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ronin1
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| Joined: | Saturday January 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | S.F. Bay Area, California USA |
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Posted: Friday February 10th, 2006 06:34 am |
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Taking Electrical Appliances?
For both Russia and the Ukraine, electrical services are primarily 220VAC 50 cycle. The receptacles will accept German ‘Shuko’ plugs with two cautions. One, older Soviet receptacles (Russian Gost 7396 standard) are designed with smaller prongs (4.0mm diameter prongs on 19mm centers) while the newer German ‘Shuko’ standard prongs are larger(4.8mm prongs on 19mm centers). You will most likely encounter a mix of plugs so make sure to take both adapters. Two, if you are taking a voltage converter or 220VAC appliances, make sure that they will fit into the recessed circular (~1 inch) receptacles. It they don’t there is an adapter for that as well.
Currently there is an even newer CEE 7/7 plug that is becoming the European standard. This can be used like the german "Shuke plug.
A word or two about voltage converters. There are essential two types of converters and it is very important that you use the right one for the right appliance. Getting them mixed up can cost you dearly.
The most popular are the solid state electronic SSR converters. They are cheap, light weight and often will output 10 to 15 amps and more. These converters are designed to power blow-dryers, hair-irons and fans. Basically the converter will power anything that has no complex and/or delicate electronics in it. This type of converter generates a significant amount of electronic noise. Using this type of converter for laptops, dvd/cd players and the like are strictly at your own high risk.
The other converter is a step-down converter. This is simply as step-down transformer in a plastic case. These converters are more expensive, heavy and outputs often less that 1 amp. This are designed to provide relatively clean power for any device that draws less than its rated current output.
Ronin
Last edited on Saturday December 16th, 2006 08:00 am by ronin1
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JPjr
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| Joined: | Friday February 24th, 2006 |
| Location: | Memphis, Tennessee USA |
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Posted: Friday March 24th, 2006 01:38 pm |
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| Ronin, are these adapters and voltage converters easily found in USA if so where. Radio Shack, Yes?
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wasson65
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Posted: Friday March 24th, 2006 04:18 pm |
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Fry's Electronics stocks both types as well. I picked up a small transformer type for about $8, and it will power the laptop, computer speakers, and battery charger just fine.
Also, pick up a pack of plug adaptors, because sometimes the small "wall-wart" type transformers may not plug into a polarized European plug. You need a short extender to get the round prongs to stick out far enough to fit into the holes in the recessed polarized socket.
Last edited on Friday March 24th, 2006 04:20 pm by wasson65
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JPjr
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| Location: | Memphis, Tennessee USA |
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Posted: Friday March 24th, 2006 04:27 pm |
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| Hello to the good looking couple Wasson65. We have no Fry's in Memphis that I know of, I will ask at Radio Shack, they ussuallyy have an answer for such things. Thanks, Joe
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ronin1
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Posted: Saturday March 25th, 2006 12:49 am |
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JPjr,
Radio Shack has a 50W converter for electronic stuff (PN 273-1401) for $20. I know it is the stepdown transformer type since the specs call out a heavy weight of 11 oz for a little adapter. The another converter (PN 273-1404) that goes up to 1600W for $22. This is good for hair blowers, heating devices and fans, however I wouldn't recommend it for lap tops or other expensive electronics. They have another converter call a 'dual wattage' converter (PN 273-1410) for $40. I don't know the details of this device so I can't recommend it for expensive electronics. Radio Shack has a plug adapter kit (PN 273-1405) for $15. The kit includes four different plugs of only one is used in Russia. Not so sure that $15 for one plug that you will use is such a good deal. I bought the exact plug I needed at a travelers speciality store. There, it cost $3.
Hope this helps.
Ronin
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dwfunk
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| Joined: | Tuesday March 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | Houston, Texas USA |
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Posted: Monday March 27th, 2006 11:18 pm |
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In a Galaxy far, far, away, in a land time forgot, many, many lifetimes ago . . . oops, wrong movie. But in another life I designed switch mode power supplies of various form factors, such as the "bricks" used to power laptops. Many, many years back, all designs went to dual line, autoswitching, meaning they are capable of running on our 110v, and Europe's, 220v. One thing to check, and it will save you from having to carry around extra weight in converters or having to keep up with extra stuff, is the UL label on any of the power supplies that you wish to take. If the label says INPUT: 100 - 240~, then you have a dual line, auto switching power supply and it will work in Russia no problem. You will need the adapter from our style of plug to theirs. I ran my laptop the entire time I was there, no problem. A side effect is that your supply will run slightly cooler, it is drawing less current at the higher voltages.
What if my laptop/electronic gadget power supply doesn't say 100 - 240 and I still do not want to carry extra converters? There are after market supplies made as replacements for practically every piece of electronic equipment out there today, and they are all dual line. They will have selectable output voltages that you will have to select for your particular piece of electronics or laptop, and you will have to 'size' them properly, 45watts, 60watts, 70watts etc, to match your original supply size. You will need to be the same size or larger.
--
David & Natalia
Republic of Texas/Moscow, Russia
http://www.davidandnataliafunk.org/
http://www.russianwomanwiki.net/
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Last edited on Monday March 27th, 2006 11:18 pm by dwfunk
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JPjr
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Posted: Monday March 27th, 2006 11:38 pm |
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| Thank you David, I just checked My Etaco and the Laptop and of course as you say they are marked 100-240. It seems only right that it should be so in this tech age. Joe
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Rvrwind
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| Joined: | Sunday April 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Tver, Russia |
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Posted: Monday April 17th, 2006 02:44 pm |
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As long as your not planning to bring a refridgerator, you should be okay, LOL.
But seriously, you can purchase the adapters here as well. Many electrical outlets in Russia have them so even should you not find one in the US, have no fear they are available here.
Gee that ryhms, LOL.
RVR-Canadian Cowboy
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