American Electronics that will work in Thailand

[DanFromHawaii]

I know the difference between American 120V 60Khz electricity and Thai 220V 50Khz electricity. So, are there any categories of electronics will safely run in Thailand using a converter plug? (Obviously, buying everything new in Thailand is the recommended route, but is there anything I can use until old things die?)

 

1. Lights/lamps (with Thai-purchased bulbs, if course)?

2. Electric fans? 

3. Small kitchen appliances (blender, mixer, knife sharpener, coffee maker, electric kettle, rice cooker)?

4. Charger for my electric drill and circular saw? 

5. Charger for my music boombox?

 

I have heard that in general, anything that has a power supply converter won't work. Understood. 

 

[dimitriv]

Most converters convert for example 120 V to 220 V but do not convert the frequency. This can give problems with things using an engine/motor (everything that moves/rotates).

 

Usually it is best to use converters with double the wattage of the appliance you want to use. This means that a converter for an electric kettle is probably more expensive than a new kettle.

 

I do not know why. But many things that I brought from Europe and that I should be able to use in Thailand without a converter have failed. While things I bought in Thiland will continue to work. This may be a coincidence, but about half of what I brought with me is now broken.

 

 

[NiwPix]

Some things will work, others will not work. We brought mostly things that will work and only a couple things that did to which we bought a transformer.

You will most likely see on the power cable if the item will work in Thailand or not.

Most things I usually ran across would say 110-240v ( will work in thailand ) and some will only have 110v printed on them ( will NOT work in thailand without a transformer )

 

Some items that generally will have 110-240v are laptops, electric shavers, electric toothbrushes, powerbanks ( things that generally are easily transportable and get used internationally ).

Just take a look at the appliance you wish to use in Thailand. Look at the end or beginning of the cable for those numbers mentioned above.

If it only is 110v and you really want to bring it with you, you will need need to know the Wattage of the device ( should also be listed where the Voltage is listed ) and get transformer that can convert at least that amount of Wattage. The previous poster recommended double. The device needs 200 Watt? Get a 400 Watt transformer.

Or you could just buy that device new here. If it is not available in thailand, take a look in Europe. They run on 220-240v and those products will work in thailand.

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

Lights usually  be ok if globe changed to 240v. Small appliance cheap here just replace.

DC items usually dual voltage.

Guess most of us lucky we come from countries that use the world standard.

❤????????????

 

[sfokevin]

I had diner at a neighbors a while back... She made French Fries in an Air Fryer she brought from the US... She lamented that she was on her second converter from Global house as they cost over 5,000 baht... When I asked her why she didn’t just buy a Air Fryer from Central For a couple thousand baht she had a blank stare and her husband a slight grin...

[Rimmer]

Moved to electrical forum

[OneMoreFarang]

8 hours ago, DanFromHawaii said:

I know the difference between American 120V 60Khz electricity and Thai 220V 50Khz electricity

Hz, not kHz!

 

Apart from that look at the label. I.e.

[thaiguzzi]

7 hours ago, dimitriv said:

Most converters convert for example 120 V to 220 V but do not convert the frequency. This can give problems with things using an engine/motor (everything that moves/rotates).

 

Usually it is best to use converters with double the wattage of the appliance you want to use. This means that a converter for an electric kettle is probably more expensive than a new kettle.

 

I do not know why. But many things that I brought from Europe and that I should be able to use in Thailand without a converter have failed. While things I bought in Thiland will continue to work. This may be a coincidence, but about half of what I brought with me is now broken.

 

 

Disagree.

3 phase (380-440V) motors can run off a household plug (220V) via an inverter.

My 1979 Tom Senior M1 milling machine has a 0.75hp single phase Mitsubishi motor purchased here running power feeds and the horizontal spindle, and a 3 phase 0.5hp motor running the vertical spindle via an inverter.

Single phase 220-240V in, 380-440V out.
And the inverter gives the motor variable speeds, 0-60HZ, Thai being 50HZ, and runs perfectly at any speed (HZ).

 

I also imported 2 container fulls of UK stuff here in 05.

Lathe, mill, other machine shop tools, hand power tools galore, all UK 240V on a 3 pin plug.

Nothing, i repeat, nothing has gone tIts up in the last 14 years up.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Before I moved to Thailand, I bought in the U.S. from Amazon and brought with me a trio of heavy duty voltage converters/transformers of varying capacities, 100W, 500W, and 2000W... They are all heavy solid metal cases with built-in, replaceable fuses, multiple jacks, 2-way conversion (either 120 to 220 or 220 to 120), etc...  All 3 of them are still running perfectly today more than a decade later.

 

The things I've used them for without any problem, or failure or damage to my 120V U.S. electronics, include:

--desktop CPU

--PC video monitor

--desktop PC audio speakers setup

--flatbed photo/document scanner

--electronic food processor

--electronic bread maker/baker

--WaterPik dental jet washer

--portable stereo/CD/tape player set

--kitchen crock pot

 

I don't see the brand I bought for sale anymore on Amazon, but my units look very much like these:

 

 

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

10 hours ago, DanFromHawaii said:

1. Lights/lamps (with Thai-purchased bulbs, if course)?

Should work without problem.

 

10 hours ago, DanFromHawaii said:

2. Electric fans?

Will likely go up in smoke. Bringing fans to Thailand is like bringing sand to the Sahara.

Is it a xxx Dollar Dyson high tech thing?

 

10 hours ago, DanFromHawaii said:

3. Small kitchen appliances (blender, mixer, knife sharpener, coffee maker, electric kettle, rice cooker)?

Most will also go up in smoke if directly connected to 220/240 V as they have AC motors made for 110/120V. Check the labels! Knife sharpener might have an AC adapter?

Rice cooker to Thailand? See 2)

 

10 hours ago, DanFromHawaii said:

4. Charger for my electric drill and circular saw? 

5. Charger for my music boombox?

Usually chargers have an AC adapter that eats 100V to 240V, 50/60 Hz, so no problem.

See post #7.

 

Think twice before bringing trivial stuff like a kettle.

Remember a post where someone had ordered a 3kW kettle via Amazon from US.

Plugged in, bang and smoke.

Converters for such high power devices are expensive and bulky.

 

The above refers to my (maybe outdated) experience that the US is generally running on 110/120V/60Hz.

From some posts I have learned different?

 

[ThomasThBKK]

I use this transformer, bought in Thailand with a chabroil electronic BBQ since a good while, capped at 200 W. Works fine, and it's running for hours...

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

[KhunBENQ]

51 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

capped at 200 W

2070W, 200W would not do much with a BBQ,

And what did it cost?

[ThomasThBKK]

9 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

2070W, 200W would not do much with a BBQ,

And what did it cost?

Yes, meant to write 2000 watt.

 

Converter was 3500 THB i think, it's only worth it as we also have a japanese toaster and a weber q 1400 electric BBQ, all from amazon.com/jp, somehow most amazon sellers in europe refuse to send to thailand, or i would have bought the euro versions.

[KhunBENQ]

14 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Converter was 3500 THB

That makes sense for quality/value products.

 

[Emdog]

Brought a coffee grinder over here, 110 volt. Use a 80 watt step down for that, no problem.

15 yrs or so ago I brought a Sharp home theater set over here. Got a 500 watt step down at Amorn. Has worked just fine since then.

 I'm thinking about bringing back a soldering iron on next trip. The ones for sale here are absolute <deleted>.

[ThomasThBKK]

3 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Brought a coffee grinder over here, 110 volt. Use a 80 watt step down for that, no problem.

15 yrs or so ago I brought a Sharp home theater set over here. Got a 500 watt step down at Amorn. Has worked just fine since then.

 I'm thinking about bringing back a soldering iron on next trip. The ones for sale here are absolute <deleted>.

 

Hakko is sold here, it's a japanese brand and really good: 

https://www.profixthailand.com/en/category/94141/FX-888D , 

https://www.srt.co.th/page/HAKKO/detail_fx-888d.php?name=FX-888D (220V)&type=เครื่องควบคุมอุณหภูมิหัวแร้ง&id=SEZYODg4RC0wNUJZ

 

 

thats what i ended up with but then in the end i use this thing most of the time: https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ts100-soldering-usb-oled-i267977933-s419226713.html?

I have the ts80 version.

 

 

It's an usb soldering iron and quite popular, and it works as good as the hakko for me (but i am not a professional): 

s v

[sometimewoodworker]

Amorn also have good, I think, quality heavyweight units. 

 

I happen to have a baby sized one, AFIR about  500 watt that is now surplus to requirements that would be exchangeable for a few beers equivalent if anyone is in the Udon KK area. 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

2 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Yes, meant to write 2000 watt.

 

Converter was 3500 THB i think, it's only worth it as we also have a japanese toaster and a weber q 1400 electric BBQ, all from amazon.com/jp, somehow most amazon sellers in europe refuse to send to thailand, or i would have bought the euro versions.

 

From what I've read on the subject, you're generally advised to have the transformer have a fair amount of excess capacity beyond the maximum load of devices you intend to use...

 

So if you were going to use devices totaling 1000 watts, the suggestion was to get a transformer capable of 1500 watts...   That kind of excess capacity.

 

[ThomasThBKK]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

From what I've read on the subject, you're generally advised to have the transformer have a fair amount of excess capacity beyond the maximum load of devices you intend to use...

 

So if you were going to use devices totaling 1000 watts, the suggestion was to get a transformer capable of 1500 watts...   That kind of excess capacity.

 

Yup, the Char Broil patio grill is 1750 watt max output, the weber is 1540 watt, so the 2070 watt transformer is the minimum recommended, i run them all as single devices, would never attempt to run more than 1 of those high wattage devices. They didn't have bigger ones in store but paying a bit more and getting a 2500 watt one is normally a no brainer.

 

They are not 100% efficient, that's why. Same as a power supply for computer, never run it at max capacity for more than a brief period.

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Amorn also have good, I think, quality heavyweight units. 

 

I happen to have a baby sized one, AFIR about  500 watt that is now surplus to requirements that would be exchangeable for a few beers equivalent if anyone is in the Udon KK area. 

 

I too have seen similar units to the ones I bought in the U.S. and described above at the Amorn shop in FortuneTown BKK... Needless to say, considerably more expensive that the prices I paid in the U.S.

 

[Jaxxper]

Could be wrong but I think US light bulbs and luminaries have a different screw thread than those available in Thailand. When we moved back from the US to Thailand we just sold everything we bought there and started again here.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 minute ago, Jaxxper said:

Could be wrong but I think US light bulbs and luminaries have a different screw thread than those available in Thailand. When we moved back from the US to Thailand we just sold everything we bought there and started again here.

The fittings are the same E27 being the most common. Others sizes being available.

[Crossy]

30 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

The fittings are the same E27 being the most common. Others sizes being available.

 

US 120V fittings are actually E26, that said the tolerances are so loose that E27 lamps invariably fit.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_screw

 

Don't try to find 220V "three way" (dual filament) lamps, after extensive research I've failed to find any, anywhere in the known universe.

 

Off topic, but you just have to love this toaster from the Wiki page

 

 

 

[rwill]

When we moved here the wife insisted on bringing the ninja blender, 1300 watt.  We bought a couple of those small ones that are a small plug in transformers.  Even though they said they were rated for higher wattage it did not work and smoked.  Plus you may at times forget and accidentally plug it straight in.   As others have said you need those bigger transformers.  You should be able to get them at construction or electrical stores.  

After a few years I got tired of the big transformer sitting on the counter, it's heavy.  I ended up buying a ninja blender on amazon.co.uk so no transformer was needed just an adapter plug.

If you have stuff that is dual voltage it will work fine here.  Most dual voltage stuff automatically switches but you may find some stuff you have to do manually.

 

My advice is just to buy stuff here that will work with no hassle.

Edited October 15, 2019 by rwill

[khunPer]

14 hours ago, dimitriv said:

I do not know why. But many things that I brought from Europe and that I should be able to use in Thailand without a converter have failed. While things I bought in Thiland will continue to work. This may be a coincidence, but about half of what I brought with me is now broken.

Many things I brought with me from Europe (Scandinavia) continue to work in Thailand, whilst numerous electric appliances bought here failed.

 

It might be a coincidence – for both of us.

 

To OP @DanFromHawaii, as other posters have mentioned, the 50 Hz frequency might be a problem. Anything not very expensive, or not very important, might be better to buy locally than bringing in, and investing in voltage converter plugs; a proper 220 volt to 120 volt transformer might make more sense, apart from the frequency difference.

 

Check labels on your stuff, some newer equipment may work from 120 volt to 240 volt 50/60 Hz.

[1FinickyOne]

9 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Nothing, i repeat, nothing has gone tIts up in the last 14 years up.

Still single?

[The Theory]

9 hours ago, Emdog said:

Brought a coffee grinder over here, 110 volt. Use a 80 watt step down for that, no problem.

15 yrs or so ago I brought a Sharp home theater set over here. Got a 500 watt step down at Amorn. Has worked just fine since then.

 I'm thinking about bringing back a soldering iron on next trip. The ones for sale here are absolute <deleted>.

Buy a Hakko 981 from Lazada. It is about B800. They are good. I bought mine from Akihabara, Tokyo. I have to use a step down transformer, the one on Lazada is   220V  20-130W

[RocketDog]

22 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Before I moved to Thailand, I bought in the U.S. from Amazon and brought with me a trio of heavy duty voltage converters/transformers of varying capacities, 100W, 500W, and 2000W... They are all heavy solid metal cases with built-in, replaceable fuses, multiple jacks, 2-way conversion (either 120 to 220 or 220 to 120), etc...  All 3 of them are still running perfectly today more than a decade later.

 

The things I've used them for without any problem, or failure or damage to my 120V U.S. electronics, include:

--desktop CPU

--PC video monitor

--desktop PC audio speakers setup

--flatbed photo/document scanner

--electronic food processor

--electronic bread maker/baker

--WaterPik dental jet washer

--portable stereo/CD/tape player set

--kitchen crock pot

 

I don't see the brand I bought for sale anymore on Amazon, but my units look very much like these:

 

 

 

 

I too brought a copper wire/iron core 500 watt 120/220 (1:2ratio) transformer here from USA for my small appliances such as toothbrush, water pik, and even a small heating pad. That works quite well and since the heating pad is only 115W (resistive load) there are no issues. However, the 50Hz line frequency here does impose a loss in efficiency of the transformer that cause additional core losses as heat. The inductive reactance of  the transformer is lower at 50Hz so draws more current than the load requires. This will be true of ANY transformer converter you but, but not true of actual 3-phase inverters which are more efficient and also more expensive.

The units you picture are almost certainly transformers only, which work fine. As you surely know they will get quite warm when operating near their rated power which will eventually take its toll on the insulation of the core and windings, but that's probably measured in years or decades, so Mai pen rai.

 

In technical terms such transformers are simply 2:1 winding ratio so voltage converters is a convenient term. Any such transformer will work and they are often also called isolation transformers. One might find some at industrial surplus sales and pick them up cheap.

 

Inverters come in two styles, one cheaper than the other. The cheap ones simply output square wave power chopped at a frequency such as 60Hz and dissipate more heat in inductive loads. The better ones are more sophisticated and output quasi-sine wave power which works better with inductive loads such as fans, AC induction motors, power tools, and sensitive electronics such as desktop computers, scanners, etc that were designed for 120v/60Hz power and may have internal transformer-based power supplies.

 

Resistive loads such as small kettles, curling irons, incandescent lights,  hair dryers, tea cup heaters, etc don't care about frequency so if the voltage is right they are happy at 50Hz.

 

Along that line, note that a simple lamp dimmer bought here won't convert the frequency but will most certainly lower the net voltage by chopping it to less than the full 50Hz cycle. Again resistive loads won't care so you could use an appropriately high wattage lamp dimmer quite nicely with your electric tea kettle/curling iron/soldering iron/heating pad as long as you are careful not to turn the dial to full power. Once set properly some super glue on the dial may be in order!

 

I brought a full inverter quasi-sine style, 500W Bestek brand (~$50 Amazon), with me from the states and it has worked quite well. That amount of power is even usable for small power tools such as soldering iron, Dremel tools, scroll saws, drills, etc that are normally around a 100W and may or may not have brush-type 'universal' motors. You can tell because you see brush sparking when they run. If the have SCR speed controls the quasi-sine output works better for them than square wave converters.

 

Most loads will work well with transformers if you can afford the weight to carry them here from your homeland. They are robust and simple devices but don't convert the frequency although they are of course sine wave devices, which is good for inductive loads despite the frequency difference.

[RocketDog]

21 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

Hakko is sold here, it's a japanese brand and really good: 

https://www.profixthailand.com/en/category/94141/FX-888D , 

https://www.srt.co.th/page/HAKKO/detail_fx-888d.php?name=FX-888D (220V)&type=เครื่องควบคุมอุณหภูมิหัวแร้ง&id=SEZYODg4RC0wNUJZ

 

 

thats what i ended up with but then in the end i use this thing most of the time: https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ts100-soldering-usb-oled-i267977933-s419226713.html?

I have the ts80 version.

 

 

It's an usb soldering iron and quite popular, and it works as good as the hakko for me (but i am not a professional): 

s v

Yep, Hakko is a good iron and I used several in my career as a EE.

 

As I note in a later post here, IF the iron is not transformer-based a simple 220V lamp dimmer will serve your needs. If the iron is purely resistive it doesn't give a hoot about frequency and the lamp dimmer effectively controls the total net power that the iron receives. So this is a way to control the tip temperature of a cheap iron that doesn't have a temperature control.  I've used one with an iron here many times.

 

It's interesting to note that you can use this to advantage by buying a higher power iron (120, or 220V) for big jobs and throttle it down for more delicate work, or vice versa. If you operate a small iron at high power for too long you will of course destroy it. ????

This idea will work well with wood burning engravers too and other heating type of tools.

 

An incandescent light bulb is after all just a heated filament that glows brightly!

[RocketDog]

21 hours ago, ThomasThBKK said:

 

Hakko is sold here, it's a japanese brand and really good: 

https://www.profixthailand.com/en/category/94141/FX-888D , 

https://www.srt.co.th/page/HAKKO/detail_fx-888d.php?name=FX-888D (220V)&type=เครื่องควบคุมอุณหภูมิหัวแร้ง&id=SEZYODg4RC0wNUJZ

 

 

thats what i ended up with but then in the end i use this thing most of the time: https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ts100-soldering-usb-oled-i267977933-s419226713.html?

I have the ts80 version.

 

 

It's an usb soldering iron and quite popular, and it works as good as the hakko for me (but i am not a professional): 

s v

Since USB is power limited to 5v @ either 1/2 or 1A, that is at most a 5W iron. Not too useful for all but the most delicate electronics work in my experience. For printed circuit board work I like 50W irons with a temperature control. For desoldering components a significant amount of heat is required.

 

But hey, if it works for you it's a great idea. Thanks.