North American versus European distribution systems on photo A beautiful daisy and the transmission tower credit LittleKaren via Flickr. Get Voltage Converters for lowest prices at 123dj. All Heavy Duty Voltage Converters models operate in dual voltage mode. PHASE CONVERTERS for single to 3 phase power www. RTN Guidelines for Sizing PhaseAMatic Rotary Phase Converters. Volts. com, the most amazing online collection of hardtofind electronics, voltage converters and adapters, brandname items, and more. European Voltage Essentials 220 Volts of Electric Power at 50 Hz Frequency Watts, Amps, VoltAmps, AC, DC, Outlets, Adapters, Converters, and Such. Shop from the worlds largest selection and best deals for Power Plug Adaptors. Shop with confidence on eBay PVM500 Plasma Power Generator for Conventional and Complex Loads Circuitry produces up to 300 watts with independent voltage, current, and frequency adjustment. Electricity in Europe Power Sockets and Plugs On your first trip to Europe the thing that stands out about your hotel room might very well be the wall sockets. Theyre different. Theyre big. The second thing youll probably notice is that there arent a lot of them. Power, you see, is quite expensive in Europe. So what you need to run that laptop, hair dryer, electric shaver, or miniature toaster oven is a doohickey that converts your plug so that it fits whatever socket they use in the European country youre visiting. Power-Voltage-Transformer-for-Germany-and-Europe-1024x514.jpg' alt='American European Voltage Converters' title='American European Voltage Converters' />No problem. Theyre cheap. You can buy plug converters at many travel oriented stores in the US, as well as electrical and hardware stores in Europe. See the picture of the converter that works in continental Europe below. Before you say, Cool. Im off and running I need to warn you of something whats coming out of that socket is a whopping 2. American power systems. It may be way too much for your appliance. Remember an adapter plug doesnt convert the voltage, it just converts the hardware plug see the definitions below. As a european supplier we are confused with the various terms and numbers used for power supply specs in north america. Terms like nominal system voltage, nomin. Definitions For Electrical Conversion Devices. Plug Adapter  an interface that attaches between the American two pronged plug and a specific European socket. The result is that the American appliance will be connected to European 2. Power Converter or transformer  converts the European 2. American appliances will operate on European Current. Watch that the power rating in watts exceeds the rating of all appliances you expect to plug in at one time. European Electricity Some People Learn the Hard Way. Once when in Sardinia on a volunteer archaeology project we spent a day without lights because one of the volunteers had plugged one of those 2. When asked if she knew the voltage was different, she replied, Of course I knew I just wanted to see if itd work. Asme Bpvc Section Ix 2013 more. Science is a good thing. So are experiments. The result of this one was a smoldering and distorted mass of cheap plastic and a candlelight dinner. American European Voltage Converters' title='American European Voltage Converters' />You see, the 2. Hair dryers can be a problem. They take massive amounts of power. If you cant do without, you might consider buying one in Europe to make sure its power requirements match those of the countries in which the device is used. Taking Stock of your Electrical Needs when you travel in Europe. Determine which countries youll be traveling in. Choose the plug adapters youll need in those specific countries. Take stock of what appliances need power converters. Most modern laptops will automatically sense voltage changes and adapt you may only need a plug adapter check your owners manual. Shavers, and any small, electrically frugal items may still need a voltage converter sometimes called a transformer. These are readily available as well. Hair dryers are a special case, as their power requirements are enormous. If you wish to be a good neighbor to the Europeans, consider leaving the contraption at home. If you cant, make sure you buy a heavy duty converter that will handle as much as 2. Remember that if youre taking a recharger for your digital camera batteries, itll probably need at least a plug converter. How to Determine if You Need Just a Plug Adapter or a Voltage Converter. You will need a voltage converter  to run the device that this attaches to, like one of these. Its very low wattage though, only 6 watts, so you dont need a big, expensive converter. The back of my Canon battery charger shows it will handle any voltage from 1. This was designed to work just about anywhere in the world, and the US version will work in Europe by using a plug adapter as seen below. Here is all you need to convert the US rectangular pronged plug to a European round plug used in most continental European hotels. It is the kind I take to Europe. This adapter probably wont work in the UK or Malta. While you can buy these in Europe, an online source is Magellans, a reliable converter Id recommend.