View Poll Results: What did you do with them?
Left them behind.
31
72.09%
Brought them with me in case I go back.
1
2.33%
Brought them with me and converted them or got step-up transformers.
8
18.60%
Brought them with me, ended up getting rid of them.
3
6.98%
Voters: 43. You may not vote on this poll
What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Apr 24th 2014, 12:36 am
#1
Grumpy Know-it-all
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
I.e. the stuff that doesn't readily convert to 110/120V. Obviously phones and laptops etc. do.
Apr 24th 2014, 12:56 am
#2
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
A mix of 1 and 3, I left the TV and VCR, my "tower" computer and monitor, and my drill, but brought more things than I left. I answered 3: brought them with me, though in truth, most but the CD player, amp and fridge rarely get used. 
Apr 24th 2014, 1:28 am
#3
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,531
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
I brought my slide projector, by mistake. We brought a bag of trash too, even less useful than the projector...
Apr 24th 2014, 1:33 am
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Missing option - released the magic smoke
Apr 24th 2014, 1:42 am
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Brought my PS2 and a TV, ditched everything else.
Apr 24th 2014, 1:59 am
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2014
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Posts: 1,347
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
I brought my computer monitor and laptop and old tower PC. I gave away the hifi components, toaster and kettle.
One thing I did find useful to keep was a 240V phone charger. Handy for trips back to the UK.
One thing I did find useful to keep was a 240V phone charger. Handy for trips back to the UK.
Apr 24th 2014, 2:50 am
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Atlanta via Dubai, Belgium, Greece, Saudi Arabia
Posts: 953
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
I did find I had a couple of 220v power tools in the bottom of my tool chest I forgot to give away.
Robin, I can top your bag of trash, the movers neatly wrapped an ashtray with 6 butts in it. I was also told I couldn't bring any booze so they left it all in the cupboard. only after unwrapping everything did I discover they had packed 2 bottles of single malt 15 year old Knockando because they come in cardboard tubes (go figure)
Apr 24th 2014, 3:16 pm
#8
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
I left my TV etc for my mum and sold my PS2 and two keyboards (subsequently replaced out here).
I broke down my PC and rebuilt that out here and I did bring one guitar amp out with me, for which I bought a transformer. That's about it, really.
I broke down my PC and rebuilt that out here and I did bring one guitar amp out with me, for which I bought a transformer. That's about it, really.
Apr 25th 2014, 12:08 am
#9
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Gave away /sold kitchen equipt, alarm clocks etc.
Brought a decent stereo with me, and ran it from a transformer in our first house (worked fine from what I remember) it was then in storage for a while as we moved, and when it came out of storage at the new house and was plugged into a 220v dedicated line, it didn't work properly...some sort of grounding/earthing problem that I eventually gave up trying to solve. Don't know whether it was some damp got into it during storage, or the 220 line wasn't done properly, or whether he stereo was just old and sick of moving!
That 220v line did enable me to hook up a UK DVD and TV, and play the kids their bob the builder etc till they finally outgrew it. Now the line is redundant, but it served its purpose. Sort of.
Also brought UK voltage tools...both of the houses we've lived in have had a 220v outlet in them. Not necessarily in the right place, but a us plug on a UK extension cord has solved that.
Brought a decent stereo with me, and ran it from a transformer in our first house (worked fine from what I remember) it was then in storage for a while as we moved, and when it came out of storage at the new house and was plugged into a 220v dedicated line, it didn't work properly...some sort of grounding/earthing problem that I eventually gave up trying to solve. Don't know whether it was some damp got into it during storage, or the 220 line wasn't done properly, or whether he stereo was just old and sick of moving!
That 220v line did enable me to hook up a UK DVD and TV, and play the kids their bob the builder etc till they finally outgrew it. Now the line is redundant, but it served its purpose. Sort of.
Also brought UK voltage tools...both of the houses we've lived in have had a 220v outlet in them. Not necessarily in the right place, but a us plug on a UK extension cord has solved that.
Apr 25th 2014, 12:30 am
#10
BE Irregular
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Tampa Bay Florida
Posts: 4,849
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Gave everything to family & friends, not that there was much. Most of what I left behind 10 years ago is still gathering dust at my Dad's house. He is a hoarder.
Apr 25th 2014, 1:54 am
#11
Guttural Brumerican
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: The Mile High City
Posts: 1,312
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Flogged my telly and vcr.
Gave my (relatively expensive) stereo equipment to a mate with the proviso that I get it back if and when I move back. It is still going strong apparently.
Gave my (relatively expensive) stereo equipment to a mate with the proviso that I get it back if and when I move back. It is still going strong apparently.
Apr 25th 2014, 5:53 pm
#12
Grumpy Know-it-all
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Well you mostly appear to be a lot more sensible than me because I brought the whole lot with me, including an AC unit which I ran for a few days until I realized it was costing a fortune in electricity because the step-up was glowing hot. Then I took it to the dump where I was helpfully told I had probably broken the law by importing it.
Apr 26th 2014, 6:44 pm
#13
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Lauren's Co. SC by way of Palmetto, Florida
Posts: 3,265
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Interesting info to be had. I'm not quite there yet but am mulling over this very question.
I've no household electrical goods that I want to bring with me but I do have lots (and I mean lots!) of 240v tradesman's tools. They aren't worth a huge amount for resale but I'd be looking at about $15K to replace all my tools. I'll be leaving workshop machines as they'll cost a fortune in carriage!
I have been looking at buying a couple of beefy 5000W step-up transformers for my new (domestic) workshop and was wondering if anyone, especially tool-freak tradesmen and hobbyists, has any experience of using these. My 110v site tools are easy because I'll just chop the three pin UK plugs and replace with US two/three pin plugs.
I've no household electrical goods that I want to bring with me but I do have lots (and I mean lots!) of 240v tradesman's tools. They aren't worth a huge amount for resale but I'd be looking at about $15K to replace all my tools. I'll be leaving workshop machines as they'll cost a fortune in carriage!
I have been looking at buying a couple of beefy 5000W step-up transformers for my new (domestic) workshop and was wondering if anyone, especially tool-freak tradesmen and hobbyists, has any experience of using these. My 110v site tools are easy because I'll just chop the three pin UK plugs and replace with US two/three pin plugs.
Apr 26th 2014, 9:20 pm
#14
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Atlanta via Dubai, Belgium, Greece, Saudi Arabia
Posts: 953
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Voltage transformers would help but don't forget that the US is 60hz versus the UK 50hz which means that they will run faster which may not be suitable, if you intend having a workshop with all 50hz tools then maybe an independent generator running 50hz circuits would be more cost effective.
Apr 26th 2014, 10:28 pm
#15
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2014
Location: Lauren's Co. SC by way of Palmetto, Florida
Posts: 3,265
Re: What did you do with your 220/240V electrical goods?
Voltage transformers would help but don't forget that the US is 60hz versus the UK 50hz which means that they will run faster which may not be suitable, if you intend having a workshop with all 50hz tools then maybe an independent generator running 50hz circuits would be more cost effective.