using hair straightener in new york?

wee bear

hi, i know this seems a bit vain, but anyhow, going to new york soon and the style i have my hair in at the moment means i need to straighten it or i look a bit mental!!!
i've heard that straigtners may not work in new york is this true?? i dont have a ghd, just a normal straightner, does anybody know if they will work or not over there?
or do i need to buy something to make them work?? thanks:)

SarahJ

Um, just a different plug adaptor for the plug to fit in the socket.......

anniehoo

Dunno about normal straighteners but my sister is just back from San Fran and her GHD didnt work even with an adaptor over there!

SarahJ

I'd go spare!! My ghd worked in NY with the adaptor plug

miss no stars

Sarah J, that's incorrect and dangerous advice - either know what you're talking about or say nothing when it comes to electricity.

Wee Bear, you need to check what it says on your straighteners.

Here's the deal with electricity in the USA:

Voltage: 110 Volts
Frequency: 60 Hz.

Somewhere on your straighteners it should have technical gen, if it doesn't, it should say it in the manual or on the box. This will normally say what frequencies and voltages it can operate in. For example, my GHD says: 110-230V a.c. 60Hz/50Hz, 150W

The important things there are

110-230V a.c. 60Hz/50Hz

. The first bit tells you what the voltages are and that it works off alternating current (which is, generally, what you get out of your normal household socket) and the second bit tells you what the frequencies it can work with are.

So what you need to do is find where it gives you the technical information and see if it can be used with 110V 60Hz supply.

If it CAN use US electricity: Get a simple plug adapter
If it CAN'T use US electricity: You will need to get an adapter that also has a transformer in it. This will convert their 110V, 60Hz supply into the 220-240V, 50Hz supply that your straighteners is designed for.

dobsdave

anniehoo wrote: »

Dunno about normal straighteners but my sister is just back from San Fran and her GHD didnt work even with an adaptor over there!

Will probably need a transformer also, as it is a relatively high powered appliance.

Cut your hair short OP!

Edit, beaten to it.

Edit 2, this also applies to phone chargers, I was caught out last time.

SarahJ

miss no stars wrote: »

Sarah J, that's incorrect and dangerous advice - either know what you're talking about or say nothing when it comes to electricity.

Wee Bear, you need to check what it says on your straighteners.

Here's the deal with electricity in the USA:

Voltage: 110 Volts
Frequency: 60 Hz.

Somewhere on your straighteners it should have technical gen, if it doesn't, it should say it in the manual or on the box. This will normally say what frequencies and voltages it can operate in. For example, my GHD says: 110-230V a.c. 60Hz/50Hz, 150W

The important things there are . The first bit tells you what the voltages are and that it works off alternating current (which is, generally, what you get out of your normal household socket) and the second bit tells you what the frequencies it can work with are.

So what you need to do is find where it gives you the technical information and see if it can be used with 110V 60Hz supply.

If it CAN use US electricity: Get a simple plug adapter
If it CAN'T use US electricity: You will need to get an adapter that also has a transformer in it. This will convert their 110V, 60Hz supply into the 220-240V, 50Hz supply that your straighteners is designed for.

Emmm, calm down Miss Electricity Ireland 2008!!!

miss no stars

SarahJ wrote: »

Emmm, calm down Miss Electricity Ireland 2008!!!

Electricity is dangerous. It takes very, very little to kill you. Bear this in mind the next time you give someone "advice" that could kill them.

wee bear

thanks for your replies!!

thanks miss no stars, thats really helpful, i'll go check out what it says on my straightener!!
where sell adaptors/transformers in case i need them?? dunnes??

thanks

miss no stars

wee bear wrote: »

thanks for your replies!!

thanks miss no stars, thats really helpful, i'll go check out what it says on my straightener!!
where sell adaptors/transformers in case i need them?? dunnes??

thanks

Dunnes may or may not have them - just make really really sure that it's actually a transformer in case you need a transformer as I've almost been caught out on that one before!
Airport may have them, I'd be surprised if they didn't.

Otherwise check electrical shops (dixons, maplin etc) and hardware shops.

save_our_socks

Had the same issue in Florida recently, found it impossibleto get a transformer, but hair straighteners are pretty cheap in the states, picked one up in wallmart for 20 dollars, and that was one of the more expensive ones. Was no GHD but did the job for the holiday!

Pythia

Yeah, I would just get one over there, or one over here that works there too. I bought a Nicky Clarke worldwide straightner for the first time I went over and the second I had bought a GHD v4 which works in the USA too so I was ok. Transformers sound like a lot of hassle.

anniehoo

miss no stars wrote: »

Sarah J, that's incorrect and dangerous advice - either know what you're talking about or say nothing when it comes to electricity.

Bit OTT here re: the danger issue! She didnt give advice all she said was hers worked with her adaptor. Most appliances shouldnt freak out at a slight voltage change in another country and of course everyone should be conscienctious of using of any electric appliance being used be it at home or abroad.

miss no stars

anniehoo wrote: »

Bit OTT here re: the danger issue! She didnt give advice all she said was hers worked with her adaptor. Most appliances shouldnt freak out at a slight voltage change in another country and of course everyone should be conscienctious of using of any electric appliance being used be it at home or abroad.

I'm sorry for derailing the topic, but safety with electricity is paramount and developing a "ah well it's only a straighteners" attitude is silly. Becoming lax about ANY type of electrical equipment is ill advisable. First it's "only" a small household appliance, then it's "only" a power tool, then it's "only" electrocution. If you start drawing a line about what it's safe to be lax about and what it's not, you're leaving it up to your own lack of knowledge to decide whether to be cautious or not. It's not a small voltage change either! 240V is "only" 218% of the 110V you'll get out of a mains socket in the USA!

Then again, you can chose to ignore me, throw caution to the wind and we can all just call it modern Darwinism.

I used my GHD in New York but due to voltage differences etc it won't get as hot and therefore isn't as effective....

anniehoo

Careful there Whoopsiedaisydoodles, Miss No Stars will read ya the riot act for dodgy "advice" on the use of electrical equipment!

anniehoo

anniehoo wrote: »

Careful there Whoopsiedaisydoodles, Miss No Stars will read ya the riot act for dodgy "advice" on the use of electrical equipment!

LOL - well, i didn't blow myself up

and anyway, either one of two things will happen,
1. you plug in ghd, get electrocuted, end up with frizzy hair
2. don't plug in ghd at all, end up with frizzy hair

it's a lose lose situation

anniehoo

Deleted User wrote: »

LOL - well, i didn't blow myself up

and anyway, either one of two things will happen,
1. you plug in ghd, get electrocuted, end up with frizzy hair
2. don't plug in ghd at all, end up with frizzy hair

it's a lose lose situation

miss no stars

Most of the new GHDs are designed to work worldwide
See my post earlier.

It's very simple really, all you need to know about is what the voltage it's designed for is, and what the local voltage is.

Personally, I just buy a different cheapo straighteners for when I'm in the USA

wee bear

hi, wow quite the response!!:D

anyhow, i checked mine and its says its 230 volts and 50-60hz, so i defo neeed a tranformer right??
will have to check dixons or something i think.
thanks for the replies (im not going to get involved in the electricity debate, but electricity is kinda dangerous methinks!!:D )

miss no stars

wee bear wrote: »

hi, wow quite the response!!:D

anyhow, i checked mine and its says its 230 volts and 50-60hz, so i defo neeed a tranformer right??

Yep. Don't spend more than 15 euro on one though - it'd be cheaper to buy a cheap straighteners when you get over there

wee bear

yeah ill have a look around for a cheap one if they are too pricey i might just try get a straightener in new york then,
stupid hair!!!! :rolleyes:

GSpoon

.. imagine the hotel bill for blowing a fuse socket with ur ghd:pac: !! Definatley good advice to jus buy a cheapo one when you get there.

Pigletlover

You'll get one in Duane Reade (sp?) for less than $20, the're fairly crap but they do the job. I had to buy one the last two times I was there as my straightener wouldn't work with just an adapter. My old GHD worked fine, next time a newer one barely heated up and last time the same straightener wouldn't work at all so I think it depends on the straightener and where you're using it.

smares

My GHD worked but hardly heated up it took ages to straighten my hair,ur better off buying a cheap one over there at least you know it will work