Much prized belongings.
 

I am new to this as I am about to move to the US and am going through the process of interogation, erm, I mean, application since I married an American lady.

Please, could anybody tell me if the American 220volt electrics is compatible with goods from the UK, like maybe a TV, stereo, food mixer, etc. I know the plug would have to be changed if it is, or I might have to sell everything, what a shame. Thank you folks.

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

I don't know where you heard that we had 220V over here, but in fact the US uses 110V for standard household power. None of your appliances will work without a step-up transformer. They range in price depending on what power you need to run off them (see here).

Your TV & video equipment won't work over here unless they're multi-standard, since the UK uses PAL and the US uses NTSC.

You're probably better off selling them in the UK and buying new over here. Home electronics devices have always been cheaper over here than in the UK, and unless you've got really super-expensive stuff you're probably wasting your money on ugly transformers and such.

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Hi, thank you for that. I went into an electrical store in Canby near Oregon, and he said some households have 220 as well as 110. He said the lighting is usually 110, and the power is 220, or perhaps he was a sadist.
Thanks again, Dave

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

You will find all salesmen speak total bull in America. Get used to it quickly; otherwise it's going to be an expensive initiation! Their idea is to tell you anything you want to hear as long as they can sell you something.

I agree with DBJ -- forget it. The only possible exceptions would be computer equipment and high-end audio & video stuff.

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

No, not a sadist. Just moron and a liar (i.e. a salesman). There are no 220V circuits in a US home. None. Go back and tell him he's a wanker :)

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Actually there is 220V in American homes, any American home that has electricity has 220V comming into the house. Look at your fuse box, there are two 110V wires and one neutral comming in from the street. So to get 220V you just use both the live wires and hey presto 220V. I did this to run a washing machine on 220V in my basement.

Wanker. Moron. You failed the Best Buy Sales 101 class. Maybe you are setting your sights too high, try Burger King or McD's I hear their enterance exam is a lot easier!!!

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Oops!

:scared: :scared: :scared:

Would you like fries with that?

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Thats true washing machines,dryers,air con units pool pumps run on 220v in america because at 110 the current drawn would be huge. they take the two black 110v lines to give 220v. the only problem is that the US runs at 60hz and the UK runs at 50HZ so you would have to check that anything electrical can run at this frequency

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

I'm off to get my old UK TV out of the loft and shove two 110v lines in the back so I can use it again. I'm sure it'll be OK, because that's what BritishInOhio told me to do ;)

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

If I were you I wouldn't bother with purchasing adapters either. When I went to England to be w/ hubby before we married we bought one there for my hair dryer and curling iron and we almost burned down his flat :scared:

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

I'd sell it all in the UK and then rebuy it again in the US. Saves having to get it all shipped over and you may get some better deals here.

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Like most people are saying sell the lot! With the current exchange rate being so favourable for Brits coming over here you can't go wrong.

The only electrical goods that would work over here without a transformer would be a laptop and digital camera. Seriously electrical goods are so much cheaper over here i wouldn't worry about a thing.

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Sell everything! Bring Nothing! We came across to the states with 4 crammed big suitcases and that was it. Save on your shipping costs as well, ie there arent any!

Buy everything afresh when you get here. Its kind of weird getting rid of a lot of your old stuff you've had for years - I guess a lot of people couldnt do it, but I've been moving around the world a lot and its kind of nice to be able to get rid of all your old stuff and start afresh. Especially here, because things are so cheap. Bring some sentimental trinkets that you just can't do without, ebay/give away/junk the rest! :beer:

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

I agree - when I moved over we sold almost EVERYTHING, brought over only my computer, XBOX (modified so required) and our wedding presents (mainly crockery, cutlery)... EVERYTHING is cheap here compared to the UK.... I bought everything again for less than I got when I sold everything at the other end..

example - 40inch Widescreen RP TV sold in the UK for 700 quid.. moved here, bought a 55 inch phillips HD RP for 999 delivered... made several hundred bucks on the deal and got a FAR superior TV

andy

Re: Much prized belongings.
 

Absolutely!! Sell the lot and have a good shopping spree when you get here!!! :D