HOW TO PROPERLY USE 220 VOLTS HOME APPLIANCES IN THE US

1. HOW TO PROPERLY USE 220 VOLTS HOME APPLIANCES IN THE US If you have 220-volt appliances at home and do not know how to use them, you are not alone. Many people who have just purchased or received electrical devices that require a 220-volt power supply have no idea what to do. Don’t panic—there are transformers and converters you can use to power up your appliances safely anywhere, no matter what the input source may be. The power supply in the US is 120 volts, and if you plug your 220- volt appliance into a typical US socket, the power drawn from the outlet will be lower than the rated capacity of the appliance. Because of this, some devices may function slower than their optimum efficiency. Others that have sensitive components may likely be damaged. But there are ways around this. All you need is voltage converter or transformer that increase the voltage supply of your domestic electrical outlets. A voltage converter or transformer is a device that can convert the electrical output of any power source. It comes in two types: the step-up and the step-down transformer. The step-up transformer can increase the regular voltage output of your local supply from 120 volts to 220 volts. On the other hand, a step-down transformer decreases the voltage from 220 volts to 120 volts. The market offers single function step-up and step-down transformers, too, but you can also get dual transformers that can do both depending on your needs. In your case, since you want to use 220-volt home appliances in the US, you need a step-up transformer. If you plan on going abroad, you can buy a dual function transformer. It will be pricier but can be worth if you travel often. The first thing that you should do when using a dual transformer is to check the settings. Make sure that the unit is set to 120 volts. Some transformers come with fuses or individual circuit breakers to ensure that your device is protected if something goes wrong. Transformers may come with a flat socket or a universal socket. If you do not have an adapter yet, you may need to buy one for every product that you will plug into the transformer. You just plug your 220-volt appliance into the transformer and start using it. Make sure that your transformer can be used continuously to avoid malfunctions. Also, check the total wattage that your devices need to determine if you have the right transformer specs.