Electrical Converters and Plug Adaptors

[Andres]

This question is so often asked that it should be added to a FAQ list.

On Parana St. Between Bartolomé Mitre St. And Corrientes Ave. (a 300-meter long commercial zone) you will find no less that 20 stores devotes to audio / video, electronics, lightning and such.

Alamtec is one of the oldest and most famous stores for transformers. They have tens of models, either imported or made by them. It should be at the 200s of Parana St. Quality is acceptable, Soviet-style (sturdy and ugly, but useful)

One of the nicest things of BA is the zoning for several services and products (for instance, Libertad St. For jewelry and watches, Cordoba Ave. At the 4500-5000 for outlet apparel, Talcahuano St. 100-400 for musical instruments, etc) Parana St. Is one of them.

My experience with transformers and adapters bought in the US and used in Argentina is that it is better to buy them in BA and not to bring one from abroad. First, because these adapters are made in China for the European market, so they have thick round plugs that don't fit argentinian fixtures (and you can hardly find such adapters in BA) And second, because they are cheaper at BA (or they used to be) so for almost the same price as a single 150 W transformer in Radio Shack, you can buy a 4-outlet 800 W transformer with filter and current damper.

Hope this helps,

Andres.

Just unpacked my Vonage router. As I expected the power adapter will not work in Argentina (it requires 120VAC 60Hz) I didn't expect the power adapter to be so damn heavy. So now, instead of buying a power adapter here in the States which will work in Argentina I'd like to buy the power adapter there.

Does the place on Riobamba carry power adapters? If not can anyone suggest another place which would?

Thanks, Bob

[Easy Go]

I'm not pimping these guys over any other - just linking them as an example. Although I will say that I've always bought stuff online from them with zero problems and always gotten what I ordered very fast. Basically Amazon. Com or Dell stype of constant email contacts telling you when they received your order, your order shipped, etc.

http://www.magellans.com/store/guide/Argentina?Args=

(that lands you directly on their shop by destination page for Argentina but you can just go from to shop by category too)

Anyways - the reason why your device didnt work when using your grounded E type adapter plug (e. G. 3 prong with lower two in diagonal slant pattern) is that the adapter you had was actually not the right one. There are two types of grounded E type adapter plugs that look identical but one is the Australia design type that has the neutral and ground wires reveresed versus the Argentina one. You just have to make sure that when you buy the adapter it's not one rated as Australia or most likely you'll get the incorrect netural vs ground.

I guess I'll find out if the D and E adapter plugs I bought from Magellan's work but I would be fairly surprised as all the other's I've bought traveling has worked fine when I bought the item with their by-destination selector. Worst case since I'm handly with electronics I'll reverse the wires myself if the grounded plug adapter I got is incorrectly wired.

The Magellan page has a single model "Grounding Adaptor Plug E" that is says it works for both Australia and Argentina. Since we know those countries wire the plug differently, my guess is that you'll get to reverse the wires. Let us know how it turns out.

[Quester3]

I'm not pimping these guys over any other - just linking them as an example. Although I will say that I've always bought stuff online from them with zero problems and always gotten what I ordered very fast. Basically Amazon. Com or Dell stype of constant email contacts telling you when they received your order, your order shipped, etc.

http://www.magellans.com/store/guide/Argentina?Args=

(that lands you directly on their shop by destination page for Argentina but you can just go from to shop by category too)

Anyways - the reason why your device didnt work when using your grounded E type adapter plug (e. G. 3 prong with lower two in diagonal slant pattern) is that the adapter you had was actually not the right one. There are two types of grounded E type adapter plugs that look identical but one is the Australia design type that has the neutral and ground wires reveresed versus the Argentina one. You just have to make sure that when you buy the adapter it's not one rated as Australia or most likely you'll get the incorrect netural vs ground.

I guess I'll find out if the D and E adapter plugs I bought from Magellan's work but I would be fairly surprised as all the other's I've bought traveling has worked fine when I bought the item with their by-destination selector. Worst case since I'm handly with electronics I'll reverse the wires myself if the grounded plug adapter I got is incorrectly wired.

[Easy Go]

A power difference worth mentioning. I've always wondered why my dual-voltage US equipment with three prong plugs always worked fine in BA when using a two prong adaptor but never worked with a three prong adaptor. It turns out that the active and neutral wires are reversed in Argentina so you need an adaptor that crosses the wires back to the "normal" wires on a US plug.

http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of...nd-frequencies

Anybody know where to get an adaptor that does that?

[Quester3]

Couple things about electricity which is the only useful help I can offer as I don't know BA and won't be there till the end of the month.

First - don't worry about the 60hz cycle vs. The 50hz cycle requirement. While the US is 110/120v 60 hz cycle, and most the rest of the world is 220/240 50hz cycle, the only time the 50hz cycle will affect you if you plug a North American 60hz cycle device into one at 50hz is a) if your device is exremely old and uses the cycle time as a meter for timing, which worst cases means your clock timing will be off a bit. Or be) if you have a motorized device which also uses the hz cycle to sync the motor timing - which basically means your hair blower will run slower. Again not a major issue. Note that this is separate from the issue of plugging in a higher watt drawing devide into typical foreign outlets that weren't designed for it - which can blow the outlet as in the US people expect and get full watt rated outlets even in bathrooms while in many foreign countries that is not true.

Second - regarding the voltage, to change a 220/240v stream to 110/120, there are converters and transformers. Since you say your vonnage adapter is not dual voltage rated, what you will need then specifically is a step-down transformer (step down because you need one that steps down the 220volt to 110volt) a converter is only for smaller type simple electronic devices which actually given what I expect to be a fairly low wattage rating on a vonnage device to be you might be able to get away with, but why chance it - just get a step down transformer.

A converter can damage sensitive electronic devices like computers, PDAs, etc and every single one comes with a tag or insert warning you not to use those with devides like that. Other than extremely small motorized devices, anything you would consider larger motor devices or sensitive electronics should use a step down transformer for 220 to 110, or step up transformer for 110 to 220.

As for where to get one in BA, wish I could help but no idea other than I've read a few posts here about a family owned shop named El or Il Faro? Something about how you can buy surge protectors with combo slots that will accept both US stype and Argentina plugs. I woud assume that place either carries or could tell you where to buy one.

[AllIWantIsLove]

Just unpacked my Vonage router. As I expected the power adapter will not work in Argentina (it requires 120VAC 60Hz) I didn't expect the power adapter to be so damn heavy. So now, instead of buying a power adapter here in the States which will work in Argentina I'd like to buy the power adapter there.

Does the place on Riobamba carry power adapters? If not can anyone suggest another place which would?

Thanks,

Bob

Hi AllIWantisLove,

La Casa del Transformador [electric transformers & converters]
Parana 220 (h) , 4371-1023 (w)

If they don't have it, they will build it for you while you wait.

Thanks,

Jackson

[Moore]

As Punter wrote, you will need a transformer. Talking from experience, if you plug it in using a simple extension apparatus that simply enables you to plug the US prongs in here, it will begin smoking and the back will blow off about 15 seconds later.

You can buy a decent cordless phone here for about 150 pesos. IMO thats easiest and not very expensive.

[Punter 127]

I would like to bring down a multi handset cordless 5.8ghz phone from the States because they are about half of the prices here. Looking at Uniden, Vtech, Panasonics. Uniden seems to get best reviews. However, today I was advised that there are issues with cordless phones in Argentina when used with a transformer to alter power. I was advised that USA cordless phones do not function well, if at all, in BA. Problem with the base phone.

Anyone have any info on this. I would hate to have a system brought down to find out it doesn't work well - or at all.

Thanks. Tom

I'm using a cheap 2.4 GHz cordless with my Vonage that I brought from the states, I have also used it on the local land line and it works fine. You will need a transformer or find a dual voltage power input for your phones base/chargers. The dual input would be a better option if you can find it. Any of the phones you mentioned should work fine, as I said just be careful of the power supply.

[Thomaso276]

I would like to bring down a multi handset cordless 5.8ghz phone from the States because they are about half of the prices here. Looking at Uniden, Vtech, Panasonics. Uniden seems to get best reviews. However, today I was advised that there are issues with cordless phones in Argentina when used with a transformer to alter power. I was advised that USA cordless phones do not function well, if at all, in BA. Problem with the base phone.

Anyone have any info on this. I would hate to have a system brought down to find out it doesn't work well - or at all.

Thanks,

Tom

Hi Tom,

I brought a cordless telephone from the USA last year. It worked for about one day, and then my line into my apartment failed. I was later advised by the Telcom tech that the problem was that my USA cordless telephone did not interface with the Argentina telephone system correctly. In other words, the problem wasn't the radio transmission between the phone and the base station, or with the power converter, it was between the base station and the Argentine telephone system.

Thanks,

Jackson

[ComeOnDown]

You can buy the plug adaptors in any local hardware (ferreteria) The voltage transformers are a little difficult to find -if you really need them all the EASY hardware chains have them.

[Thomaso276]

You can buy transformers (transformadors) here for less money than in the States. Go to any small hardware, electrical store. They come in different size watts (50, 75,150, 300) and the larger ones have up to three connections for USA type plugs. For example to run my DVD and Stereo I use a 300 because together they pull about 200. To run a clock radio or electrical toothbrush I use a 50. By the way clock radios from the states will not keep accurate time because they have different Hz. My radio is 60 Hz; power here is 50 so the clock is always flashing. They also have special ones for heat appliances like hair dryers, irons.

[Coolman]

What kind of AC travel adaptors do I need for the Buenos Aires area? I am from California, USA. Does Argentina use a 2 or 3 prong AC connector and what is the shape and voltage used?

Thanks

[Jackson]

Thread Starter.