What is the proper voltage for your next travel destination?
The electric outlets overseas and in many other countries provide a higher voltage than standard N. American outlets.
View the map below to find the proper voltage for your next travel destination.
Dual or Single Voltage?
Your device will fall in one of three categories: dual voltage, 110-120V only or 220-240V only. If your appliances are not dual voltage, you’ll need a voltage converter or transformer to use them in a country with different voltage outlets. Don’t know if your device is single or dual voltage?There’s an easy way to find out!
- If your device is dual voltage, you do not need a converter or a transformer. Just an adapter plug.
- The most common dual voltage electronics include cell phones, iPhones, tablets, iPads, laptops chargers, camera battery chargers, CPAP machine adapters, and even PCs.
- If your device is 120V (includes 110V or 125V) only, you will need a converter or transformer that will “step down” the voltage overseas to safely power your North American 110-120V device.
- If your device is 220V (includes 230V or 240V) only, you will need a converter or transformer that will “step up” the voltage to power them in the 110-120V countries.
Figuring Out Your Device’s Required Wattage
After you determine your device voltage, the next step is figuring out the required wattage. Find your device’s power by looking at the label for a number followed by a W, mA or A. These stand for Watts, milliAmps, and Amps. If you see the watts, you can move to the next step. If you have mA or A, you’ll have to do a bit of math. Don’t worry; it’s easy.
The Final Step: Choose the Right Converter/Transformer
You’ll want to look for a converter or transformer that provides just a bit more wattage than you need. Devices tend to surge up when they’re turned on, so that little bit of extra power required needs to come from somewhere.
Safety First
Please note the higher the power requirement (watt), the larger and heavier transformer you’ll need. A typical 2000W transformer can weigh up to 15 pounds, making it less than ideal for travel. However, a 2000W voltage converter is much smaller and compact. 2000W converters are designed for purely resistive electricals without circuit boards, such as standard hair dryers.
Our voltage converter vs transformer guide goes over converter and transformer differences in greater detail. We recommend staying away from such high-powered small voltage converters all together. Choose a safer and more convenient option, by traveling with a dual voltage hair dryer instead.
Let's Recap
- Determine your device’s voltage.
- Figure out required wattage using the equations above.
- Choose the right voltage converter or transformer.
