If you have a 220-volt electrical device, you cannot directly plug it into your 110-volt outlet. It only won’t work. To use it, you will need to convert the low voltage to high voltage. You can do it by having a step-up voltage converter. This equipment is created to convert 110 volts to 220 volts, allowing consumers to use 220-volt electrical devices safely.
In case it’s your first time buying a step-up converter, then reading this guide is a must:
Voltage converter vs. transformer:
The first thing you should know about a voltage converter is that it is different from a voltage transformer. Though both can convert 110 volts to 220 voltage, their conversion processes are not the same. Converters are less expensive, lighter, more portable, and more compact than transformers. However, they can only work with specific types of electrical devices like 220volt hairdryers, mobile phones, irons, DVD players, and televisions. Unlike transformers, they won’t work with appliances that require full sine waves to operate.
Pick the right converter size:
Voltage converters are available in different sizes, which are determined by their wattage. To pick the right side of the step-up voltage converter, you have to compute the total wattage of the 220v appliances you want to use. The general rule is to pick a voltage converter with a higher wattage size than the absolute wattage requirement. This will ensure that you won’t overload your transformer, thereby promoting safe operation.
Check the type of plugs that your device use:
Some 220-volt devices have plugs with two or three prongs in different shapes. Thus, they won’t plug in directly to some transformers that have the standard wall outlets in the US. What you can do is to buy additional adapters. Alternatively, you can also buy a universal voltage converter, which accepts different types of plugs.
