With all the different plug types and voltage standards around the world, you might not be clear on which plug adapters and power converters you need for a vacation. Here’s everything you need to know about powering devices when you’re traveling.
Why Are There So Many Plug Types?
Of all the wonderful Victorian era inventions (cameras, phones, mummy-medicine, etc.), Edison’s lightbulb may have had the biggest impact on the world. It introduced electricity to the domestic realm, opened the public’s eyes to technology, and completely screwed your ability to use an American hairdryer in Europe.
Well, maybe we shouldn’t blame the lightbulb itself. The ubiquitous light socket is the real criminal here. For a time that some refer to as “hell,” people plugged low-wattage devices like toasters, vacuum cleaners, and radios into light sockets. Right, because that makes sense.
Quite naturally, people got sick of screwing their curling irons into the ceiling (or whatever) and demanded a more convenient and powerful solution. American industry responded by developing the type A and B “American” plugs (the ones you’re using right now).
Thing is, these plugs are very unsafe. They’re wobbly, they’re not insulated, and they like to fall out of the wall. So other industrial countries developed their own plugs. They also forced their colonies to follow along (that’s why they use British Type G plugs in Malaysia), and now the world’s stuck with 15 different plug standards.
Do You Need a Plug Adapter, a Power Converter, or Both?
Alongside these 15 different plug types are also different voltage standards around the world. Don’t worry, you can still use your fancy blow dryer on your next vacation, but you might need to buy a plug adapter and a power converter first.
We’ll explain how plug adapters and power converters work in just a second. But first, you should investigate what plug type and voltage standard are used by your destination country. That way, you’ll know if you need to buy a plug adapter, a power converter, or both.
The WorldStandards website has a convenient list of countries’ power standards (you can search through the list by pressing CTRL+F). Once you’ve taken note of your destination country’s plug type and voltage standard, compare it to your home’s power standards (the U.S. uses type A and B plugs with the 110-120 voltage range).
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Source : Traveling Internationally? Shop for Plug Adapters and Power Converters First
