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Chapter 11
(without photos) of
HOW TO EUROPE
The Complete Travelers Handbook
Internet edition.
A page from
enjoy-europe.com
by
John Bermont
Don't blow their fuses.
THE DIFFERENCES
Converting European electricity so that it can be used in your
American appliances and electronic gizmos is a significant nuisance for travelers.
Deciding which electrical equipment and accessories to bring will be a major consideration as you make your
packing list. This chapter will get you up to speed. If you have any lingering questions see
"Note to Readers" in the last paragraph below. I am happy to answer any email
on the subject, and any other travel inquiry if I can.
What is Electricity?
Electricity, in the nearly abstract, is a form of energy
consisting of a flow of electrons. The flow can be continuous in
one direction (direct current electricity, DC) or it can be reversing on a
fixed frequency (alternating current electricity, AC).
Electricity is measured in terms of quantity (amperes, amps, A) and
force (voltage, volts, V). The energy used is electrical power (watts, W). In DC and
110 volt AC electrical circuits, power is equal to the product of quantity
and force. In other words, volts multiplied by amps equals watts. Instead of
mentioning watts, the nameplate on many electrical devices uses the term volt amps,
abbreviated VA.
The quantity of electricity available at any outlet is determined by the size
of the wires furnishing it. The fuse or circuit breaker at the main electrical panel
is designed to limit the flow of electricity according to the size of the
wire. When too much electricity passes through a wire it becomes hot. In the extreme case
the wire can become so hot that it melts, starts sparking, and sets the place on fire.
Before the wire gets that hot the fuse blows or the circuit breaker opens and prevents
damage.
The "Hz" you see on electrical appliances indicates the frequency. That is the number of
times per second that AC current reverses polarity from positive to negative. It is
not an abrupt change. The voltage follows a sine wave, gently rising to a peak and then reversing
to a valley. Hz is the abbreviation for Hertz, a German physicist.
I hope this little bit of electrical know-how won't make you dangerous.
Electricity in America
In the United States household electricity is supplied by your
local power company or municipal utility at 110 or 120 volts at a frequency of 60 Hz.
The quantity available in American homes is generally 15 to 20
amps at a single outlet or for the total of all outlets served by
a single fused circuit. Thus, one circuit may provide from 1650 to
2400 watts of power. One circuit usually supplies more than one
outlet, and many people use a doubler plug or power strip so they can use more lights or
appliances from a single outlet. This can cause blown fuses. Instead of fuses,
circuit breakers (CBs) are used in most homes built in the last few decades.
Electricity in Europe
The European version of electricity is generally supplied at 220 volts and a
frequency of 50 Hz. Officially it is 230 volts plus or minus 10%.
Some localities have 110 volts, but 50 cycles
is the standard frequency regardless of the voltage throughout France, Italy,
Germany, England, Spain, and the rest of
Europe. The quantity available depends on the hotel or home where
you are staying. You might be able to use a 1,000 watt hair blower
or travel iron. If the lights start to flicker, shut it off
immediately. I once blew a fuse in an old French hotel as I was drying my hair with a 600
watt hair blower.
APPLIANCES
To use electrical appliances in Europe, some hardware is needed
in order to plug in without electrocuting your machine, and maybe
yourself. Since the hotel keeper or desk clerk probably knows less
about electricity than you do, don't bother asking if you can plug
in your appliances — you may scare the desk clerk. Just make sure to unplug
everything after use. Especially do not leave anything plugged
in while you are out sightseeing.
In conjunction with this chapter I urge you to read the Electrical Gadgets section of my chapter 6,
Your Packing List for Europe,
A Short List of Travel Accessories. It has critical information about hair blowers
and similar items. There is no need to repeat that information here.
Dual Voltage
While it is feasible to transform European electricity from 220 volts to 110 volts for some appliances,
it is safer and far simpler to use dual voltage appliances. Some of these have a 110-220 switch
while many are smart and can use either voltage with no operator settings to make.
You may not be able to get full power out of a dual voltage item. My hair blower would only
go up to the 50% setting at 220 volts, but it worked. A reader has told me that her straightening iron
cut out at the half way point. Neither device was damaged. Note that many hotels in Europe, even the
two star places and B&Bs that I use, have a hair blower hard-wired in the room. If you are making advance
reservations ask the hotel if it has hair blowers before you pack your own.
Low Wattage Devices
Small 110 volt electrical appliances like radios and razors can
normally operate with a 50 watt 220 to 110 volt transformer. This is a heavy little
package of steel plates and copper wires. If your appliance is marked only 60 Hz, and not 50/60
Hz, you run the risk of burning up something inside even when using
a transformer.
Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras, Cell Phones, and Similar Devices
These are electronic devices that more and more people are bringing on their trips. I'll
use the generic term "gizmo" in the rest of this discussion because they all have similar
electrical requirements. I carried four gizmos on my last few trips.
These gizmos are usually powered by custom designed rechargeable batteries. Some of them work
on AA or AAA batteries. The gizmos come with a little black "brick." The brick is a
combination transformer and rectifier especially designed to charge the battery
for that particular gizmo. The transformer changes the input voltage to the voltage required by the
gizmo's battery and the rectifier changes the electricity from AC to DC.
Batteries operate only on DC. See the top of this page for a refresher on AC and DC.
The black bricks always have their electrical specifications embossed or printed on the back side.
For example, my Nikon SLR camera brick says "Imput: 100-240V~50/60Hz 0.18-0.105A 18-25.2VA." The only
part of this that you really need to know is 100-240V~50/60Hz. This tells you that it works on both
American (110 volt 60 HZ) and European (220 volt 50 Hz) electricity. The numbers for A tell you how
many amps are used and VA (equivalent to watts, W) tells you how much power is consumed.
In this case that is in the neighborhood of a 25 watt light bulb. That tells you
something else you should be aware of — the brick is going to generate some heat.
It won't be much heat but it would be wise to lay the brick out in open air to dissipate the heat
and not wrap the brick in a T-shirt where it could get hot.
The bricks for my other three gizmos have similar "Input" statements.
The net result is that all I need for powering these gizmos in Europe is a plug adapter for
each one. A plug adapter does
not change anything electrically. It only changes the prongs on your plugs. For details of
the different plugs in use see the section below on plug adapters. Better than having a plug adapter
for each gizmo is having a 250 volt power surge strip with a continental European plug on the cord. See my
favorite, the Tripp Lite, in the left column.
Each of these black bricks also has an "Output" statement. These specifications are all different. I can't use one
simple brick. I need all four. Each brick has an output statement that matches the input requirement of its
gizmo in terms of voltage and power, VA.
Be aware that not all bricks are good for 100-240V~50/60Hz. When I bought my Nikon I just happened to look
closely at the brick and it said only 110v~60Hz. The camera store owner looked in another box and found a brick
good for 100-240V~50/60Hz. You almost need a microscope to read those electrical specifications.
Higher Power Electric Appliances
Do not bother bringing a plug-in electric clock or clock radio to
Europe. These devices, which generally operate on AC motors, will
run at only 5/6 of the speed for which they were designed because
the speed is determined by the electric frequency. If, for
instance, you bring your electric alarm clock and set it at 6 pm
when you check into the hotel, it will read only 11 pm when it is
midnight, and only 4 am when it is 6 am. You will probably miss
breakfast. You need a battery powered travel alarm.
If your electrical device has a transformer in it, you probably
should not bring it to Europe. Lower frequencies require thicker
transformers. Transformers designed for 60 Hz operation can
overheat and sometimes burn up when used in 50 Hz circuits. Make
sure that your stereo receiver is rated for both 50 and 60 cycles
before moving it to Europe. We used to have a tape deck which
apparently suffered untimely death due to 50 Hz burnout.
If your hair blower
starts running at a very high speed you have probably
pluged in a 110 volt hair dryer. Running on 220 volts it will burn
up in a few seconds and it will smell putrid.
TV
If you are relocating to Europe for an extended period, don't
bother bringing a TV. Not only because of the differences in
electricity, but because the broadcast signals in Europe are
different it won't work. An American TV will have a constant roll, snow, and static.
Radios work fine, provided you transform the voltage. See chapter 22,
"Living in Europe",
for more information on television.
DVDs
The producers of DVDs have introduced a "zone" system for all DVDs. There are
six geographical zones in the world. The USA is #1, Europe and some
other areas are #2, etc. DVD players will only play DVDs manufactured
for a specific zone. The reason they do this is to control the sales and make
more money. So if you intend to buy a DVD in Europe make sure that it will
play in your zone #1 player, but it probably won't. Or buy a zone #2 player
while you are in Europe so you can watch those French movies. But check the
electrical nameplate for 110/220 volts and 50/60 Hz. Multi-zone DVD players are
available in Europe.
EXCEPTIONS AND CAUTIONS
110/220 Volts
Although European electricity is generally 220 volts, there are
a few places where you will find 110 volts. On entering a hotel
room, inspect a light bulb. It will be marked with the voltage as
at home. Then you know. You can also find the voltage stamped on
the back of the radio or TV if your room has one or the other. But
there are exceptions. On a visit to Stockholm, I found that
the hotel room was 220 volts, except for the shaver outlet in the
bathroom. It was 110 volts only. It is more common to find both 110
and 220 volts available in bathroom shaver outlets of the better
hotels.
Old Wires
There are still a few cheap hotels in Europe warning
against the use of any electric appliances in the rooms. Even though
some of these places are recommended in popular budget guidebooks,
do not stay there. The warning signs in the lobby indicate that the hotel wiring
is archaic and that they have had trouble before. Someday some
tourist is going to plug in all his electrical machines and fry the wiring. If
you are lucky, all you will lose is the lights. About one hotel in
Europe goes up in smoke every year or so. See chapter 14 for more
information on safety in hotels.
Direct Current Electricity, DC
DC electricity is produced by batteries. DC is used to power
cameras, flashlights, camera flash units, portable radios, portable
recorders and CDs, calculators, camcorders, laptop computers, etc..
Each appliance has its own unique requirements for batteries. This
is stated in the operating instructions and in the battery housing.
It is reported that some parts of Europe are wired for DC
electricity in the homes, though I suspect that this is a legend.
I've never seen it. But if you find yourself in one of these areas, do
not attempt to use AC electrical appliances.
TRAVELING ELECTRICAL KIT
When bringing electrical appliances to Europe, some or all of
the following list must also be carried:
Plug adapters
Power strip
Transformer
Converter (Not recommended. See below.)
Batteries
Rechargeable batteries
Battery charger
Plug Adapters
European electrical outlets come in different sizes and shapes.
On the Continent, outlets normally require a plug with two round
prongs about 0.19 inch (4.8 mm) in diameter and 0.72 inch (18 to 19 mm) apart. Outlets in
some older hotels accept a plug with slightly smaller prongs.
If you are bringing a laptop computer or other device which has an American
three prong grounded plug you will need a grounded plug adapter. The Continental grounded plug
has only two prongs on it but it has ground connections on the perimeter of the plug.
Newer outlets accept the grounded plug. The standard grounded plug
will not fit in the slightly smaller holes of the old hotel
outlets. If you run up against that problem, go out to a local department
or hardware store and buy an additional adapter when you get there.
Most British and Irish facilities use a three prong plug, with two flat
prongs in line and one perpendicular. See the photo of the advertised UK
plug adapter in the left column.
Newer facilities in
Switzerland have another kind of plug. This one has three round
prongs in a triangular pattern. Again, there is an image in the left column.
In Eastern Europe it is more likely
that you will find the old style European plug, at least until the time when all those
countries adopt and implement EU (European Union) standards. The old style has the two
round narrow prongs, 0.15" in diameter.
Plug adapters for the American double flat prongs are
virtually impossible to buy in Europe. My recommendation is to buy a Continental
plug adapter for each appliance or a power strip before departure. Carry an extra plug
adapter in case yours are lost or permanently borrowed. See images in the green column on the left
and order direct from Amazon.com.
Power Strips
Most Americans have a few power strips in the house. These are commonly used to plug computers, monitors,
printers, and other devices into a single wall outlet. Power strips usually
have built-in surge protection, power overload protection, and a shut off switch.
My email lately indicates that many travelers pack multiple gizmos that use rechargeable
batteries. I do too. See the section
above, "Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras, Cell Phones, and Similar Devices." It is nice to be
able to charge them overnight and start every day with your batteries fully loaded. You could
have a crisis by mid afternoon otherwise. Typically there is only one wall outlet in your hotel room. In fact,
sometimes the only outlets are being used by lamps and the TV and there is no spare outlet for your
equipment. This is when a power strip comes to the rescue.
American power strips can physically be connected to a plug adapter and plugged in to any European
wall outlet. This results in 240 volts rushing through your American 110 volt power strip. Then you
might have sparks and smoke. If you burn down the hotel you are responsible,
if you are still alive. I recommend that any power strip you use be rated for
220 volts minimum. There is one in the green Amazon advert column on the left. It has a continental
European plug on the cord so you do not need a plug converter to plug it in.
I recommend that you not plug anything other than 110-240 volt battery chargers into your power strip. The capacity
of a power strip is limited. A high power hair blower could pop the circuit breaker.
Never plug in anything that is not rated for 240 volts. Get out your magnifying glass and
look at that brick!
Transformers
A 220 volt to 110 volt transformer is a heavy thing because
it is made of solid steel plates and two coils of copper wire.
Electricity is introduced into the primary coil and comes out at the
secondary coil. The change in voltage equals the ratio of the number of turns
in each coil. Thus, a 220/110 volt transformer has half as many turns in the
secondary coil as in the primary coil.
A transformer can be used to change European electricity so that it can be used in American
specification devices. Transformers come in all sizes. The common travelers transformer is 50 watts
and can be used for small electrical devices. Larger transformers can be used for bigger
devices. Look at the electrical nameplate on your equipment to find out how much power it requires.
Get a transformer with about twice the capacity.
Be careful in using transformers. The in-rush start-up current for most electrical devices is 3 to 10 times
their operating current. This lasts for less than a second. The operating current is what
you see on the device. The power consumption is
usually given as VA, volt-amps. VA is equivalent to watts. If you load a transformer to the max
it will get hot and maybe start to humm. Get a bigger transformer if it is too hot to hold your hand on
it.
Converter
A "converter" is an electronic device designed to reduce 220 volts to 110 volts for use on
hair dryers, irons, and other high wattage heating devices.
If your high wattage equipment doesn't have a dual voltage
switch, you might be able to use a converter. It is much lighter and smaller
than a transformer of equal capacity, and it is definitely not a transformer (see above). If it
is used with something like a 400 watt slide projector, the lamp will
burn out in a few seconds. Yup, I know — I did that. I've read that
the 1,600 watt converters can also fry a 1,200 watt item.
Further, because of the way that converters work they may toast
your equipment no matter what. Alternating current electricity changes from plus
to minus as it alternates in a sine wave pattern. The electrons are rushing in one
direction and then half way through the wave in 1/120th of a second they suddenly start
rushing in the other direction. Converters work by refusing to allow
the electrons to reverse direction. The result is that the net voltage is half
of the input voltage. The electrical output of a converter is
just half of the sine wave. That's how it chops the voltage down to 110.
So the output is an on-off single polarity pulse. Many normal electrical appliances
these days include a chip in the control crcuit. Half a sine wave is OK for a pure
heating element but it can shake the shorts off a silicon chip.
I suggest that you avoid using devices called "converters."
It is a misnomer and the devices are potentially hazardous to your equipment.
If you need a hair dryer, iron, or similar item you would be much better
off buying a 220v/110v dual voltage unit.
Batteries
Bring spare batteries for your equipment. If you buy batteries
in Europe, do not expect much. Cheap off-brands are widely
available, and probably dead on arrival when you get back to your
hotel room. Even some Duracell batteries I have bought in Europe
were completely dead when I tried to use them a few hours after
purchase.
Camera batteries are another subject. See
chapter 12,
"Photography in Europe," for information.
Rechargeable Batteries
Ni-cad rechargeable batteries made by Eveready, Sony, Panasonic,
and others are expensive but pay for
themselves in a hurry, especially in Europe. If you are packing anything that uses AA
batteries, rechargeables are worth considering.
Battery charger
If you are using rechargeable batteries, carry a dual voltage charger.
SOURCES
Home Town
Individual plug adapters, transformers, converters, and kits are
sold in some department stores (try the wallet section) and by
several electrical specialty companies. Better luggage retailers also carry a
selection of electrical devices and other widgets for
travelers.
Airports
The duty free shops in international airports carry many
electrical appliances. If you didn't have the opportunity to buy
what you need before leaving home, browse through the duty free
shop before getting on the plane. When you see the prices you'll wish that you
had taken care of this earlier.
After you land in Europe you will again see duty free shops in the airport. But you
cannot buy anything in a duty free shop when you land. You can only shop
duty free on departure.
Over There
American-to-European plug adapters are nearly impossible to find in
Europe so you'd better get these before you go. It is possible
to buy transformers in Europe, but it may be difficult to find a small one
suitable for traveling. They are also very expensive in Europe. If you
really need one, shop in stores selling hardware, electrical goods,
computers, or electronics.
The Internet
If you do a search for these electrical devices on the internet you will find
many manufacturers, models, and vendors. I've saved you some trouble by locating
what you need at the Amazon.com store. See the items in my green advertising column
at the left. Most of these items can be delivered in a few days direct to your door.
NOTE TO READERS
This subject of electricity is a bit complicated, especially with the zillions of
new devices being produced every year. If you have any question about using your equipment in
Europe that has not been explained well enough in this chapter do not hesitate to write and ask.
My email address is
johnbermont@enjoy-europe.com.
When you write please include the electrical information from your devices mdash; voltage, Hz, and
watts or VA. Every one is different. I will reply in a day or two.
If you know of someone else who would appreciate reading this web page please send
the link. To easily do that, click your "File" tab in the tool bar and scroll down to
"Send" or "Send Link." Your friend will thank you, and I thank you.
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Shop in your shorts!
