Hey there,
I’m looking to take a couple of American electronics back to the UK with me, including my macbook, electric shaver and cell phone.
I’ve seen little physical adaptors advertised (like this ) - is that all I need?
Just checking so I don’t fry my stuff!
pdts
Depends on the devices. Many higher-end electronics, such as your MacBook, have multivoltage switched-mode power supplies. Typically, the rating plates on these devices or their power supplies will say something such as “INPUT: 100-240 VAC 50/60 HZ.” Other devices such as shavers and hair driers, especially those intended for travel, will instead have a selectable input voltage, set by either a recessed slide or rotary switch. Either of these will not require a voltage adapter, and the plug you linked to will work fine. Other items might only work on 120 VAC; these devices will need a suitable voltage converter, in addition to plug adapter. Be wary of high-wattage converters intended for use with resistive heating devices, such as hotplates and hair driers, as these are nothing more than a high-current rectifier and supply a waveform which can be detrimental to the proper operation of electronic devices.
Just the information I was looking for, thankyou.
pdts
QED is correct, and let me add a bit of experience to it - travel hair dryers, irons, etc. tend to be more trouble than they’re worth, blowing the fuses all the time (or tripping the breakers…an amazing number of UK hotels have actual fuses instead of breakers, and a B&B may likely have a fuse…I’ve stayed in scores of UK hotels and B&B’s). Stick to the low-powered appliances and see if you can borrow a hair dryer/iron/Sybian whilst in the UK, rather than taking your own.
I figured my days of schlepping a lot of converters around were numbered when my ThinkPad came with two wall-sucking cords that both plugged into the same power supply. Indeed, my supply says 100-240V~ 2.0A-1.2A 50/60Hz. Is there anywhere that won’t work if I have the right plug-converter to stick into the wall?
What’s changed to allow this miniaturization and encapsulation?
Switching power supplies are cheaper now.
OK, what’s allowed them to become cheaper?
ICs allowed computers to become cheaper and more integrated. Did they do the same in this context? If not, what did?
Pretty much, yeah. Switched-mode power supplies are cheaper (and smaller) these days mainly because the complex regulation and control circuitry can now be built largely around a single intelligent controller chip and advances in semiconductor production processes allow higher current densities in smaller packages.