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Revision as of 22:25, 17 March 2022

This page describes how you can use 120V rated US devices in the UK, where the mais is 240V.

Summary

People moving from US or Canada to the UK or Europe sometimes bring portable appliances with them which they would like to use in their new country of residence. Some devices are universal but this is very often not the case and you could need a transformer that could cost more than the device is worth. This page should enable you to determine what you need, if anything.

Safety

Simply plugging a North American device into a European mains socket, perhaps via a simple adapter may well destroy the device and may create a fire hazard.

Mains supply standards

The "electrical pressure" is measured in Volts. In North and Central America the mains supply is between 100 and 127V (120V in the US and Canada) whereas in the UK, Europe and many othe parts of the workd, it's between 220 and 240V (230V in Europe and 240V in the UK).

There are also 2 different standards for mains frequency (50 or 60HZ) but this is practically never of any consequence and so can be ignored. However, a North American clock using the mains fequency for its time standard would loose 10 minutes every hour.

Checking the Ratings

First of all, you need to look at the ratings plate of the device, usually on the back or underneath. There are 2 key ratings to look at:

The voltage, which we've already discussed, and
The wattage. This is the amount of power the device takes, and it'll be written as something like 40W, or 750W (or any other number of watts).

Some devices (in particular TVs, audio equipment and mains chargers and adapters) may be universal and will have a voltage rating spanning both standards. This might appear as something like 100 - 240V. All you will need to do to use such a device is to change the plug, or use an adapter. For a universal laptop adapter you can just swap the detatchable mains lead for a UK or European one.

Some other devices such as older HiFis may have a switch near the mains inlet, allowing them to be used on the other mains standard. You will probably need a screwdriver to change it. You will then just need to change the plug, or possibly use an adapter.

If you need a transformer

In this case you need a transformer to convert 240V to 110V, rated for the number of watts of your device. (Note that a transformer may be rated in VA, not Watts. The difference is technical and needn't concern you.) For anything rated much over 100W the transformer will probably cost more than the device is worth, but for small audio/visual equipment, hair straighteners (but not hair dryers), lamps etc something like this should do (though I don't see a CE mark - slightly concerning): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313914115501?hash=item4916bd45ad:g:BPYAAOSwhDBiMAz2 A builder's transformer such as this will drive higher power devices (with an adapter on the output), but not cheap!: https://www.screwfix.com/.../carroll-meynell-3000va.../84144

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ::Simply plugging a North American device into a European mains socket, perhaps via a simple adapter may well destroy the device and may create a fire hazard.
-==Check the Ratings==
+==Mains supply standards==
-First of all, you need to look at the ratings plate, usually on the back of the device.
+The "electrical pressure" is measured in Volts. In North and Central America the mains supply is between 100 and 127V (120V in the US and Canada) whereas in the UK, Europe and many othe parts of the workd, it's between 220 and 240V (230V in Europe and 240V in the UK).
+There are also 2 different standards for mains frequency (50 or 60HZ) but this is practically never of any consequence and so can be ignored. However, a North American clock using the mains fequency for its time standard would loose 10 minutes every hour.
+==Checking the Ratings==
+First of all, you need to look at the ratings plate of the device, usually on the back or underneath.
 There are 2 key ratings to look at:
-*The voltage (electrical pressure) it's designed to work with. US devices will normally say 110V whereas in the UK, the mains is 240V, which will kill a 110V device. However, some TVs and audio/visual devices may say 110-240V, in which case all you have to do is replace the mains plug with a UK one. Some older devices may have a switch on the back to convert between 110 and 240V (probably need a screwdriver to switch the switch).
+*The voltage, which we've already discussed, and
-*If it's a 110V only device you need to look at the wattage. It'll say something like 40W, or 750W (or any other number of watts).
+*The wattage. This is the amount of power the device takes, and it'll be written as something like 40W, or 750W (or any other number of watts).
+Some devices (in particular TVs, audio equipment and mains chargers and adapters) may be universal and will have a voltage rating spanning both standards. This might appear as something like 100 - 240V. All you will need to do to use such a device is to change the plug, or use an adapter. For a universal laptop adapter you can just swap the detatchable mains lead for a UK or European one.
+Some other devices such as older HiFis may have a switch near the mains inlet, allowing them to be used on the other mains standard. You will probably need a screwdriver to change it. You will then just need to change the plug, or possibly use an adapter.
 ==If you need a transformer==