Usa enquiry !!???!!!

RVN10

Sorry but this mite be in the wrong forum but has anybody here gone to the usa and used their phone charger with one of those plug converters?? Please help sorry if in the wrong forum any help will be appreciated...

Tanks in advance

Rb

Could try
Rec > Travel/Holidays
or Comp > ..Consumer Electronics > Mobiles/PDAs

BEAT

well Ive done the reverse, charged my phone on a converter in Ireland..worked alright. Dont see why it wouldnt the other way round.

Manic Moran

Shouldn't be an issue.

However, I've found that a much safer way of dealing with the issue is to use the car adapter. Voltages and plugs are the same in cars on both sides of the Atlantic, and you'll probably be in a car, or have access to one at some point...

NTM

lodgepole

Worked perfectly in Canada where they use the same plugs. It never held it's charge for as long as it would at home, and i'm sure it was bad for the battery, but as long as it isn't for too long i'm sure it's fine.

Canis Lupus

why would it be bad for the battery as the charger only lets so much current through anyway. It's all the same. I used a my phone charger in Spain, phone didn't blow up or anything.

Edit: good lord I missed my 1000th post, doh!

Chong

Ok then how about using my laptop over there.

Pal

You will have no problem.

The charger converts to the correct output.



car chargers are the same in both Europe and USA. 12volts.

ballooba

Doesn't work with nokia chargers actually. We had lots of nokia chargers in america with us but none worked with any of the various convertors. We had to use an american nokia charger.

All of our laptops worked with the convertor on the other hand. Sagem charger seemed to work with convertor. Don't think there was any other phone types.

Chong

When u say converter are we just talkin about the bog standard plug converter.

Chong

Does anyone know if the sony ericsson t630 is triband?

galwaydude

it will be fine,when your at the airport buy a converter in duty free and away you go.Enjoy your trip and happy christmas.

Rabies

ballooba wrote:

Doesn't work with nokia chargers actually. We had lots of nokia chargers in america with us but none worked with any of the various convertors. We had to use an american nokia charger

Ya it does. I have spent two summers in America. Brought over my Nokia phone, Nokia charger and standard plug adapter.
No problems for me, well apart from a high phone bill


Edit: good lord I missed my 4000th post, doh!

funk-you

it will work but will take longer to charge.
in the us they use 120v mains whereas we use 220-240v mains.

-Funk

MrJoeSoap

Yeah I also charged my phone over there no problem. My battery charger didn't work though (actual AA batteries that is).

Manic Moran

funk-you wrote:

it will work but will take longer to charge.
in the us they use 120v mains whereas we use 220-240v mains.

-Funk

I believe it's not that simple. European voltages run at 50Hz, whilst Americans run at 60Hz, which should make a dent in the difference. There is also the matter of amperage draw. It is quite possible that the American system will draw more amps to compenstate for the lower voltage.

A simple comparison of voltages would indicate that it would take about 20 times as long to charge my 'phone using a car charger (12 volts) as it would using a European plug socket. This is not the case.

NTM

funk-you

for the case of a phone charger i didn't want to get technical as it will work and take slightly longer but you are right.

neacy69

i used my nokia charger with my phone all summer and didnt seem to cause any hassle. I did buy an american for two weeks as i left my charger in new york while i was in miami and that worked much better (seemed to take less time to charge or smoething) The nokia chargers are cheap as chips over there mine cost me $5+tax in one of the corner stores

scuba steve

WDK wrote:

Ok then how about using my laptop over there.

you shouldnt have a problem using the laptop over there. Converters can be bought in the airports anywhere and some shops over there

ballooba

Well from my experience. 18 lads living in the gaff. Most of whom had nokias. When we plugged in the phone it said "Not Charging". All the laptops (4) worked fine for us.

stevenmu

Manic Moran wrote:

I believe it's not that simple. European voltages run at 50Hz, whilst Americans run at 60Hz, which should make a dent in the difference. There is also the matter of amperage draw. It is quite possible that the American system will draw more amps to compenstate for the lower voltage.

A simple comparison of voltages would indicate that it would take about 20 times as long to charge my 'phone using a car charger (12 volts) as it would using a European plug socket. This is not the case.

NTM

Aren't you overlooking the fact that a european charger would be designed to work at 220v, and if undervolted would draw less current than it's supposed to, whereas a US charger would be designed to draw the correct amount of current at 110v

RVN10

cheers lads for help it really helped

MrPinK

stevenmu wrote:

Aren't you overlooking the fact that a european charger would be designed to work at 220v, and if undervolted would draw less current than it's supposed to, whereas a US charger would be designed to draw the correct amount of current at 110v

A standard nokia charger is multivolt, designed to work at 100-240v at 50-60Hz. As are most laptop power supplies.

stevenmu

MrPinK wrote:

A standard nokia charger is multivolt, designed to work at 100-240v at 50-60Hz. As are most laptop power supplies.

Ah, my mistake, I assumed they'd be tailered to suit the input voltages or the region, I'm pretty sure my one (not nokia) is 220-240v specific.

the Guru

It works I live over here now (the states) and mine works fine

RVN10

does vodafone work over in new york?

Ruu_Old

Depends if you are a bill paying customer (it will work) or ready to go(dont *think* it will work), Chubb76, and your phone has to be triband.

RVN10

i know about the whole tri-band thing , but ive heard that some vodafone ready to go customers sometimes work over there????

Ruu_Old

thats true, it worked for my brother when he came to Illinois last year but im not sure. i know O2 pre pay works, but give Vodafone a call, new roaming agreements are signed quite often, have fun

Solair

The US/Canada uses 110-120V 60Hz
Europe (and most of the rest of the planet) uses 230V 50Hz

If you look at the front of your charger it should read either:

110-240V 50/60Hz

or 230V 50Hz

If it's suitable for 110-120V 60Hz you're sorted. If not don't use it as it may not charge your phone and also some 50Hz only power supplies behave oddly on 60Hz and can get quite warm.

The other option is drop into a US mobile shop and pick up a charger to suit your phone. They're way cheaper than here and they're cheap here!