What are the most frequently asked questions about your products?
QUESTION- What is a Voltage Converter/Voltage Transformer?
ANSWER- A voltage converter (also called voltage transformer) is an electric device that is used to convert electricity from 110 volts to 220 volts and vice-versa. The need for a voltage converter appears when you travel to a country that works in a different power supply than your own country, and you have the need to use your electric and electronic equipment. Voltage converters are available on the market from light weight Travel converters to heavy duty continuous use voltage converters.
QUESTION- What is the difference between a Step Up and Step Down voltage converter/transformer?
ANSWER- Step up and down means the kind of electric conversion performed by the transformer. The difference between them is that a Step-up converter will convert 110 volts inlet “up” to 220 volts outlet. A Step Down converter consequently, will convert 220 volts inlet “down” to 110 volts outlet. Therefore in order to find out which converter will fulfill your needs you need to get acquainted with the power supply of the country you are visiting, as well as the voltage of the equipment you are taking with you. If you need a transformer that is more versatile, you should consider getting a Step up and Down converter.
QUESTION- How do you find out what the appropriate voltage converter/transformer fits my needs?
ANSWER- First you need to figure out what the voltage inlet of the country in question is, and also of the equipment you are trying to use. For example, if you are in Germany (which operates in 220 volts)and the equipment you are trying to use is a toaster that’s 110 volts, you will need a Step Down converter. Second, you need to find out what the power consumption of the appliance is. So in our example, let's say the 110 volts toaster requires 800 watts to work. The appropriate converter for the toaster needs to be able to handle 25 - 30% more watts than the toaster wattage consumption. This is a safety measure to assure that your converter will have a long lasting life span. So the appropriate voltage converter for the toaster used in this example, should be able to handle at least 1040 watts. Keep in mind that motorized equipment are a special case. The rule of thumb for these devices is to get a voltage converter able to handle twice as many watts as the equipment requires. For example,a table fan that works at 20 watts would need a converter/transformer able to handle at least 40 watts.
If you need any extra help please visit our Voltage Converter Help page. It will guide you through the steps of finding out what voltage converter is most suitable for your needs.
QUESTION- Can I use several devices at once with the same voltage converter or transformer?
ANSWER- The answer is yes. As long as you are aware that the total wattage required from the devices won’t exceed the wattage capacity of you voltage converter/transformer. Also be aware that you might need to connect a Power strip to the converter’s outlet to allow plugging in more than one device at a time.