Although appliances you mention can be used on both types of power, you really need a kit of plug adapters to be able to interface the variety of sockets around the world, including variations in Europe.
Stan Doore ----- Original Message ----- From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 9:45 AM Subject: [USMA:24619] Re: Power > 2003-01-25 > > My electric shaver utilises a universal power supply. It will operate on > any voltage between 100 and 250 V, 50/60 Hz. I have two cords for it. They > are detachable. One cord has the US type flat pin plug on it and the other > has the round pin Europlug on it. When I am in a country that uses 240 V > and the Europlug, I just change the cord and the shaver works fine. The > motor actually runs on DC so the power supply converts the incoming voltage > to DC. This way the device is independent of frequency. > > I think all or most shavers today have universal power supplies in them. In > fact a video camera I have also runs on a universal power supply. All I > needed to plug this device in was a plug adapter. > > The only bad thing I noticed about the Europlug was that in many cases the > plug seemed loose when it was in the socket. I would suspect that the > looseness of the connection would create a heating problem at the point of > contact due to increased contact resistance and also deliver lower operating > voltage to the device. Is this normal in countries using the round pin > plugs? > > John > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Terry Simpson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Saturday, 2003-01-25 08:10 > Subject: [USMA:24618] Re: Power > > > > Of kilopascal > >The British who used 415/240 V were suppose to lower theirs > > to 400/230 V, > > Britain has changed to 230 volts nominal. Many homes and hotels in Britain > have a 'shaver socket' in the bathroom that will accept the European plug. > > All the shaver sockets that I have seen (including the one in my house) have > 4 holes. One pair of holes is marked '240v' and another pair is marked > '110v'. > > Don't rely on finding a shaver socket when you visit the UK, but it is worth > knowing if you get stuck with the wrong plug and/or the wrong voltage > equipment. >
