How to Charge a 110 Volt machine in Thailand?

[player]

Hi,

I have a Nintendo DS that I got in Canada. It runs on 110 volts, and as we all know, Thailand is a 220 volt country.

 

So I need to buy something- I don't even know what the correct name for it is- adapter? converter? that will change the 220 volts to 110 volts, thus letting me charge my Nintendo DS in Thailand.

 

Could anyone please tell me the correct name for what I need, and where am I most likely to find one? Big C? Tuk-Com?

 

Thanks!

 

player

[PattayaFanatic]

Hi,

I have a Nintendo DS that I got in Canada. It runs on 110 volts, and as we all know, Thailand is a 220 volt country.

 

So I need to buy something- I don't even know what the correct name for it is- adapter? converter? that will change the 220 volts to 110 volts, thus letting me charge my Nintendo DS in Thailand.

 

Could anyone please tell me the correct name for what I need, and where am I most likely to find one? Big C? Tuk-Com?

 

Thanks!

 

player

 

Are you sure it's not a multi voltage charger.Everything I have is 110-240 volt,ipod,laptop,celphone,camera.Most Pattaya hotels have mutti system plugs.

[Scumbag]

Are you sure it's not a multi voltage charger.Everything I have is 110-240 volt,ipod,laptop,celphone,camera.Most Pattaya hotels have mutti system plugs.

Yes, look on the charger for something like 100 - 240V. If it has that you are OK. If you see only 110V don't use it in Thailand.

[Guiness]

yes as above , check that your item will work in the 220/230 volt range. but also check the frequency , i think that the frequency is 50 hz in thailand. if its 60 hz in canada , you may be in difficulty.

[ricktoronto]

yes as above , check that your item will work in the 220/230 volt range. but also check the frequency , i think that the frequency is 50 hz in thailand. if its 60 hz in canada , you may be in difficulty.

 

No he won't. The frequency affects a rare few items that use the frequency to set speed like a record player or electric shaver.

[nightwatch]

I have to agree look it over most electronics are made overseas in southeast asian countries and have dual voltage and frequency. If it is not I would look for a converter at tuk com.

[dirtbird]

Use a thai policeman as a conductor :02:

[Guiness]

No he won't. The frequency affects a rare few items that use the frequency to set speed like a record player or electric shaver.

 

correct of course, however i notice that 60hz chargers burn out often when in use in ireland (50hz area ). makita and dewalt for example.

regards guiness.

[Scumbag]

yes as above , check that your item will work in the 220/230 volt range. but also check the frequency , i think that the frequency is 50 hz in thailand. if its 60 hz in canada , you may be in difficulty.

What is the point of producing a dual voltage converter and then not making it dual frequency!!?? Every dual voltage convertor that I have seen is also 50 - 60Hz. The reason they are produced is so that they can ship the same one to every part of the globe.

[localguy]

Chances are very good that your existing AC Adapter works on 220 volts. If so, it will be written on the adapter. Check your room after you arrive, chances are also good that there will be a wall socket that accepts both flat blade North American plugs and round pin Eurpean plugs. If not, go to Tuk.com (or maybe even 7-11) and for 100 baht or so buy a simple plug convertor. No electronics involved, just has a round pin plug on one side and a flat blade socket on the other side. No LB jokes please...

 

Another even more smarter solution is buy a 220 volt Nintendo DS Adapter at Tuk.com. Price 200-300 Baht, given that cheap Nintendo adapters sell for $5 on Amazon.com

 

http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-DS-AC-Adapter/dp/B0006A9SM0

 

You now have a second Nintendo charger which you can use back in Canada (make sure it's rated 100V - 220V) by buying the opposite plug converter described above.

[El Cata]

I have a Wii that I brought from the UK & it doesn't have a switch to change voltage. The correct term for what you require is a 'transformer' but is some times called an adapter or converter; the key is obviously to look for 110-220V in the spec. I don't know about frequency, as the uk uses 50Hz, but won't this affect the video output?

 

I use a simple 3 pin to 2 pin adapter & it's fine. I'd bring over both the Euro style round pin & the Asian flat pin types as it's a bit of a lottery as to which ones your hotel will have. Also don't forget an extension lead preferably a multi-plug one as they come in handy for charging mobiles, cameras etc at the same time.

Edited December 6, 2011 by El Cata

[nightwatch]

I have a Wii that I brought from the UK & it doesn't have a switch to change voltage. The correct term for what you require is a 'transformer' but is some times called an adapter or converter; the key is obviously to look for 110-220V in the spec. I don't know about frequency, as the uk uses 50Hz, but won't this affect the video output?

 

I use a simple 3 pin to 2 pin adapter & it's fine. I'd bring over both the Euro style round pin & the Asian flat pin types as it's a bit of a lottery as to which ones your hotel will have. Also don't forget an extension lead preferably a multi-plug one as they come in handy for charging mobiles, cameras etc at the same time.

 

the reason people are saying the frequency doesn't matter is because on all your electronic devices you are converting 120v or 220v ac to 5 to 12 volts dc depending on the device. I can explain the difference between alternating current and direct current but you really don't want to know. It is suffice to say when converted to dc the frequency is no longer an issue whether it is a 50 or 60 Htz device. I have only seen really cheap electronic devices sold exclusively in the US market that only have a single voltage and hertz rating otherwise anything electronic should be dual voltage and hz rated.

[BluTraveller]

What is the point of producing a dual voltage converter and then not making it dual frequency!!?? Every dual voltage convertor that I have seen is also 50 - 60Hz. The reason they are produced is so that they can ship the same one to every part of the globe.

 

The industry is global these days, which we all know..

 

Australian etc is 50Hz 240V - America etc is a 60Hz 100V system because and where first with power they started with 110V... They had paper insulation and could not take the higher voltage....

 

Anyway....

 

Because the market is so large and small costs involved for a "dual supply" instead of two separate supplies... its better for the manufacturer to do this...

 

God i hope i make sense...Anyway thats for input supply not output...

[thinkingallowed]

I believe Nintendo DS are one of the few products in the world without dual voltage chargers. A small girl in our village requested one for her birthday and I'm sure when I researched it that just getting a 240v charger did not solve the problem. Is it possible to charge them via a USB lead to a computer?

[Short]

Overtime, commercial power frequency is very accurate when used for things like residential clocks (stoves, microwaves etc).

 

But from an instantanious perspective, commercial power frequency is very inaccurate and not suitible as a base frequency for high frequency devices like tuners in a radio.

 

When converting from AC to DC, for consumer products, 50 and 60 Hz are so close together it doesn't matter. Hell, I even cross 60 and 400 Hz with no problem. Once it gets converted to DC, its frequency is ZERO.

 

Energizer brand chargers are notorious for not supporting both 110 and 220. I avoid them like the plague.

 

You may have another brick that will work. Make sure that your substitute supports the same or higher current level. Make sure that the polarities are the same (little diagram will mark the center pin as negative or positive) and make sure that the output DC voltage is in the ballpark of the original charger.

 

When comparing current, remember that 1 Amp is the same as 1000 milliamps.