# US appliances?



## ksome1 (Jan 3, 2014)

Hi, I am sure this has been addressed already but I could not find it. I am packing for my move to the Laguna/Santa Rosa area and need some advice.

Should I pack my Electronics and appliances like Microwave, Fans, ipod players, etc?

Since the power there is 220? and everything here in the us is 120 not sure I would be able to use any of it?

My company gave me the option to move my household good with me or leave them in the US and offered me $5000 to buy when I get there. I was thinking of moving my household good just because my 6 year old has a room full of toys. More for her then for me. Any suggestions?


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I recommend double checking every device to ensure the capability to switch from 120 - 220v. Also, any 110/120 device that you run on a step down uses DOUBLE the electricity. I would not recommend bringing anything like a Microwave or Coffee maker for that reason. You could procure those locally for $80-100 each and avoid the step down/increase in electricity use. Electric is very expensive. Standing fans are like 1200p each (approx $30). 

If it was me, I would only bring your computing stuff with you (hand carry). If you are going to ship anything look at large screen TVs and good kitchenware (knives). You may want to ship your child's toys via Balikbayan boxes ($200 each for all that you can stuff in a 1sqm box) and save some of that purchasing money for buying the rest of what you need when you get there.


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## ksome1 (Jan 3, 2014)

jon1 said:


> I recommend double checking every device to ensure the capability to switch from 120 - 220v. Also, any 110/120 device that you run on a step down uses DOUBLE the electricity. I would not recommend bringing anything like a Microwave or Coffee maker for that reason. You could procure those locally for $80-100 each and avoid the step down/increase in electricity use. Electric is very expensive. Standing fans are like 1200p each (approx $30).
> 
> If it was me, I would only bring your computing stuff with you (hand carry). If you are going to ship anything look at large screen TVs and good kitchenware (knives). You may want to ship your child's toys via Balikbayan boxes ($200 each for all that you can stuff in a 1sqm box) and save some of that purchasing money for buying the rest of what you need when you get there.


Thank you Jon1, I am taking your advice and am using a few Balikbayan boxes throuh a company here in Houston.


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Also all laptop power adapters and chargers for ipods, cell phones, etc are rated 110/220 so they all work in the PI. Just need a ground plug adapter as all outlets are two prong, a buck for 2 at any store or even when you get there.


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

If you use a step-down transformer, the power consumption is roughly the same, for sure it is not double.

The transformer just converts the local voltage to the level required by the US device. The power consumption is not affected at all, apart from a small loss in the transformer windings.

Richard


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## starlightexpress (Jul 9, 2012)

I'll chip here with my view. I'm an electronic engineer. The previous posts have some truth in them. You should check the power supplies on items first. 
As a rule you will see that small items like ipod chargers, laptop chargers and such like may accept 100-240v at 50/60hz. These will be fine. 
Other small items that use a 'power brick' you can take - even if the brick doesn't work. Just get a replacement power brick for 240v that outputs 9v or 12v or whatever the item needs.
Some plasma TV and other larger items also contain power supplies that will accept 100-240v and consequently will be ok. 
Cheap items that are power hungry such as toasters, kettles, coffee makers, microwave ovens are not worth taking. They will not work and the cost of the step-down transformer and the inconvenience of it will not be worth it. 
Large expensive power hungry items like expensive washing machines or expensive hifi equipment may be worth using with a step down transformer. However, as a previous poster noted, step down transformers tend to increase your electricity bill. They are efficient in themselves (well about 99% efficient anyways) but the problem lies with the nature of the load that they support and its power factor, and also that they tend to consume electricity when they are plugged into the wall but the device that they are supposed to be supplying is not using it. Consequently the device will use more. It will not be double. You will have to balance the slightly increased running cost and the cost of the transformer against the cost of the item. Any tranformer you buy should be rated appropriately. They can get quite heavy and expensive. They tend to be rated in VA (which essentially is Volts * Amps) consequently if the US load needs 120v at 10 amps you will need a 1200VA rated transformer. This will be quite heavy. 

Rgds


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## starlightexpress (Jul 9, 2012)

And just to give a final piece of information - when I moved from the UK (240v) to the USA (110v) I did the following: 
1. I bought 4 heavy duty transformers each rated at 2200VA.
2. I brought all my electrical items with me and temporarily used my kitchen appliances with the transformers (washing machine, toaster, kettle, blender, food processor).
3. I replaced the power bricks on small items like toys with local equivalents that output 9v or 12v or 6v whatever.
4. Some items will naturally work (laptop computer supplies, ipod chargers etc) - this will be obvious from the plate on it. If it says 110v/60hz only it won't. If it says something like 100-240v it will.
5. The frequency of the supply 50 v 60hz is not critical for most applications. It tends to cause problems with items with induction motors such as some washing machine drain motors, record decks (things with this special sort of motor that rotates silently with no brushes).
6. IF you have lots of space and can ship anything then you may as well take items that you intend to retire later if you had transformers to run them in the meanwhile (again - its not worth buying bunches of transformers - I would just buy a few heavy duty ones and work out that you only intend to run say 4 'US' appliances at the same time until you either replace them or replace the power supply).
7. If you're taking furniture and such like then clearly you have space in a container for all this.
8. If you're only being offered $5000 to replace all your household goods then I guess it depends whether you're taking furniture with you or not and whether what you have has sentimental value. I would go by that rather than by the electrics. The electrics can always be worked around. Its an inconvenience. no more.


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

jon1 said:


> I recommend double checking every device to ensure the capability to switch from 120 - 220v. Also, any 110/120 device that you run on a step down uses DOUBLE the electricity. I would not recommend bringing anything like a Microwave or Coffee maker for that reason. You could procure those locally for $80-100 each and avoid the step down/increase in electricity use. Electric is very expensive. Standing fans are like 1200p each (approx $30).
> 
> If it was me, I would only bring your computing stuff with you (hand carry). If you are going to ship anything look at large screen TVs and good kitchenware (knives). You may want to ship your child's toys via Balikbayan boxes ($200 each for all that you can stuff in a 1sqm box) and save some of that purchasing money for buying the rest of what you need when you get there.


I ship a lot from the USA to the Philippines using LBC. They charge $65 for shipping. I also buy my airline ticket from them. LBC in the USA sells Philippine air line tickets. The do discount shipping if purchase airline tickets from them. A friend of mine that lives here married a pinay and moved to the Philippines. He had either 60 or 90 days to ship all his house hold items with no custom duties. Customs duty on electronic items and automobiles are high in the Philippines but unfortunately free customs does not include automobiles. He got a shipping container for everything!


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

Personally I would not want to use step-down transformers for USA home appliances, especially if the appliances have the same type of power plug as is used in the Philippines. It would just be a matter of time before somebody in the household managed to plug the 120V appliance directly into a 220V wall socket.

One gadget I had an unexpected supply problem with was a Sony clock radio that I bought while living in Singapore. When I tried to use it in the Philippines, the clock ran 20% too fast, so it effectively became a radio only. I had expected the clock to run from a crystal oscillator timing reference, but apparently it used the incoming mains supply to derive the timing reference. Since Singapore uses 50Hz mains power and Philippines uses 60Hz, the clock was rendered useless. I thought Sony was more high tech than that, wrong assumption on my part.

Richard


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## starlightexpress (Jul 9, 2012)

The previous poster raised a good point. The safety implications of incorrectly plugging a US appliance into a phillipines 2 pin wall socket are considerable and are for the OP to judge. It would be easy to paint the US plugs red or some other such marking scheme but the onus would be on the user to excercise care & common sense, otherwise there is no option but to completely replace all incompatible appliances where the power supply can not be replaced or where it is not compatible. 

I was not suggested the use of a transformer as a permanent fix. I would tend to regard it as an interim step to ease the transition if it is used at all..


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## bbazor (Nov 18, 2013)

Starlightexpress has the best information. I have a similar background as him. I would take the $5K. It will go a long way and should be able to cover your needs. Since electricity is so expensive in the Philippines, I would not use transformers for things that are on a lot (TV, computer, etc....). As previously mentioned they draw a standby current and are not totally efficient. For a microwave, food processor, blender, and other appliances that are rarely used, a transformer is fine.


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

bbazor said:


> Starlightexpress has the best information. I have a similar background as him. I would take the $5K. It will go a long way and should be able to cover your needs. Since electricity is so expensive in the Philippines, I would not use transformers for things that are on a lot (TV, computer, etc....). As previously mentioned they draw a standby current and are not totally efficient. For a microwave, food processor, blender, and other appliances that are rarely used, a transformer is fine.


This is correct, provided that you unplug the transformer when you are not using the appliance. Many people tend to leave things plugged in all the time, which means that the transformer loss would be 24/7. Philippines power outlets generally have no on/off switch, so unplugging things like the transformer for a microwave can be a hassle if the outlet is not easily accessible. Another reason not to use a transformer long-term.

Richard


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