You are likely to bring some of your appliances and electronics with you when you travel or move abroad. If you are coming from the US, your 110-volt appliances will not be able to work in countries that use 220 or 240 volts without a step-down voltage transformer, which will reduce the 220 volts to 110 volts for devices to be able to use efficiently and safely. Here’s a helpful guide for buying the right transformer:
- Buy from the right store – Look up reputable online stores that carry 220-volt appliances and consider buying from them. Be sure to buy at least a month before your trip, so you can be sure that it will arrive on time and you can check if you got the right product.
- Know
the right size – Step
down voltage transformers come in different sizes, which are indicated
by wattage. The size you will need should depend on the devices you will
be using and the number of watts they require. You should be able to find
that information on the manufacturer’s label, which is on the bottom or on
the back of the device, or listed in the owner’s manual, and it may be
indicated as ‘W.’ You might be able to spot it as amperage or amps or
simply ‘A,’ which you can convert to watts by multiplying it with the
input voltage.
- Know what appliances you need to use – Certain electronic devices and appliances will have a power surge when they are turned on. That said, you will need to buy a step-down voltage converter with a wattage that is two or three times higher than your appliances. These appliances include TVs, laser printers, power tools, and DVD players. With extra wattage, you can power them safely and make sure that they will run properly.
- Make sure there is a voltage stabilizer – Some step-down voltage transformers have a built-in stabilizer, which will protect your appliances and electronics from damage in case there are fluctuations or brownouts.
