Irish appliance in Japan - voltage converter?

sashafierce

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Such a thing exists alright, a step down transformer but its a large yoke usually.

The chargers will be fine. My advice is dont bring the straightener, it might be handier to pick one up over there?

sashafierce

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coylemj

sashafierce wrote: »

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If it involves heat and it's a cheap model, I would not bring it. When the watts (power consumption) is the same and you halve the voltage, the current (amps) has to double so if the device is not top quality, there is a danger of wires inside the device simply melting under the strain.

How many watts does it say on the device? Have you ever used it in the US?

sashafierce

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coylemj

sashafierce wrote: »

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OK but the voltage in Japan (100V) is outside the range approved for your device.

You didn't answer the question about the wattage but if the device consumes 120W, that means a current of 1A in the US but 1.2A in Japan i.e. 20% more amps than the device is designed to handle. You said the straightener shows 120-240V which means that unlike your phone charger (100-240V), it's designed to work in the US but not Japan.

I didn't specifically go looking for scare stories but found this at the top of my screen when I googled 'Japan mains voltage', it reflects the caution I suggested in my earlier post when dealing with devices that involve heat....

Some North American equipment will work fine in Japan without an adapter and vice versa, however, certain equipment, especially equipment involving heating (e.g. hair dryers), may not work properly or even get damaged.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2225.html

Fred Swanson

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coylemj

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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But it's not rated 100-240V, it's rated 120-240V so it would be operating outside the approved range if the OP plugs it into the mains in Japan.

Fred Swanson

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coylemj

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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Accept all that Fred, I was just being extra cautious because the OP admits that it's a cheap device and as it involves heat, I'm not sure I would chance it.

I'm old enough to remember the East German hair dryers that could have doubled as paint strippers once you had asbestos gloves to hold them!

sashafierce

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ondafly

sashafierce wrote: »

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Assume you are going to Tokyo or other major city - you will easily pick one up in Don Quijote - think giant poundshop with everything.

sashafierce

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coylemj

sashafierce wrote: »

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When you said it was a 'cheap' brand, I assumed it was a no-brand but Remington is a decent brand which probably has sufficient tolerance to handle voltages outside the stated range. Per Fred's advice above, you could probably give it a go.

If you want to buy a converter, what you'd need would be something designed for a US tourist in Japan (to convert the local 100V to 120V) and you're not going to be able to buy that in a shop in Ireland.

TheChizler

coylemj wrote: »

If it involves heat and it's a cheap model, I would not bring it. When the watts (power consumption) is the same and you halve the voltage, the current (amps) has to double so if the device is not top quality, there is a danger of wires inside the device simply melting under the strain.

How many watts does it say on the device? Have you ever used it in the US?

A straightener is a resistive load so unless there's some kind of high power conditioning circuitry in it (unlikely in your average straightener) at roughly half the voltage you're going to get half the current, therefore roughly a quarter of the power.

coylemj

TheChizler wrote: »

A straightener is a resistive load so unless there's some kind of high power conditioning circuitry in it (unlikely in your average straightener) at roughly half the voltage you're going to get half the current, therefore roughly a quarter of the power.

That would apply if you brought an Irish electric kettle to the US and plugged it in but the OP's device supports a range of voltages (including down to 120V) so it's not that simple.

TheChizler

coylemj wrote: »

That would apply if you brought an Irish electric kettle to the US and plugged it in but the OP's device supports a range of voltages (including down to 120V) so it's not that simple.

Id be incredibly surprised if the circuit in the straightener was much more than a switch or two, a resistor-LED, and the heating element(s).

OP do you know the model number?

Edit: And a thermostat of course.

sashafierce

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Fred Swanson

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knipex

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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20V at 230V is less than 10% and even at that its outside acceptable limites.


At 100V its 20%. If it works in the US there is no guarantee it will work in Japan (And I speak as a qualified sparks and someone who has been in Japan) You have a good chance of the appliance overheating..

Something drawing 6 amps at 230V will draw 11.5amps in the US and 13.8amps in Japan and

coylemj

sashafierce wrote: »

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I can see that device on a Tesco website which mentions that it has five heat settings from 130 to 210 C. Maybe avoid the top setting and you will probably be ok.

https://www.tesco.com/direct/remington-ci9532-pearl-pro-hair-curling-wand/214-8765.prd?source=others

sashafierce

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coylemj

sashafierce wrote: »

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No, when they say 'UK to USA', what they mean is that the transformer will convert UK voltage (230V) to US voltage (110V).

Look at the label..... input 230V (UK & Ireland), output 110V (US). Also pay attention to the '45VA', that's the rough (in watts) power limit the gadget can handle, you need to buy a converter than can handle more than the watts your gadget consumes, it should be listed on the handle along with the voltage.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that 'UK to USA' means that it's for a UK tourist visiting the US but it's the opposite, it refers to the voltage conversion, not the direction the user has travelled. But you need to read the detailed specs. because you can't guarantee that every converter will follow this naming convention.

Think of voltage like mains water pressure, it's sort of the same thing.