transformers

i have been looking at up and down transformers.....really confused as to which one i need to purchase......i will be bringing over my laptop and maybe a waffle iron.....can anyone offer suggestions.

thanks
steff

My personal suggestion is don't bring one if all you're going to use it for is your laptop and a waffle iron.

When I moved over five years ago I brought one with me and the only time it's ever used is when my daughter comes to visit and needs to recharge her iPod or DS.

Your laptop might not need a transformer. If it's a newer one then the power supply should be dual voltage and will automatically detect which one it needs to be using when you plug it in. As long as the power supply is dual voltage and the power cord separates from the supply box then you can get a UK mains power cord really cheap.

You can get another waffle iron here. We got given one as a Christmas present a couple of years ago and it works great.

i have been looking at up and down transformers.....really confused as to which one i need to purchase......i will be bringing over my laptop and maybe a waffle iron.....can anyone offer suggestions.

thanks
steff

Check on your laptop battery. It should say, or at least mine says: Input 100-240v. That will probably cover most of everywhere in the world, if not everywhere.

i have been looking at up and down transformers.....really confused as to which one i need to purchase

Step-up and step-down in this context refer to what the transformer is going to do with supply voltage, i.e.

step-up transformer = Lower voltage in, higher voltage out;
step-down transformer = Higher voltage in, lower voltage out.

So to run 120V equipment on the U.K.'s 240V power supply, you need a step-down transformer.

It should say, or at least mine says: Input 100-240v. That will probably cover most of everywhere in the world, if not everywhere.

Just about everywhere.   Japan & a couple of other far eastern countries are 100V, a few places in Africa, the middle east and the Indian sub-continent are 250V, and practically everywhere else is either 120-127V or 220-240V. 

thanks everyone for the info......my waffle iron is from the 1950s and i cant possibly part with it......lol....okay i will check my laptop and make sure it will be okay....im sure it will as ive only had it for a year.......thanks again

Well worth keeping vintage appliances like that, which were much better quality construction than today's domestic products.   

Keep in mind you're going to need a fair size transformer for it, as it's going to draw several hundred watts, or even more if it's a large unit.   Can you find the label with the power rating?

i will surely look and see as i really am not gonna get rid of my old waffle iron

i will surely look and see as i really am not gonna get rid of my old waffle iron

Like me and some of my old technical equipment.  I understand the feeling!   

You will be able to use it.  It's just a case of how much the transformer is going to cost. 

ive been pricing.....probably not over 150 bucks

O.K., just wanted to make sure you realized that a transformer to handle that sort of power is going to cost more than a few dollars.   

thanks paul......yea i think the one i need to get is around 160.00........to be honest im now considering bringing my home theater system too........i use it for playing my cds and its loud.....just the way i like it......i swear moving to another country is alot of work........thanks for your advice and help.......steff

You could always get a big 10kVA transformer installed in a closet and have 120V power run to American outlets all around the house.   

and that costs ..........lol.........i know thats not in my budget.......naw i just need to run that waffle iron....hope your weekend was good

and that costs ....

http://www.airlinktransformers.com/transformer/au10120-step-upstep-down-autotransformer.asp

Plus your cable, boxes, outlets, fuse/breaker panels, etc.   

Definitely overkill for one waffle iron, but it's actually something worth considering for someone who is buying a house to remodel and has a large quantity of 120V equipment to use. 

i dont honestly know how ppl can afford to bring all their stuff over to the uk.......im gonna be doing good to get me, the dogs, and my faithful waffle iron over.....lol