How do we know when 120V US socket strip can handle Europe 240V?

On 5/18/2014 12:15 PM, Jessie Williams wrote: ...

You buy one for the purpose...

Just the first that popped up; there's bound to be a zillion other choices as well...

But a standard 110V strip will _not_ work, it'll have 110V overprotection and you'll blow it w/ a bang! when you plug it in a 240V outlet. (Don't ask me how I was reminded of this when in random moment of not thinking... :) Most embarrassing as was in work room in UK power plant on a job needing to finish up a report before catching plane back to the States and just as I did the deed a group of the plant personnel came in on their break)

England, Switzerland,and Germany have three different plug designs; there isn't a single 'Europe' adapter.

... and even if it WAS printed there, such a power strip wouldn't be in accord with European safety regulations (which aren't likely to recognize a US style three-prong socket).

Short of disassembling the power strip and examining the ratings of its components, you wouldn't. Most power strips (all the good ones) contain a circuit breaker or fuse, and some contain surge protectors.

Ignore the Apple 'kit'; it has stuff you won't need. Just get one or two plug adapters, and be careful to use those only on 240VAC rated gizmos.

He is not planning to do that. He is using an adapter into the 240, then plugging the power strip into that so it only sees 120V. If you get a plain vanilla strip, it is merely a collection of copper wire and strips that hold plugs. It will work on your 6 volt car battery in the '59 VW and usually up to about 600V in other situations. Since most are 14 ga. wire they can handle 15 amps.

Just looking at the adapter I use in Europe, it is rated at 50 watts. That is the controlling factor. They are also available with USP ports too. Most are not made for hair dryers, but they may be available.

Beside, the regular US type plug will not fit into European receptacles.

Since *every* device I have need to travel with is 120/240V auto-ranging, I have no use for voltage converters or step down transformers. What I did was get one plug adapter so a US 5-15 plug can plug into a UK receptacle, and one US non-surge suppresser power strip. I tested the power strip on 240V in the US to ensure it had adequate insulation and whatnot. In the UK I simply plugged my power strip into

240V power with the plug adapter and then plugged my various devices into the power strip. This of course presumes you know enough to ensure all your devices are auto-ranging.

On 5/18/2014 1:35 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote: ...

...

Then what was the point of the following question?

If it's a transformer to 120V, there's no 240V in sight. If the question is only on the frequency difference, other than synchronous devices like a clock or old turntable, it makes no difference at all.

I have done it numerous times. The bar will only run half as much current on 240, so no problem there, and the insulation is generally good for 600 volts on virtually all wiring used on 120 volt circuits. To be safe, use a bar with no pilot light and no surge protector. No switch removes another possible (but unlikely) problem.

Mabee I'm just plain lucky - but I had no problem with a cheap surge protected power bar. (made in china) - but I would recommens a non-surgeprotected bar with no pilot light.

That's not what I read. He's going to use a "plug adapter" to plug the bar into 240 and run the universal or dual voltage power adapters and chargers in it - running on 240.

Which is where the "plug adapter" comes in. Used all the time - and in Japan they use the same plugs we use for 120 on 240 (innlarge parts of the country - (they have at least 3 different standards)

I don't think I made it clear, but I don't plan on bringing a 'converter' (which is, I think, a step-down device).

I'm hoping to just plug a "dumb" US power strip into European wall outlets using only a "dumb" US-prong-to-Europe-pin plug adapter.

The question is whether the dumb US power strip will handle the

220 volts without melting or arcing.

I don't plan on bringing any of those step-down transformers because all my US equipment will be what you call 'auto ranging'.

Yes. That's what I plan on getting. One "dumb" mechanical prong converter so that the US prongs can plug into a European wall outlet, mechanically.

Interesting that it is a non surge suppressor power strip. Is this new-to-me detail important when I'm doubling the expected voltage that the power strip is connecting to?

That's a good idea! I don't have the right mechanical converter to plug a US power strip into a US 240V outlet, but I might be able to alligator clip it all together.

Yes. That's exactly what I am asking about. The question is how I can be sure the US power strip can handle 240 volts.

I should have been clearer. I apologize for causing confusion.

It's my fault for not being clear that the US power strip will "see" the full 240 volts of the European wall outlet.

The only thing between the US power strip and the 240 volt wall outlet will be a dumb mechanical prong adapter, which itself I would assume can handle the voltage because they are sold for exactly that purpose.

But, I can't find any power strips at Home Depot or Lowes or Ace that "says" it can handle the 240 volts.

Actually, the question is the same with respect to the voltage that the power strip has to handle no matter what European country I use, although I agree, the actual dumb mechanical prong adapter may be different.

However, the two countries I plan on going to are Germany & Italy, where, I think, the standard two-pin adapter will be the same (for low current items such as my cellphone charger, my camera charger, my cpap machine, etc.).

The question is that the US power strip will be "seeing" twice the voltage it says it's supposed to be used on.

All my "devices" say they can handle both the 110v/60Hz and the 240v/50Hz power, so I'm not worried about the devices.

I'm trying to figure out how I know whether the power strip can handle the doubled voltage.

Good to know!

Interesting. That makes sense (I=V/R where R is constant).

So, from a heat standpoint, you're saying the wires should handle it even though the power strip doesn't explicitly say so.

This is good to know since the arcing across conductors will be easier when I double the voltage from 110 to 220.

That makes sense since those might run on 120v and they might fry at double that. Right?

All the ones I saw had a switch, but, I see the advantage of eliminating the switch as a possible failure point when the voltage doubles.

On 5/18/2014 3:51 PM, Jessie Williams wrote: ...

The "be sure" answer is what I posted link to -- it has protection for

240V built in.

The other way is if there's a reset button or a it says anything at all about protection on the wrapping, it won't--it'll do what I described earlier.

The standard US plugs are UL-listed for 125V but they'll stand 240V breakdown voltage and the cord is likely rated 600V as that's a common insulation spec. If look carefully you'll be able to read it on the cord itself for confirmation.

I'm comfortable as the other poster says; otoh, if you're not certain and uncomfortable, for $20 or so the link leads you to a rated/listed solution.

That might be a problem.

I think (unprooved!) that the double voltage at/in your strip will work but:

1st You never know, maybe after some hours something may burn in the strip. 2nd Don`t use a strip with pilot light. The light likely explodes and/or burns. You should see/smell some magic smoke :] 3rd Don`t use a strip with switch. Likely the US switches are specified for 110/127V. With german 230V you may run in trouble. Badly after some hours of working aparently well. The firefighters/police will find the reason! :[

YMMV

Wolfgang

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Ingrid says, look at:

There you will find voltage, frequency and plug of the IEC world

So Italy and Germany are likely equal. A plug Type C (CCC 7/16 Europlug) will work in these countries and likely in whole continental Europe.

The british people/power is strange :]

However these C plugs are not polarized and have no earth. So you may run in trouble with earthed devices from USA, maybe power to the housing :(

It`s better to use only special isolated devices. They show a double lined quadratical box.

There is also something written about safety!

Wolfgang

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Wolfgang Allinger, anerkannter Trollallergiker :) reply Adresse gesetzt! 

ihr Niveau herunter und schlagen mich dort mit ihrer Erfahrung! :p 
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Change your thinking.

Figure out what you are taking, and instead of AC adapters, get cables for them. Since at this point most devices take 5V, you need cables with USB at one end, and whatever at the other end (be it the multipin connector for the iWhatever or a microUSB for that device or a microUSB for that other device.

The cables will take up less space.

Once in Europe, get cheap AC adapters that put out 5v into USB at appropriate amperage. If you don't need to charge them all, then you don't need an AC adapter for each. Just plug in as needed. You can get such adapters at the "Dollar stores" or European equivalent, though I'm not sure i'd take that much of a risk, but you can find them around. IN North America you can even get power bars wtih USB outlets for this sort of thing included, though I don't know what kind of current they put out; so theoretically you could just get a powerbar in Europe and use the USB ports for charging with your cables.

My Blackberry Playbook Tablet AC adapter had gotten flakey (something wasn't always making contact, I assume a bad connector), so I just pulled out some scrap 5v 2amp AC adapter (that is a switching supply) and wired in a dual-USB connector off a scrap motherboard. So now I have a good USB charging station, just need cables between it and the various devices.

If I was going to Europe, I might check and see if I had any AC adapters that worked on 240v, at which point I'd maybe add some more USB connectors and take that, already for use in Europe except the AC plug is wrong.

Michael

Generally no smoke at all - just a little flash as the light puts a lefetime of lumens into half a second of output.

Again, VERY unlikely to be a problem - and if it is, it won't be smoke and fire - irt will be arking when opening or closing the switch.

MOST ac rated switches (every one I have in my small collection) are "straight line" rated. Double the voltage, half the current, to the insulation limit (which is usually 600 volts) An example is a "microswitch" is rated at .3 amp

125 volts and .15 amps at 250 volts AC

I am in Israel and we get all sorts of tourists and immegrants, bringing all sorts of plugs, outlet strips and devices.

The Israeli standard is 230 volts, 50 Hz single phase. EU standard is also, but there is enough variaition allowed that the UK 240v power grid and the continental 220v power grid is within the specified 230 volts.

In my experience, the best thing to do is to what someone else already said, buy high quality plug adaptors and use them. If you need an outlet strip, buy one locally.

You should have no trouble finding them, unless you arrive at 3am Sunday and all of the stores are closed. :-)

Avoid the real cheap slide on 2 pin adaptors that are sold in travel stores, airports, etc. They have a bad habit of sliding off as you unplug the plug, leaving 230 volts exposed on the bare metal of your US plug.

The good adaptors look like cubes and will accept many different plugs, including a US grounded plug. Unfortunately they do not always carry ground. They need a fair amount of force to remove a plug.

Bring a roll of electrical tape, If you have to buy the slide on adaptors you can tape them on so they don't slide off. Crude, but a lot safer.

Geoff.

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Geoffrey S. Mendelson,  N3OWJ/4X1GM/KBUH7245/KBUW5379