Electronics - From Usa To Thailand

[MisterMan]

Hi I am going to the states soon and would like to buy some electronics - ipod speaker, juicer

Do I really need a converter?

Dumb question perhaps... but thanks for the responses

[namoo]

most have variable AC voltage adaptors 110v-240v.

Just check the box before u buy it.

Edited July 19, 2009 by namoo

[kamalabob2]

I am not so sure I would buy 110 voltage ONLY devices and bring them to Thailand. You CAN buy in Thailand voltage converters, (do a google search) but the other consideration is IF you bring a US 110 voltage product will the warranty be valid here and/or will they have spare parts if you need repairs. Electronic repairs are not a fortune here generally speaking. Check bluray and upscaling DVD players for dual voltage. Many of the exact same models are sold in the US and Thailand and bluray for US is the same "region" as Thailand. Many upscaling DVD players are multi-region as well as dual voltage. Again I am not so sure on the warranty, but if the same model is sold here then parts might be available.

MANY electronic items are dual voltage and that is easy to see PRIOR to purchasing any item. On some items that have a "brick" where the item plugs into your device, then out of the "brick" it plugs into a wall socket; I have been told you can switch "bricks". I have not done this, but more knowledgeable people on this Forum might give you some better advise. It is not only a corporate web site that can inform you about "dual voltage" electronics, some of the larger "mail order" type firms such as

B & H Camera, J & R Camera, One Call, have detailed listings of the item you might be considering.

Whatever you do make sure you have used that item in the USA, lose the wrapping, so that in no way it looks like a NEW item you might be brining here to sell. I've brought over quite a bit of household electronics and never had an issue with Thai customs, but I made sure nothing was in the original box and not more than one item of each model.

Maybe a comparable specifications Acer computer CPU is slightly cheaper in the USA (the monitor will not be less in California due to disposal fees) but the Acer model I just bought for my daughter here came with all the software I needed from an Independent Computer shop, free installation in our rural home, and a sensible Manufacturers 3 year warranty. I brought over a 17" LCD monitor I had bought many years ago in California, back when they were expensive, and I knew in advance they were dual voltage. But a new highly rated AOC monitor (known in the USA as Envision or AOC) bought here comes with a 5 year warranty. But in Thailand a Gateway Computer is grossly overpriced for the same spec CPU in the USDA or competing brands in Thailand, which all "International Brands" are built in China. Dell Computers in Thailand are not the screaming value they are in the USA. In Thailand Dell caters to Business and Government sales (look at your local bank branch) and consumer desktops are not the same value as you experience in America.

If you already own speaker wire, a/v connectors, and ELECTRIC CORDS (need not be 220!) (not power strips) they are a far better value than you can normally find in Thailand. Look at battery operated SMOKE alarms on sale in Thailand and consider what you can pay for a top rated in Consumer Reports Magazine smoke alarm in Costco, Sam's Club, Home Depot or Lowes. That is a light weight item that will not hurt your baggage allocation and frankly the quality of the alarm you can easily buy in the USA will be a safer, better built and longer lasting alarm than you can find in Thailand.

Consider attending the HomeWorks / PowerBuy / Central Department Store Expo in early August at BITEC in Bangkok. You can easily see reasonable (not the least expensive) prices on some decent brands in one location so you can compare to what you can research in advance via the Internet of possible purchases in the USA. CMG is the official importer of many International brands and twice a year they sell "closeout" items at this event. They also have new current model items at "sort of fair" prices in the same building.

There are many fine juicers sold in Thailand, the Panasonic MJ 68M is made in Malaysia, sold in Thailand and has worked flawlessly for 3 years in our Thai home. Any Forum member who shaves with Gillette razors can tell you that the GENUINE (not Ebay) Gillette blades you buy on sale at Costco or Sam's Club will be 1/2 to 1/3 the price of the same model of questionable Gillette blades sold at Tesco, Makro or Big C.

[MisterMan]

kamalabob2,

Thanks for all that info! So the electronic household items you bought in the states worked fine here?

Agree with you about the razer blades. strange how they are so much more here.

Was thinking of getting a few good straight edges too for household stuff as I never saw that nice little box of them here.

Also thanks for the tip about the smoke alarm..

[Crossy]

Thanks for all that info! So the electronic household items you bought in the states worked fine here?

Be very careful, as kamalabob notes you have two issues, voltage and (less important) frequency.

Thailand is 220V 50Hz whereas the US is 110V 60Hz.

Much of the electronics sold now have universal power supplies, look on the label for something like "100 - 240V 50/60Hz", anything which is 110V only will need a transformer and unless very specialist is likely to be available here in a 220V version.

Houshold appliances rarely have dual voltage arrangements and will almost always require a transformer. Appliances with motors will also have issues with frequency, 60Hz motors will run slow on 50Hz and may overheat. TBH I wouldn't bother unless what you want is very special, I'd leave the appliances at home.

[kamalabob2]

MisterMan,

Crossy gave a very good answer. I have had zero problems with the DUAL VOLTAGE items I brought over. I did NOT buy a transformer so I can not speak of how well that works. Even a hair dryer I already owned in America had a switch for voltage and that same Hair dryer is a "hi so" Imported Expensive Item at fancy Bangkok Department stores, but was a normal hair dryer in the USA. Plenty of "local brand" computer speakers that sound fine to me are available in Thailand for nominal money, where a JBL, Logitech, Creative, Klipsch, Altec Lansing, or Harman Kardon USA BRAND "name"(made in China) speaker is double in Thailand the "street price" readily available in the USA.

Be sure to bring over any good knife sets you already own. Chicago Cutlery is a normal brand in the USA, in Thailand a small fortune. There could be a whole "thread" on Thai Visa about member experiences where Thai family members, especially a Mother in Law, ruined the coating on good pots and pans brought over to Thailand "if you make the big move". The Thai lady will work hours with steel wool to get "rid" of that "black stuff" on your pans!!!!!

[MisterMan]

Hi, I was thinking of bringing back a good skillet!!

haha I live here already and have for a while but this is the first time I am going back since I have really settled in (own furniture, pets, have a work permit, good contract etc)..

So I want to really make my home nice and am ready to buy the skillet, oh yes I have some knives stored too!

.

The JBL speaker i already ordered off Ebay relinquished.

NOt sure what else I had in mind but I am sure I will know when I see it but now I know what to look for on the plug!!!

Thanks for all the great info !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nikster]

Skillet? Not so good.

I was thinking about getting an automatic coffee machine which are about 1/2 price in the USA, or even less, than in Thailand. Not sure why maybe there's a special extra import tax on coffee machines. But I digress. A good toaster was another item on my list.

The problem is that household appliances don't have dual voltage adapters. I couldn't find any. The other problem is that transformers that convert 220V to 110V get bigger and more expensive the more power they need to put out. It's fine for small things but it will get expensive and very unwieldy quickly if you get past 1000W. Both coffee machines and toasters are usually 1500 - 2000W, so it was a no-go. Not sure about the skillet but better to find a good one in the LOS.

I eventually got the coffee machine from Europe (where we have 220V as well) and the toaster I found in Thailand, it's actually the best toaster I ever had, and was cheap too.

[steelepulse]

I bought a few "step up step down" converters 10 years ago and they still work fine for all my US stereo equipment that I brought over in big duffle bags.

[IMA_FARANG]

Hi I am going to the states soon and would like to buy some electronics - ipod speaker, juicer

Do I really need a converter?

Dumb question perhaps... but thanks for the responses

Frankly for electronic items, I personaly think you are better off making a stop over or a seperate trip to Singapore to purchase electronic items than to buy them in the U.S. You can "bargain" on the prices at the electronics specialty stores and 20% off the stated prices is not difficult if you know how to haggle. Most electronic items now are not made in the U.S. anyhow including American brand names which are actually manufactured outside the U.S.

But if you really want to, here are the things you need to watch for.

50 and 60 hertz (cycles) AC. The US standard is 60 hertz. Most places in Thailand will be 50 hertz. This is most imortant for devices using motors. 50 to 60 hertz converters are available, and many newer items will be dual frequency 50/60 hz items.

120 and 230 voltage items. 120 volts is standard in the US. In Thailand it will be 230 volt. If you plug a 120 volt item into a 230 plug (the plugs are differently shaped, but adapters are found) you will destroy the 120 volt power supply in a second. Again newer items are dual volatgae (120/230) and dual frequency (50/60 hz). Any extra cost is well worth it. If you live in areas near the Canadian border, you are more likely to find dual frquency/dual voltage items for sale. The american computer manufacturers have finally got ther act together, and computers are now commonly dual frequency/dual volatge or come with adapters.

Television. The standards for the US and other countries are different, The US uses NTSC, PAL or PAL/SECAM are used outside the US. You are best off buying a slightly more expensive MULTISYSTEM television which can be switched to use all of those systems.

Many items in the U.S. are often marked as 120 volt only or 60 Hz only. This is for the US market. The manufactuer may make the same item with an adapter which they sell overseas. Ask the store, you may be able to get one.

Sorry I made this so long.

Edited July 19, 2009 by IMA_FARANG

[Groongthep]

Due to the climate, dust and insects few houses or apartments in Thailand have carpeting or large area rugs, but if you happen to be moving into one of the few places that are carpeted you'll want a decent vacuum cleaner such as a Hoover Windtunnel or similar Eureka model. They are not available at all in Thailand as far as I can find. The vacuum cleaners sold here are fine for wooden, laminate or tile floors but are practically worthless on carpets. Only few of the locally available brands have rotating brushes and those that do are very weak.

[verydumbubba]

You would be wasting your money - SG is good too.

Buy some real 501 when ya there!

Bubba

[lopburi3]

Hi I am going to the states soon and would like to buy some electronics - ipod speaker, juicer

Do I really need a converter?

Dumb question perhaps... but thanks for the responses

Frankly for electronic items, I personaly think you are better off making a stop over or a seperate trip to Singapore to purchase electronic items than to buy them in the U.S. You can "bargain" on the prices at the electronics specialty stores and 20% off the stated prices is not difficult if you know how to haggle. Most electronic items now are not made in the U.S. anyhow including American brand names which are actually manufactured outside the U.S.

But if you really want to, here are the things you need to watch for.

((cut))

Sorry I made this so long.

You do not buy converters for 50/60Hz - only transformers to change voltage is a consumer item. 60Hz equipment is made (cheaply) and will never equal 50 or 50/60Hz when used at 50Hz. I do not know of any place in Thailand that is not 50Hz. Japan is the country with two systems.

The normal plug/outlet in Thailand is the same as in the USA. Although they usually accept more than just the flat pins. You can easily make a mistake.

There are a dozen (more) television systems and variations in each. The US uses NTSC (and a number of other countries also use it). And currently the US uses digital receivers. Thailand uses Pal and does not use digital.

The item sold in the USA is made as cheaply as possible (the market is so large it makes economic sense) so higher quality transformers/components are not used and the unit is marked 60Hz. In multi voltage equipment the slightly higher cost components are used and they are marked 50/60Hz. If electric motors are used (not normal in electronic equipment but in larger applications) there will be a speed factor that can make the running of a 60Hz at 50Hz unusable for the intended purpose. Clocks/timers are an obvious example but had an air popcorn maker where the speed was too low to get it working so it can be a factor in many things.

From other posts remember that using a step down transformer will waste electric (you can feel the heat) and as long as it is plugged in will continue to use power.

Edited July 20, 2009 by lopburi3