Using british electricals in Canada
 

We are landing in Canada in July and are taking a few electricals with us. Will we need proper power converters for things like a t.v, laptop charger, wii, mobile charger. or will a standard travel plug be safe to use????

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

This wiki will be usefull to you...

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Compat...f_Goods-Canada

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

It depends on the product, look on the sticky label on the product, and that will tell you what voltages they work at.

However for my PS3 and a few other bits that didn't take the lower voltage i need one of these bad boys:

http://www.dvdoverseas.com/store/ind...atalog6_0.html

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Also discussed here:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=602657

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

P.S. if you are going to get a step up/down transformer, make sure you get the 500 Watts Step Up-Down Voltage Transformer :thumbup:

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

that won't be any use if the device you're intending to use it with consumes more than 500W, and complete overkill if you're planning to use only a low-power device. You really need to size the transformer you need according to the job it'll be doing.

www.voltageconverters.com has been frequently recommended on here: they ship from within Canada so don't ding you for customs brokerage fees and import duties.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Well that would be a big friggin house hold item to consume more than 500w! And i must say that has charged my electric shaver that is only 10w without any problems at all.

I also didn't get any customs chargers or anything, but it looks like the site Oakvillian posted sells exactly the same transformers, so i would buy from there just incase i got lucky with customs charges etc.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Hair dryer. GHD. Vibrating rabbit.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Point is its overkill, and tranformers of all sizes have power losses. The bigger the transformer, the more loss you are putting up with.

Its having to compensate for the transformer losses that makes bringing high power items like specialist power tools a non starter of an idea, as you would need a much larger (and expensive) transformer to power them...power is volts x current.... the voltage here is half, so thats going to be twice the current, and most domestic circuits are rated at 15, maybe 20 Amps, so you are limited to ~1500-2000W, and thats INCLUDING transformer losses...

For small stuff a transformer will work and is perhaps worth it for occasional use, for larger stuff it becomes a headache.



someone should add this to the wiki...

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Ah yeah fair enough (volts x amps = Watts) Just seems bizarre to me that something like a PS3 can run on 500w transformer, yet a hairdryer/straightener can't

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Yeah, just read the wiki and discard what i said mate, the wiki will put you straight :)

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

I, for my sins, was at a dog show recently. Many exhibitors brought generators in case of the arena power going out (already there's so much weirdness there). I was told that 5000 watts is the minimum model to buy, perhaps even a larger one if you're campaigning a poodle.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

What do they do, electrocute them to get an extra tight curl in their hair:eek::confused:

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Look at the information panels on your equipment. For example we are running in one spot in the basement a UK Plasma, DVD player, Amplifier, PS2 plus Canadian PS3 and HD Sat box. So, my thoughts were, if I had on all UK devices turned on at the same time I added up the wattage required for all of them and added a little on top.

Then chose the Transformer which would cope ( the Canadian ones don't matter as they plug into the Candian mains directly ).

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

I have a down stepper in Canada and leave it with my family when we go for a visit. It is good for about 300 watts. Ok for charging mobiles, pda's, laptops, NOT good for hair straighteners...things that produce heat need a higher wattage.
I have canadian products in UK as well and we use up stepper..unfortunate tho it is only good for 300 watts, my waffle iron is 1350 watts oppps...new one ordered..

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Surprised a transformer was needed for those. I have a number of these items bought in both Canada and the UK and they are generally happy with either voltage.

It is also possible to get a new power supply for some items. I have some decent hifi equipment and their Canadian agents/supplier will fit the 120V power supply.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

We have a transformer we bought off eBay before we came here that we use for the laptops, everything else like phone chargers work with just the little plug adapter. As for straighteners just buy new ones, I got some $20 ones from Walmart that work fine, I didn't bring my GHD's because I have heard of them breaking the transformers and I remember them not working with just the plug adapter when I was in America. I brought an old cheap pair of straighteners I had with me to Canada which I knew worked with the plug adapter but they broke pretty soon.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

echoing lmartin above, I'm very surprised you need a transformer for your laptop. They are expressly designed to be mobile, which almost always means they'll have an auto-sensing power supply that works on 100-250V at 50 or 60Hz. I'd have a look at your power supply, if I were you: it makes no sense at all to run something through a transformer if you don't need to, as they are "lossy" devices (that's why they get warm in use - it's the wasted energy that heats them up).

Since a typical laptop needs somewhere around 5A at about 15V or so, it's much more efficient to convert this in the computer's own power supply at 120V than to put an extra transformer in the chain and go from 120 to 240 and back to 15V.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

We tried to plug them in using just the plug adapter a couple of times but there was like blue sparks from the socket in the wall so we didn't bother trying again! :lol:

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

to be fair I do have both UK and cdn plug ins for my laptop and my mobile, so I don't need to use the upstepper. BUT the things you put on the ends to plug in did not work, won't even power my mobile.
We are returning back to Canada shortly so we are taking tv, and other appliances, so been checking into it, and we will need a BIG up stepper..

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

You been in my closet? :frown:

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Oh. It seems I've wasted my life learning about physics.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Everytime I plug my Canadian laptop plug into a UK socket with an adaptor I get a flash of light, scary for the first few times then you get used to it :)
Seriously it will be ok though if the power supply says so, just look at the order in which you plug things in to avoid the flash!

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Try banging your head against that brick wall ;)

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

You were likely too busy studying to fully appreciate the term "ignorance is bliss"...

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Maybe, did you look for me in your closet tonight?























(The reference, I should point out, may be twisted, but it's straight.)

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

My mobile phones, computer, Bose ipod docking bay all work with a simple travel adaptor because they are all dual voltage.

I bought a power converter in the UK for my GHDs which only lasted around 1 year. I bought another converter off eBay and it blew really quickly. I never did throw out my GHDs and took them back to the UK last month - they worked perfectly. It was only the converters that blew :) The newest version GHDs are dual voltage.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Your point is?:p;):rofl:

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

I'm trying to think of a smart reply to that remark......

Self respect?

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Hi
we brought a few uk four way extension leads and put on a canadian plug, worked ok for phones, ds's, etc,:thumbup:
even worked on a few non 110v chargers, ( i.e. 240V only) it just took longer to charge them..
my boy plugged his '240 v only scalextric' in the other day, works great on the canadian 110v.
got a couple of transformers of e bay for the TV and wifes ghd's.
almost three years on and the stuff still works.
cheers jerry

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Unless your TV has both PAL and NTSC formats it won't be much use as will be in the wrong picture format and you will get 60Hz / 50Hz compatability problems. Laptop, mobile should be dual voltage, will normally say on the transformers what voltage input they will accept.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Most good quality UK TV are dual format, only the cheap nasty ones are not.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

Tangram, you mentioned you have plasma tv, dvd etc etc.....I plan to do this also....what size transformer do you use?

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

I will check tonight. But if you look at the wattage useage on the back of your equipment and add them all up that should give you an idea.

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

750w

Re: Using british electricals in Canada
 

cheers, thats good I was looking (thinking of the 1000w)