Ask Me Help Desk - 110V lamps in 220V country?

Hello,

I am moving from the US to SE Asia where the voltage is 220V. I plan to take several unique lamps that I have from the US - but am not sure if these lamps will need to be rewired for the different voltage?

Note:
a) I am guessing that with the higher voltage there will be a lower amperage required for the same light ouput - so I probably only need to get the appropriate wattage bulbs locally (since they should have the appropriate resistance in the incandescent elements)?

b) The gauge of wiring used for 110V should be more than sufficient for 220V applications (lamps only at this point) so I would not need to worry about burning out any wires?

Thanks!

:confused:

Quote:

Originally Posted by gausman

Hello,

I am moving from the US to SE Asia where the voltage is 220V. I plan to take several unique lamps that I have from the US - but am not sure if these lamps will need to be rewired for the different voltage?

Note:
a) I am guessing that with the higher voltage there will be a lower amperage required for the same light ouput - so I probably only need to get the appropriate wattage bulbs locally (since they should have the appropriate resistance in the incandescent elements)?

b) The gauge of wiring used for 110V should be more than sufficient for 220V applications (lamps only at this point) so I would not need to worry about burning out any wires?

Thanks!

:confused:

Your going to have to know a couple of things. What country your going to. What is the size of the lamp base. The standard base in the US is the ES or Edison Screw. If your lamps are not standard, then we need to figure the base size as well. We need to figure out if 220 V lamps are available in that base style in the country your going too. If that's the case and your planning to come back bring a few of these providing the adapter is available for the country your going too: International Standard AC Power Travel Adapter 3 Pin at Vavolo.com

These just change the plug and are typically used for universal power supplies which have input voltages from 85-240 volts such as most laptop power supplies.

You have 3 choices:

1. Wire pairs of lamps in series and then in parallel and continue using the 120V bulbs and the adapter above.
2. Are 220V lamps available with the US bases that you have. Replace lamps with 220 V versions and use the adapter above.
3. Step down transformers or travel adapters in the appropriate wattage and conversion plug and continue using the 120 V lamps.

The SS204 from Step down converter Travel Adapter Low duty Adapter Universal Plug Adapter 110 volt to 220 power converter 220 volt to 110 voltage transformer 220 110v 120 240 volt voltage converter power transformer ac adapter plug regulator voltage converter stabi combined with the SS204KIT with US lamps would be your best bet, but you have questions to ask: 1) Is the plug for country X included in the kit? Wattage seems to be missing in many of the adapter specs.

b) Your correct. At 220V, it uses about 1/2 the current. The insulation, or breakdown voltages of the wire and switches should be checked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gausman

Hello,

I am moving from the US to SE Asia where the voltage is 220V. I plan to take several unique lamps that I have from the US - but am not sure if these lamps will need to be rewired for the different voltage?

Note:
a) I am guessing that with the higher voltage there will be a lower amperage required for the same light ouput - so I probably only need to get the appropriate wattage bulbs locally (since they should have the appropriate resistance in the incandescent elements)?

b) The gauge of wiring used for 110V should be more than sufficient for 220V applications (lamps only at this point) so I would not need to worry about burning out any wires?

Thanks!

:confused:

I had the same problem last year when I took my trip back home to manila. I brought my stereo. I used what KeepItSimple mentioned above, a transformer. It was easy but you, there are other methods...

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid

Your going to have to know a couple of things. What country your going to.

GOING TO INDIA.

What is the size of the lamp base. The standard base in the US is the ES or Edison Screw. If your lamps are not standard, then we need to figure the base size as well. We need to figure out if 220 V lamps are available in that base style in the country your going too. If that's the case and your planning to come back bring a few of these providing the adapter is available for the country your going too: International Standard AC Power Travel Adapter 3 Pin at Vavolo.com

These just change the plug and are typically used for universal power supplies which have input voltages from 85-240 volts such as most laptop power supplies.

You have 3 choices:

1. Wire pairs of lamps in series and then in parallel and continue using the 120V bulbs and the adapter above.

WILL CHECK THE BULB HOLDER BASE SIZE. IF NOT COMPATIBLE, THEN WILL GET IT REWIRED WITH THE APPRIPRIATE BULB HOLDER. THANKS FOR POINTING THIS OUT.

2. Are 220V lamps available with the US bases that you have. Replace lamps with 220 V versions and use the adapter above.

NOT SURE. DON'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO WHERE I WOULD EVEN TRY TO BEGIN HERE. I WILL CHECK WITH THE LOCAL ELECTRICIANS IF THEY HAVE "EDISON SCREW" TYPE BULBS.

3. Step down transformers or travel adapters in the appropriate wattage and conversion plug and continue using the 120 V lamps.

NOT PRACTICAL SINCE WE HAVE SEVERAL LAMPS AND DON'T WANT UNSIGHTLY TRANSFORMERS ALL AROUND.

The SS204 from Step down converter Travel Adapter Low duty Adapter Universal Plug Adapter 110 volt to 220 power converter 220 volt to 110 voltage transformer 220 110v 120 240 volt voltage converter power transformer ac adapter plug regulator voltage converter stabi combined with the SS204KIT with US lamps would be your best bet, but you have questions to ask: 1) Is the plug for country X included in the kit? Wattage seems to be missing in many of the adapter specs.

b) Your correct. At 220V, it uses about 1/2 the current. The insulation, or breakdown voltages of the wire and switches should be checked.

WITH LESS CURRENT, WON'T THE WIRING BE LESS PRONE TO BURNING UP?. NOT SURE WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP(S) ARE BETWEEN VOLTAGE/CURRENT AND THE BREAKDOWN OF THE WIRES. ISN'T AN 18 GAUGE WIRE JUST AN 18 GAUGE WIRE?

Really appreciate you taking the time to reply to this and will take all your points into considerations.

Cheers!

G

WITH LESS CURRENT, WON'T THE WIRING BE LESS PRONE TO BURNING UP?. NOT SURE WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP(S) ARE BETWEEN VOLTAGE/CURRENT AND THE BREAKDOWN OF THE WIRES. ISN'T AN 18 GAUGE WIRE JUST AN 18 GAUGE WIRE?

Let's take sume extreme examples. 10,000 Volts and 1 Amp and 1V, 1 Amp and two different insulations (none and telfon),

Teflon has a dialectric breakdown of 1KV/0.001" where as air has a breakdon of about 3 KV/mm. I know, different units.

So, if I had a 0.010" thick insulation of teflon, I could pass 10 KV with no safety margin.
So, thickness and type of insulation determine the voltage it can carry safely. Part's like switches are designed in the same way. The have a switching capacity of resistive and inductive rated and a carrying capacity. Sometimes a switch must be used to switch a load only when there is no current.

This is a data-sheet for lamp cord and it's rated for 300 V.

Consolidated Electronic Wire and Cable is a manufacturer for standard Parallel two conductor PVC Lamp Cord.

Other parameters for wire also enter into play like chemical resistance (gas and oil), temperature and abrasion and other properties, otherwise we would only have "wire".

It looks as if the E26 based bulbs are available here: bulbs.com - Results

Remember, you can power a 220V lamp with 120 volts, but not vice versa. Lamp output will be reduced.