chrishoward99

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????

iaink

This wiki will be usefull to you...

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

clactonlad

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

iaink

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

clactonlad

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

Oakvillian

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.

clactonlad

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.

dbd33

Hair dryer. GHD. Vibrating rabbit.

iaink

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...

clactonlad

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

clactonlad

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

dbd33

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.

iaink

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

Tangram

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 ).

Cdnshaz

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..