Electricity in Europe is an extreme change from the US.
It operates on 220V. How is this different? Well,
the US is on 110V. This means that most electrical
appliances made in the US will not work in Europe.
HOWEVER, there are some things that you can bring with you that
are "dual voltage" and will work at 220V.
How can you tell if it will work or not? Look on the plug
of your electrical appliance or consult your appliance
documentation. You are looking for voltage ranges... see
below for an example from my laptop plug-in.
DUAL VOLTAGE DEVICE:
NON-DUAL VOLTAGE DEVICE:
Some items that are commonly dual voltage or will work on 220V
with few or no modifications are:
- Laptops
- Digital Cameras
- Computer Monitors
- Computers (must be manually switched to 220V)
- Some Televisions
- Household Lamps (use a 220V light bulb versus 110V)
- Some Clock Radios
Because it is not listed here does not mean that it will not
be dual voltage. If your appliance is
not dual voltage, you can use a transformer to convert the power
from 220V to 110V. This is very expensive if you live on
the economy because transformers utilize the entire amount of
wattage it is designed for. Otherwise, I recommend you hit
up a local thrift shop and find those small appliances you need
for your few-year visit. Below you'll
find a picture of the
electricity-hording transformer (available in different wattages
up to 2000W; 100W pictured). A 100W transformer produces
enough power for a standard household lamp (consider the 100W
light bulb. A 2000W transformer produces enough power for
a standard household 1800W vacuum cleaner (but wastes 200W
because it is not being used). Wattages for use on the
transformer can normally be found on the plug or documentation).
For items that are dual voltage, you'll need a plug adapter as
seen below. These are cheap and can be purchased locally. Use these to convert US plugs to European
plugs. PLUG ADAPTER:
If you have questions, please send us a message
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