Question for the Europeans here

Hello everyone, and thanks in advance.

My cousin is in the USAF, and she has this television that she bought from a guy who switched stations from Germany to Delaware, US. Anyhow it's got the European outlet plugs on it, and of course it won't plug into anything we have here..

Now, I admit I haven't looked real hard at this or anything, but it would seem to me that living in the United States, I'd be able to go to the store, and but a converter so that I could vacation in Europe, and use my things over there in your outlets. I've seen these, so I guess they must work.

What I don't imagine is that someone makes an outlet that would allow me to blow my vacation money on a television in Europe, and then come home and use it, I think the voltages are different, are they not?

So I'm wondering if someone in Europe either knows, or can go check somewhere to find an adapter to go from this:

http://www.asiaspirit.com/ptv/el-sqr-04.jpg

to this:

http://www.chinesemol.com/member/upload/product/86118888/20078519223524965.jpg

Thanks again!

 

Unless it is one of those caravan (trailer to Americans) type TVs which have a universal voltage.

Don't try to plug it in.

You are correct in thinking that the European voltage is different.

It is 230 volts in Europe and 110 volts in America.

Further the mains frequency is different and some devices that rely on this, such as clock and older televisions, don't work correctly.

Finally the American NTSC television standard is not compatible with the European PAL standard system. (of course the French are something different again.) I'm not sure about Hi Def there are just so many standards - it may work there.

Sorry! :cry

 

My TV has a voltage switch that allows 230 or 110 volts but i am not sure if is the voltage frequency that you use in the US ?

I know when we visit the US my wife has a special pack of electrical goodies that we are able to use over there.

 

That makes sense, Thanks. I'll have to have my cousin look and see if there is a switch on her TV.

I knew there were PAL and NTSC when it came to DVD's and other things, but didn't realize that there would be a problem right down to the TV. it seems there may be nothing she can do with it, possibly.

It's hard to imagine not being able to use something like a TV when you move to the United States though, go figure. I suppose with all our government programs these days, if you move here, we'll just buy you one.

Oh well, if it's a loss, it's a loss. Her brother thinks he can re-wire it so it works here, maybe I'll keep quiet, and see how that goes. LOL

 

Plenty of plug convertors and/or transformers:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062421
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103573

 

Most appliances now days will have a range from 110-230v so you don't even need to flick a switch.