Just wondering has anyone ever bought some sort of electrical gear (eg. stereos, tv's, hi-fi shiz, PC's) from the US and had to use a power converter when using it here?

I'm thinking about ordering something from the US and was told that I could just buy a transformer... Anyone know for sure?

What I am looking at uses between 31 and 38 watts... Ampage unknown, and i guess it would typically run on the US's 120volts.

i think u will have to. we run on 240 volts.

I got a compaq ipaq from the US and needed an adapter. You can get an elcheapo from K-Mark for less than $20.

Have to!? huh?

I know I would at least have to buy some sort of transformer... sorry, my question was, does anyone know if this will work for sure (from experience)?

But I guess... its probably specific to the hardware itself:/ What works for one thing may not work for another! eep.

America uses 120v.

the problem is with the amount of power it needs to handle. You'll have to get a larger than usual transformer. Try Dick Smith Electronics, i used to work there and we sold plenty of the things (they come in a variety of power ratings).

If you are really lucky, your equipment might have a switch to change the voltage, but it's unlikely.

Try a travel shop that sells luggage, or a camping store, or yeah an electronics shop.
Those are the sorts of places I've seen convertors.

America uses 120v.

it's 110 volts

umm, when we moved from america to AU we bought alot of euro stuff, a EURO phillips TV, frige etc etc etc... they worked both on 110 volts and 220 volts..

there were some things we didn't want to buy (since we already had em..) so we bought some transformers...

2 9/12volt transformers (they have enough power to run smaller 12volt things...) and 1 proper full 220 to 110 volts converter...

anyway, my whole point was you can do it, it will work, but i dont think it's very reliable.. like if the transformer f***s up you've gotta order another one thats gonna cost you $$$ ...

i'd recomend you just buy woteva your gonna buy here in au

what i'm gonna buy is a digital recorder. they retail for $6000 here, whereas i can get one in the US for $2400. So... even if i spent a couple of hundred on shipping and on the transformer... i'm still saving thousands.

I just read at the bottom of the manual i d/l'ed that they are "manufactured under strict specifications and voltages required by each country." meh...

I dont think a recorder is going to use much power, man. And if it does, then no transformer in the world is going to cost more than what you'll be saving in your case.

i reckon, hell, get a custom built transformer if ya have to, you'll still end up saving HEAPS if that's the case.

yeh but u see savings dont mean dick if the machine doesnt work:/ i'm worried that there are no garauntees that there is a way to get it to work. but yeah... custom transformer:D NICE@#!$

I dont think a recorder is going to use much power, man.

It doesn't matter how much power it needs to run, if you're chucking 220v through something that can only handle 110v, you're going to fry something unless it can handle dual voltages.

Go to Dick Smith/Tandy/etc and get a stepdown transformer. I've nabbed two or three for various things, and they were all under $100.

There is no question. You need a transformer. Buy one. All is happy. End of thread.

BwahAhahAhahAhAhaHhAHa!!! Is it!?

is it manufactured for the southern hemisphere??? it may not even work in australia!

Yeah the electrons might spin counter-clockwise or whatnot and your recordings will play backwards!

baahahahahha

I've had to use quite alot of US electrical equipment for work, sometimes the cheap $20 transformers from Dick Smith will work, but for any heavy duty equip (computers, xboxes etc) you need a proper transformer. We use AVICO, model PSU2411 (from suppliers in Sydney) and have not had any problems.

how much do they set you back?

The model above was around $110, it has overload/short circuit/fuse protection built in, so you may be able to find cheaper, but I recommend going with it

thats alright...im getting some US electric equipment aswell, thanks might check it out aswell