Power adapters required?

[Matadon]

Well, I'm leaving for Japan in about two weeks, and thanks to my shiny-new job, I have additonal spending money, and a requirement that I must be accessable at all times. Yay. I haven't found a lot of solid information on the web about bringing American electronics to Japan, so I figured that I'd ask here.

If I have a laptop, with a standard three-prong (e.g., including ground) power unit, will this work in Japan? How common are three-prong versus two-prong outlets? If not, where can I buy a decent adapter to handle this -- Google has failed me on this one.

Now just to find a place in Sacramento where I can procure yen...

Thanks-in-advance!

 

[ArmandV]

Funny thing, I bought a power adapter for my camcorder charger last year for our Japan trip. I didn't need it. But since they only cost around $20.00, I would get one just in case for your laptop. It may have power requirements that a camcorder charger doesn't.

 

[GaijinPunch]

The only thing you can blow out for a laptop is the power supply. Those things are cheap either (like $120-$180 depending on the brand) but not like blowing up a $2000 computer. I wouldn't sweat it. It sould be fine.

EDIT: The ground (grounding) is different there. You can find a 20 yen piece of plastic to suit your needs, or for 2000 yen or less can get a strip that will work.

 

[Matadon]

I'm not worried about voltage or frequency; my big concern is grounding. Any good recommendations as to where I could by an adapter? I'll check the local Fry's, and CompUSA (even though I hate that store; overpriced, and the employees are dumber than rotten produce), but it'd be nice to have a good, recommended source. I do want to get it before I go, because I must rely on my laptop for work.

 

[ArmandV]

Radio Shack is another good source.

 

[DoctorP]

just buy one of the grey adapters that take it from three to two prongs. They usually have a little green piece of metal hanging down where the grounding prong would be. You will not need the ground for something simple like a laptop. One thing to look for though...if you can find it. Buy an adapter that is not polarized. (meaning one prong is bigger than the other) You can usually use the polarized ones here, but it would be more convenient if you had one that wasn't. These adapters are usually only $1 or so...you could probably buy one once you get here.

 

[Pachipro]

I think southern Japan is 120V AC (same as US) while the Tokyo area and north is 100 or 110V AC. I can't remember though. Someone here will be able to tell you.

 

[DoctorP]

As far as I remember, all areas are 100V AC, but they do operate on two different frequencies. One area is 50Hz while others are 60Hz. Should not make a difference unless you are using extremely sensitive equipment!

 

[ArmandV]

I think southern Japan is 120V AC (same as US) while the Tokyo area and north is 100 or 110V AC. I can't remember though. Someone here will be able to tell you.

I think it's 110v AC. The only difference that I noticed was that it took my camcorder charger longer to get the batteries fully charged.

 

[DoctorP]

The voltage is usually not a problem. The difference in the frequency can cause problems for battery chargers and such. Also, items running on some type of motor will run slower than desired...but they will still work. Some clocks will lose a few seconds over time, but those are usually the old analog clocks that plug into the wall...don't really see too many people using them anymore.

 

[GaijinPunch]

If you blow something you have horrible luck. I'm an electronics fool, and never blew up anything.

 

[Otosan-no-Conan]

At the in-laws place in Nagano prefecture (100v) I have not had a problem with my electronics. The house is very old and only has two prong outlets. My laptop and video camera charged just fine.

I only remember two prong outlets in the hotels too...

 

[Matadon]

ﾅｽﾃｨ窶彖窶堙≫?堙??堋ｭ窶堙ｪ窶堙??堋?窶堙ｨ窶堋ｪ窶堙??堋､ﾂ！

I picked up a Kensington multi-adapter for $20 (yeah, pricy), and it has prongs that can flip out for Japan *and* most of Europe; my laptop power supply is rated for just about any voltage in the world, so I should be all set.

Thanks again!

 

[think_too_mut]

Now just to find a place in Sacramento where I can procure yen...

If you can see signs "Maestro" or "Cirrus" on your ATM card you can use it at ATMs in Japan. Exchange rate your bak can offer is almost always better than exchanges.

Citibank has ATMs with English interface, not sure about other local banks, never used any other.

 

[syntax]

most modern equipment support the different voltage rate, in my country the voltage is 220V / 50 hz and I went to the USA a year ago, my laptop and cellular phone charger did not had any problem...

EDIT: Also you should see the supported voltages on your plug...

 

[Keiichi]

I've brought things like a laptop, battery charger, and iPod charger and they all worked fine. Of course I looked at the input voltage and frequency of these things before actually deciding to bring it and plug it in.

Using a battery charger that happens to be in front of me as an example, your electronic product should have what range of input voltage and frequency your product's power source and receive.
Mine says: INPUT ~ 100-240V 50/60Hz 4.8-8.5VA 3W
~ = Alternating Current (AC); which is how electricity generally is behind your wall
V = Volts (Voltage)
Hz = Hertz (Frequency)
VA = Voltageampere
W = Watts (Power)

When I used my charger in Japan, it didn't take that much longer or really noticed any large difference. Luckily for me, my products are Japanese/world name brands also (eg. Sony, Toshiba... and add Apple, too, I guess), so I guess specs are made to support most outlet inputs everywhere.

Keiichi

 

[vorpar]

Travel stores usually carry adapters. I picked up a power strip at Tokyu Hands the night that I arrived in Tokyo, and it worked for everything I needed (especially the laptop).

Most outlets in Japan don't have a ground (third prong) but there was one strip in my friend's apartment that did. Any strip you can find at a hardware store will work if it has a 2-prong to plug in. Those kinds usually have a wire that you can ground the strip with by screwing it into the face plate.

 

[syntax]

Wether your equipment was made in Japan or not has nothing to do with it.
By the way, Apple is 100% made in San Francisco in the united states of amerika
Since that worked okay (because it was labeled on it), all things with the correct label on the plugs should be fine.

 

[lexico]

Consulate General, San Francisco, Miscelaneous Info

What is Japan's electrical system / voltage / outlet configuration?

The electric current in Japan is mostly 100 volts A.C., but the cycle varies according to area: west of the Fuji River in Shizuoka Prefecture (western Japan, including Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka) the frequency is 60 Hz. East of the river (including Tokyo) it is 50 Hz. Major hotels are configured for both 110 and 200 volts, but a converter may be needed for smaller hotels and guest houses. Most newer laptop computers, both IBM and Macintosh, come with automatic switching or "universal" power supplies that adjust internally and allow usage anywhere in the world. Desktop users may have to adjust the frequency according to region. Step-up / step-down transformers are available in Japan.

If you are coming from the US, I'd normally expect few problems. Guess where the majority of non-Asian foreigners in Japan are from ?
But if you have AC motors the rotation per minute will be affected by frequency; check with the mfr.'s tech'l specs if in doubt.

If your stay in Japan is short term; get the step-up/down transformers; if long-term, get new equip. in Japan. In a year or 2, your electricity loss can add up costing you more in bills, and it will only get worse.

[edit: This last part applies only iff you are using a transformer involing 10-20% power loss. CC1's the power expert, and I follow what he says.]

 

[DoctorP]

sounds suspiciously like one of my above posts...I've been using my TV's, VCRs, DVD player, PC, laptop, Nintendo, PSOne, printer, scanner, vacuume, Dart Game, drill, sander, tablesaw, blender, mixer, hair dryer, stereo (I think that's all of it) for the past 9 years and I've never had any problems. Of course here I operate on 100V 60Hz. If you are worried, then buy the step up transformer...usually between $50 to $100.

 

[Matadon]

I would tend to think that most modern power supplies can handle the frequency difference, and wouldn't anything digital just use a bridge rectifier and/or various buffers along the way to smooth out the voltage? I can't imagine any type of digital circuitry that would work with direct A/C power...then again, I'm just an electronics hobbiest, not an engineer. *grin*

 

[ArmandV]

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA) travel book on Japan, "The power supply is 100 volts AC, but Tokyo and eastern Japan are on 50Hz, while western Japan operates on 60Hz. American electric equipment that operates at 110/60 should work fine, but Europeans will need to adjust 240/50 devices. Sockets accept flat two-pin plugs, as in the U.S."

 

[JerseyBoy]

Travel stores usually carry adapters. I picked up a power strip at Tokyu Hands the night that I arrived in Tokyo, and it worked for everything I needed (especially the laptop).

Is this power strip for 3-prong plugs to 2-prong plug adaptor? I have so many 50-60Hz/100-220V electronic goods with 3-prong power adaptors (LaCie external HDs, Maxtor external HDs, Apple ACDs, LCD TV, USA-spec notebooks with polarized plugs, and etc) which I would like to bring to Japan when I relocate. The voltage issues are covered (as I have indicated above); but, I would like to make sure polarized 2-prong plugs and 3-prong USA plugs can work well in Japan. When I was in Japan, I don't recall I saw 3-prong plugs and polarized 2-prong plugs as I only remember seeing equal-width 2-prong plugs.