Power Connections in the UK

What follows is information on power adapters put together by Brad for our 2007 trip to England. I've done some checking and learned that the power adapters we used then will work for both England and Ireland. So this is good information that should help you decide what equipment you need. Don't waste your money on converters. You don't need to spend that much. Notice the link below—you only need to spend $1 on an adapter if you have a dual voltage appliance! Read below:

ELECTRICAL ANSWERS

Power outlets in the UK use a different style plug than the USA and the current it 220 volts - not 120 volts. The simplest way to handle the power conversion is to make sure that your charger, hair dryer, or curling iron is a dual voltage model. With dual voltage appliances all you need is the little plug at the right.

Dual voltage appliances automatically adjust to the higher voltage. This is how you can tell if your equipment is dual voltage: it will say 120/240 volts somewhere on the appliance. The label may be a sticker or it may be molded into the item. Most chargers and AC power adapters for electronic equipment produced in the last few years are dual voltage. Make sure by checking the label! You can get the adapter plugs locally but it may be cheaper to mail order them from the source above. Most adapter kits you buy locally will have both Euro and UK plugs and will cost about $10. You only need the UK plug for this trip. The one mentioned above is $1 plus shipping. You may want to buy two or combine an order with another tripper to save on shipping.

If your appliances are not dual voltage you'll need a power converter - not just a plug. The problem is that these converters are heavy (about one pound) and expensive (up to $40), and they don't always work properly. It may be cheaper to just buy a new dual voltage hair dryer. Target has one for only $15.

If in doubt about power conversion, do your own research. Damage can result to your AC-powered stuff if you get it wrong.

This link has a detailed discussion of power conversion.