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Important stuff to take while moving ??

Important stuff to take while moving ??

Old Sep 21st 2008, 8:22 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Hi

I brought lots of UK electricals.

These work well:
Those with switchable power supplies, eg most modern computers
Those with external power supplies that are autosensing 110/240 eg most modern laptops

These work OK ish:
This with external power supplies that needed to be replaced eg my router

These I struggled with

Guitar amp, guitar FX.


BUT - they are up and running because I got a spark to add a 220V circuit to the house,. Its basically two 110V supplies back-to-back. Works real well for my computers, Alesis Microverb, router etc.Two 110V back-to-back is common in Canada. Its how they get big appliances to work, eg aircon, dryer, etc. Its not a bodge. The spark will know what to do (but do get a spark to do it, yeah?).

Amazingly my 2005 Toshiba 28" flat screen worked first time on the 110V supply.



TV, Video and playstation is a chore. Basically, we brought all our lecky stuff to avoid getting buttons and because we had room in the container. So we now run our UK PS2 games on our UK PS2 on our UK telly. Cant play North American games on it. Can't run the PS2 on any other telly, but at least we have a games system for the den.

Obviously, my laptop can read any DVD and feed any telly via S-video.


Bring electricals across the pond isnt as big a chore as it used to be.

One thing - don't trust inverters. If you get one, get one with 4x the nominal running capacity of the equipment you are planning to hang off it. Some appliances have a big draw when the power supplies power up (eg tellys). So a 75W telly like ours really needs a 300W inverter. Its easier just to get the spark to put in a couple of 220V points. They get different shaped plugs so you can't mistakenly plug a 110V in.

INCIDENTALLY - I spent a small fortune putting the various 2 and 3 pin plugs on my UK stuff that was 110V compliant. I wish I had brought my 4-gang UK extension plugs, simply swapping out the end plug (the end that goes into the wall in other words).

hope that helps people!

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Old Sep 22nd 2008, 4:35 pm
  #17  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Hi Gurpreet,

well we are only in North Surrey,near delta so not too far from you so if you want to make friends, you only have to get in touch - let me know when you are moving over and we can make some plans...good luck with the packing - but you will need more luck when unpacking - there is never the right amount of space in the new place!!!

paminder
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Old Sep 22nd 2008, 7:43 pm
  #18  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Originally Posted by wbexpat
Hi

I brought lots of UK electricals.

These work well:
Those with switchable power supplies, eg most modern computers
Those with external power supplies that are autosensing 110/240 eg most modern laptops

These work OK ish:
This with external power supplies that needed to be replaced eg my router

These I struggled with

Guitar amp, guitar FX.


BUT - they are up and running because I got a spark to add a 220V circuit to the house,. Its basically two 110V supplies back-to-back. Works real well for my computers, Alesis Microverb, router etc.Two 110V back-to-back is common in Canada. Its how they get big appliances to work, eg aircon, dryer, etc. Its not a bodge. The spark will know what to do (but do get a spark to do it, yeah?).

Amazingly my 2005 Toshiba 28" flat screen worked first time on the 110V supply.



TV, Video and playstation is a chore. Basically, we brought all our lecky stuff to avoid getting buttons and because we had room in the container. So we now run our UK PS2 games on our UK PS2 on our UK telly. Cant play North American games on it. Can't run the PS2 on any other telly, but at least we have a games system for the den.

Obviously, my laptop can read any DVD and feed any telly via S-video.


Bring electricals across the pond isnt as big a chore as it used to be.

One thing - don't trust inverters. If you get one, get one with 4x the nominal running capacity of the equipment you are planning to hang off it. Some appliances have a big draw when the power supplies power up (eg tellys). So a 75W telly like ours really needs a 300W inverter. Its easier just to get the spark to put in a couple of 220V points. They get different shaped plugs so you can't mistakenly plug a 110V in.

INCIDENTALLY - I spent a small fortune putting the various 2 and 3 pin plugs on my UK stuff that was 110V compliant. I wish I had brought my 4-gang UK extension plugs, simply swapping out the end plug (the end that goes into the wall in other words).

hope that helps people!

Thats a really good idea thanks for that.
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Old Sep 22nd 2008, 9:19 pm
  #19  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

You are right about the elecricals - i have a tefal steam iron - the one wiht the base - which i was loathe to part with so we bought a transformer at this end - used a canadian extension lead for the wall part and a four plug english extension lead for the front - works a treat with my ghd's, hairdryer, food mixer, obviously the iron and other electricals that we bought over as we had the space and no one else wanted them - the cost of the transformer was 185 cd plus tax but that is because it will take the 3000 volts - i only use the iron once a week for about two hours so hopefully isn't too much of a drain on the electricity bill but as we are in rented, isn't my problem quite yet!

the small tv is used to play dvd's only and plays off a converter plug which we got from the same place as the transformer and with the laptop we just got a canadian cable so its quite surprising just how much will still work over here - definately worth thinking about before friends and family benefit from your generous donations!
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 2:49 am
  #20  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

we arrived a month ago and are glad we brought pretty much everything. If you're getting a container you may as well fill it. Furniture- the big stuff, like sofas, tables, chairs etc - IS expensive here and you will not be able to buy stuff on credit. Unless you have cash to burn I think it would be cheaper to ship your old stuff over. It certainly would have cost us a lot more to buy new.

When my computer arrives tomorrow (a 4 week delivery, courtesy of UPS) I'll post my own experience of our first month in Sherwood Park...
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 8:21 am
  #21  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Isn't shipping a hassle unless you know if the place you're going to be renting is furnished / unfurnished? If it's unfurnished you'll have no furniture for 6 weeks till your stuff arrives, and if it's furnished you'll have to move into unfurnished just before your stuff arrives.

That's one of the things that concerns us about taking our stuff. Reckon we'll just sell everything and buy again once we get over there (we've looked on the internet at Canadian department stores etc for replacing things - we don't have anything really expensive or sentimental anyway).

Anita
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 3:40 pm
  #22  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Originally Posted by seanyg
Isn't shipping a hassle unless you know if the place you're going to be renting is furnished / unfurnished? If it's unfurnished you'll have no furniture for 6 weeks till your stuff arrives, and if it's furnished you'll have to move into unfurnished just before your stuff arrives.

That's one of the things that concerns us about taking our stuff. Reckon we'll just sell everything and buy again once we get over there (we've looked on the internet at Canadian department stores etc for replacing things - we don't have anything really expensive or sentimental anyway).

Anita
This is pretty much what worried us. We didn't have anything too expensive anyhow (cheap Ikea furniture mostly), so we decided to get rid of pretty much everything and then buy new (we went to Ikea again). We moved into an unfurnished house, so would have had to have bought stuff to use anyhow during the time that the furniture took to come over (ours took 12 weeks)

It was actually quite good fun replacing everything
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 4:20 pm
  #23  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

thats our plan, we are just sending over box's of personal stuff, we will buy new when we need to, we are renting for 6 months any how, so give us time to purchase certain things like a huge tv oh and the other boring stuff
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 6:42 pm
  #24  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Hi Gurpreet
We are in a similar situation to yourselves. I have a well paid job in Abbotsford whilst my OH doesn't have a job to go to yet. We are waiting on visas so haven't got a date to go just yet, but hopefully not too long now.

We decided that as we will be there well before any of our belongings, there is no point in taking them as we will have to go out and buy pots, pans, furniture etc anyway. We have decided to ship personal belongings that we won't require instantly (cd's, dvd's, photo albums, books etc) which will be costing about £1000. We included the big pieces of furniture and white goods in the house sale and have sold other stuff off to family & friends or given it to charity.
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 7:33 pm
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Thanks all for your valuable contributions to this thread .. Well since we'll be on rented accommodation for initial few months so not taking much stuff ..
'll see what all is required when we land there ..

Cheers ..

Gurpreet
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Old Sep 23rd 2008, 7:35 pm
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Hi parminder ..

Appreciate your response .. 'll try n get it touch as soon as we settle down there .. 'll need lotsa advises n seek gr8 friendship

Regards,

Gurpreet
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Old Sep 24th 2008, 3:06 am
  #27  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Originally Posted by gurpreet79
Hi parminder ..

Appreciate your response .. 'll try n get it touch as soon as we settle down there .. 'll need lotsa advises n seek gr8 friendship

Regards,

Gurpreet
Remember that you ship by VOLUME - not number of articles. Usually you take a container, 33feet or 66 feet, so you can fill your container with as much as you like and it won't cost you a penny more.

A container will cost around £5000, the 66feet a bit more; certainly not double.

How much are your belongings worth? We insured ours for around £20 000 so it was much much cheaper to ship than to buy again in Canada and a lot less hassle.
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Old Sep 24th 2008, 7:12 am
  #28  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Hi,
Can I just ask a question to those people who have or are taking their beds please? We are going to BC and I read on one of the sites that the mattress would need special treatment and a certificate to be allowed into Canada. Is this the case? I ask as if we can take our beds it will save us money for now and allow us to save for new beds when needed.

Thanks in advance

Simon & Sue
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Old Sep 24th 2008, 3:47 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

We brought both beds over no problems although the removal company packed them so I don't know if that makes a difference. We also brought over all our garden furniture, tools etc even though the regulations say they need to be treated etc - the removal company just required us to wash everything down before they packed and stacked them.
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Old Sep 24th 2008, 3:50 pm
  #30  
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Default Re: Important stuff to take while moving ??

Originally Posted by Canada2006
Remember that you ship by VOLUME - not number of articles. Usually you take a container, 33feet or 66 feet, so you can fill your container with as much as you like and it won't cost you a penny more.
Partly true - price is determined by volume and labour time to load and unload the possessions at each end, therefore a 75% full container will be less expensive to ship than a full container.
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