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Contents 1 Introduction 2 Insurance risks and legal liabilities 3 Entertainment Systems 3.1 TVs 3.2 Videos 3.3 DVD Players 3.4 Stereos 3.5 Digital Radios 3.6 iPods and MP3, etc 4 Gaming Consoles 4.1 Consoles using a TV 4.2 Hand-held Consoles 5 White Goods 5.1 Electric Cookers 5.2 Fridges 5.3 Washing Machines 5.4 Clothes Dryers 5.5 Small Appliances 5.6 Lamps 6 Other Items 6.1 Car Stereos 6.1.1 Advice 6.2 Mobile/Cell Phones 7 Paper Sizes 8 USA Information

[edit] Introduction

• In this article we will out line the difference in the power source between the UK and Canada and hopefully suggest ways around things.
• Whilst the power source of Canada is 110v, the power source in the UK is 220v.
• As a lot of our electrical goods are dual voltage, they can be used with a travel adapter in Canada. (An adapter does not change the voltage. It only provides you with a way of plugging a device into a Canadian-style electrical outlet.)
• Many (but not all) small electronic items are dual voltage. You can check by reading the rating label on the device. Items labelled '110-220V 50-60Hz' are dual voltage and can be used with a simple adapter. Those labelled '220V 50Hz' or similar are single voltage and would need a transformer.
• For items that use a power adapter or charger, look for a rating label there.
• Goods that are 220v theoretically can be used in Canada, but you will have to use a "down converter" or a transformer (depending on the size of the appliance). Actually you will need to use a transformer / converter, to change the voltage, and an adapter, to assist you in plugging the device into an electrical outlet.
• The word "theoretically" was used because, in real life, it is not convenient or prudent to use some British appliances with transformers in Canada.

[edit] Insurance risks and legal liabilities

• No electrical appliance in Canada may be sold without a CSA (Canadian Standards Association) sticker.

• In addition to the law forbidding the sale of electrical appliances without CSA stickers, you'll find that many homeowners insurance policies will include clauses stating that insurers will not be liable for fires caused by electrical appliances that do not carry CSA or UL stickers. (UL stands for Underwriters Laboratories Inc. It is an American testing organization whose standards are considered to be similar to those of CSA.)

• This leaves the expat with a dilemma.

• Technically, if people wanted to be in compliance with their homeowners insurance policies, they'd find themselves having to leave behind all their electrical appliances and electronic devices.

• Most expats accept that they're going to have to bite the bullet and leave behind their large appliances -- fridges, stoves, washing machines, clothes dryers and the like.

• This is because of the voltage issues that will be discussed in this article, as well as the CSA approval issue.

• But of course replacing all your electrical appliances and electronic devices is expensive.

• Many, if not most, expats think that they can get away with bringing their smaller appliances and electronic devices to Canada.

• They operate on the logic that some appliances are used less frequently than others, and are plugged into the electricity supply only when the operator of the appliance is physically present and actively using it.

• Many expats make this trade off with respect to less frequently used appliances and devices. But you should be aware that it is a trade off, and it carries risks.

• One workaround is to get your UK appliances inspected by an inspector from your electricity provider. After inspecting and approving the appliance, the inspector will place a CSA sticker on it. It has been reported that the fee for this kind of inspection runs to about $75 per appliance.

• Another thing you can do is to inspect your computer, laptop and similar devices. These items often are manufactured for the world market, and carry three or four different approval stickers. You may find that your computer and laptop carry CSA stickers, or at least UL stickers, after all.

• If you decide to use non-CSA-approved appliances in your Canadian residence, you should be aware of the risk you are taking.

• It would be prudent, to say the least, to read the fine print of your homeowners insurance policy.

• If you will be using electrical appliances for a business operation, you have to be even more diligent in meeting federal, provincial and municipal standards. If you violate regulations when you're running a business, you open yourself up to another whole level of consequences.

• Whatever you do, never sell a non-CSA-approved appliance in Canada.

• Please keep this section in mind as you read the rest of this article.

• At the end of the day, the decisions are yours.

• The information in this article is not intended as legal advice.

[edit] Entertainment Systems

If your entertainment system is relatively new you could take this to Canada and use adapters/converters were necessary. Any problems known are listed below in the subheadings.

[edit] TVs

• NTSC is the analog television system in use in the United States, Canada, Japan and others.
• The UK, however, uses a system knows as PAL.
• Unless your TV is multi-region (ie, it can accept both PAL and NTSC input), your UK devices will not work with a Canadian TV.
• However, certain devices such as DVD players may output in both NTSC and PAL formats, so it is worth checking.

[edit] Videos

• Older video cassette recorders (VCRs) tended to be formatted for NTSC or PAL only, and could not work in other regions.
• Several later models, however, were designed to switch back and forth between multiple formats.

[edit] DVD Players

• UK DVD players tend only to play PAL discs unles they are region free.
• You can get region free DVD players from Walmart for around $35, although they dont always say that they are region free on the box.
• Check your UK DVD player as you may be able to convert it to a region free machine.
• This is worth doing before you leave the uk whilst your DVD is connected to a PAL TV as otherwise the screen will roll.
• There are codes for converting your DVD player into a region free machine and these can be found at this website.

[edit] Stereos

• In most cases, you would need a voltage converter and a plug adapter to operate a British stereo system in Canada.
• If your stereo system includes a conventional radio (not digital radio), it will work fine in Canada. Of course it will pick up local, Canadian radio stations.
• Radios with a digital tuner may not get a good AM signal. In the UK, AM stations are tuned 9kHz apart, whereas in Canada the interval is 10kHz. Some radios, particularly portable ones, may have a way to switch between North American and European tuning.
• If your stereo system includes a CD player, it will be compatible with CDs that you purchase in Canada.
• Your British stereo system won't have the CSA stamp of approval. However, in most instances you would play your stereo when you were in the same room (or at least returning to that room at intervals).
• A stereo system is not like a fridge that operates night and day, and that operates whether you're in the house or not.
• Hence, there probably is less risk associated with operating a non-CSA approved stereo system than there would be in operating a non-CSA approved fridge.
• Please see the section on White Goods, below, to understand the implications of operating electrical equipment that is not CSA-approved.

[edit] Digital Radios

[edit] iPods and MP3, etc

iPods are the same the world over.

The USB cable will work the same with a Canadian computer as it will with a British one. If you have the wall charger, it's dual voltage and can be used in Canada with a simple adapter.

Apple don't provide warranty service for British iPods in Canada. You'd need to go back to Apple in the UK for that.

[edit] Gaming Consoles

[edit] Consoles using a TV

• To use these types of gaming consoles you need to purchase a step up voltage converter.
• Playstation 1 and 2 Machines - you will be able to use these games consoles in Canada with a UK television and UK games.
• You will not be able to purchase Canadian games and use them with the UK equipment.
• There has been some suggestion that PAL gaming machines can be converted to NTSC via special equipment purchased via the internet.
• Do a google search for PAL to NTSC conversion and you should get some up to date information on the subject.
• Playstation 3 machines - these are multi regional and will play UK and games from around the world. However they will NOT play Blueray disks from Canada only UK ones.
• Nintendo Wii Are region locked you cannot play Canadian Games on the Wii but you can bring your console and play your UK games

[edit] Hand-held Consoles

• Generally speaking the hand held type of gaming console is compatible with Canadian Games.
• Exception - UMD videos for the PSP systems are incompatible.

[edit] White Goods

• White goods will often come as part of the package when you buy or rent a home in Canada.
• Due to their size, weight and voltage incompatibility, it is simply not worth bringing them.

Canadian homes do have 220V circuits, for the stove and dryer. However, it is not as simple as changing the plugs. British appliances are unlikely to be approved to CSA standards. Using them in Canada could invalidate home and/or contents insurance

[edit] Electric Cookers

• When you rent or buy a house, it usually comes with a combined stove top and oven.
• Most cookers / stoves / ovens operate on electricity, but sometimes they work on natural gas.
• Since a stove / oven typically comes with a house anyway, there is no point in shipping one from the UK.

[edit] Fridges

• If you rent a house, townhouse or apartment (flat), it usually comes with a fridge (a large-ish fridge with a small freezer compartment above it).
• It is less common for a fridge to be included in the price when you buy a house.
• Nonetheless, it usually is not worthwhile to ship a fridge from the UK.
• The Canadian and British electrical supplies differ not only in voltage but also in Hertz (cycles per second).
• Fridge motors, in particular, suffer from being operated on the "wrong" electricity supply (if you use a transformer to step up or step down the voltage, as the case may be, it still doesn't address the difference in the number of cycles per second).
• Besides that, your British fridge wouldn't have a Canadian Standards Association (CSA) stamp of approval, and your using it in your Canadian house in most cases would void your insurance policy.
• If you plan to buy a house in Canada, you should budget for a new fridge.

[edit] Washing Machines

• Canadian washing machines operate on 110 volts.
• When you rent an apartment (flat), it's common for laundry facilities to be provided (either in the individual suite or in a communal laundry room).
• When you buy a house, it usually does not come with a washer and dryer (although some houses do come with them).
• In theory you could use a UK washing machine in Canada, as long as you had a transformer and a plug adapter.
• In practice, a transformer is not that cheap, and shipping a washing machine is not that cheap either.
• Also, there's the matter of insurance. Once again, you'll probably find that operating an appliance that has not been approved by CSA will void your insurance.
• All in all, it is not worth shipping your washer from the UK.
• A washer is another appliance for which you should budget.

[edit] Clothes Dryers

• When you rent an apartment, there usually is a clothes dryer, either in your individual unit or in a communal laundry room.
• When you buy a house, it's less typical to inherit a dryer along with the house.
• Most Canadian dryers operate on electricity.
• Interestingly enough, they operate on 220 volts.
• Don't get excited and think that you can bring your British dryer with you, though.
• There's that matter of CSA approval and its implications for insurance.
• In some Canadian houses there is a pipe that takes natural gas to the laundry area.
• Natural gas dryers are available in Canada.
• Whether you choose to go for an electrical dryer or a natural gas one, you should budget for a dryer if you plan to buy a house in Canada.

[edit] Small Appliances

• Small appliances -- toasters, kettles, hair dryers and the like -- are so cheap and readily available that it is not worth shipping your small UK appliances and using them with voltage converters and plug adapters.
• In fact the voltage converters would cost more money than new toasters, etc.
• The selection of electric tea kettles is not as extensive in Canada as it is in the UK, but it is adequate.

[edit] Lamps

• If you have cheap lamps that are merely functional, it probably is not worth shipping them to Canada.
• However, if you have expensive and/or beautiful lamps, it's worth shipping them and getting them re-wired once you arrive in Canada.
• Depending on the kind of bulb fitting your lamp has, it too may need to be changed.
• Most Canadian light bulbs screw into their fittings.
• Generally speaking, and certainly in the more common bulb sizes, Canadian light bulbs are not the bayonet style.

[edit] Other Items

[edit] Car Stereos

• Whether a car stereo is in Canada or the UK it still needs power to be used and this is drawn from the car battery so this is ok.
• However, the problem with car stereos seems to be in the frequency stepping.
• The frequency (Mhz) in North America tends to search for stations in odd numbered "steps" as opposed to even "steps" as in the UK and therefore this can affect the reception of the local radio stations.

[edit] Advice

• Before you leave the UK it has been suggested that you do a manual tuning search so that you may check how the stereo steps up so that you will be able to assess any loss of reception.
• Some tuners can be set to a North American setting so it might be worth checking if your stereo can be reset this way so that your reception is what it should be.

[edit] Mobile/Cell Phones

• You can use your UK cell phone on a Canadian network if it is unlocked.
• You will also need a phone that supports Canadian frequencies: 1900MHz and/or 850MHz. Tri-band and quad-band phones support one or both of these frequencies.
• O2 say their phones are always unlocked. The iPhone, though an O2 phone, is unfortunately locked.
• Virgin will unlock your phone free of charge after you have spent a certain amount with them (in the region of 30 GBP).
• To check if your phone is unlocked, try a friend's SIM card from another network.
• If it works, your phone is unlocked.
• If it is not unlocked, Google to see if your model can be unlocked or ask at one of the phone carts in local malls; they can often unlock phones cheaply.
• Your unlocked UK cell phone can only be used on two networks in Canada - Fido or Rogers.
• Both of these networks are owned by Rogers and these are the only networks in Canada to use SIM cards.
• Your UK phone will not work on other networks.
• Also check that your cell phone charger is dual voltage. Check on the plug, read the text to see if it says 110v-240v. If not, travel chargers can be bought for most models.

[edit] Paper Sizes

• The standard paper size for submitting resumes (Canadian versions of CVs) and covering letters is North American letter size (8.5" x 11").

• High quality stationers in the UK carry North American letter sized paper.

• There is more information about this topic in the Wiki article called Resume, and specifically in the section entitled Submitting your resume.

[edit] USA Information

You also may find it useful to read the article in the USA section of the BE Wiki that is entitled Should I bring my electrical goods? Since Canada's electrical appliances, television sets, DVD players, etc., are compatible with those in the USA, the information in that article also is relevant to Canada. That article has some information that this article doesn't have, and is a useful supplement to this article.