiest choice is the Auto-Dual Wattage International Converter Set, which has a converter that works for any appliance, and a set of 5 adapter plugs, covering most of the world.

To determine exactly which Voltage Converter will work for your appliance, you need to know the wattage. Look at the indications panel - the wattage is the number followed by a W, (for example, 12W, 50W, or 1600W).

• For appliances under 50W, use a 0-50 Watt Transformer, and the proper adapter plug.
• For appliances over 50W, use a 26-1875 Watt Converter, and the proper adapter plug.