Electrical systems - Wikivoyage, the free collaborative travel and tourism guide - Systèmes électriques — Wikivoyage, le guide de voyage et de tourisme collaboratif gratuit

The electrical systems across the world have a different voltage or frequency, the latter difference being less dangerous than the former. Electrical plugs and outlets also vary and it is sometimes physically impossible to insert the plug of your device into the outlets in the area visited. There are a few steps you can take to make sure that your electrical appliances can be used safely at your home. destination.

Understand

WARNING : It is very important to connect an electrical device within the voltage range for which it was designed. For example, connecting a device designed to 110 V on a diet of 230 V can be very dangerous. There is a risk of burns, fire or even explosion, doubling the voltage quadruples the power and heat produced. The connection of an electrical device intended for a higher voltage (220 to 240 V) on a lower voltage supply (110 V) is not completely risk-free either, but it is certainly much less dangerous than the other way around. Never assume the voltage is correct just because the plug fits into the outlet.

Voltage and frequency

Start by taking a look at the back of the device you want to use. If it is marked something like "100-240V, 50 / 60Hz" then it will work anywhere in the world with the correct plug.

Understanding the differences in electrical systems can be off-putting, but it's actually not that complicated. There are only two main types of electrical systems in use around the world, with different physical connections:

• 100-127 volts, with a frequency of 60 Hz (generally used in North America and central and west of Japan)
• 220-240 volts, with a frequency of 50 Hz (generally used in the rest of the world, with a few exceptions)

In addition to that, you might be likely to use the 12 or 24 volt DC system in cars and boats or the 5 V DC from the USB port on computers, for example to charge your phone.

Every now and then you will find 100-127 volts To 50 Hz, like a Tokyo and some Caribbean islands. On the other hand, there is 220-240 volts To 60 Hz, as in South Korea, to Peru, in some states of Brazil and in Guyana.

Some other countries using 60 Hz are divided internally, with 100-127 volts in some places, and 220-240 volts in others, as in Brazil, to Philippines and in Saudi Arabia. Be very careful whenever you travel to a new destination within these countries, do not hesitate to ask for the voltage used on the local network.

World map colored by voltage and frequency used

If the voltage and frequency of your device is the same as that of the electrical grid in the area where you are traveling, then you only need to worry about the physical outlet. The small difference between 110 V and 120 V is within tolerances of most electrical devices. This is also valid for the voltages of 220 V and 240 V.

If the voltage supplied by the local power supply is not within the range accepted by your device, you need a converter or transformer to convert the voltage. Most travel equipment suppliers offer plug adapters to solve all the more exotic needs.

Sockets and adapters

One device that allows you to plug a device into another outlet is an adapter: they are small and inexpensive. For example, between the France and the Britain, you only need an adapter. You put your round French plug in the adapter to have a UK rectangular pin plug. You can then use your electrical appliance directly.

Unfortunately, there are many different standards around the world. The four most common standards are: The "American" plug (Type A or B), the "European" plug (Type C / E / F), the "British" plug (Type G), the "Australian" plug "(Type I).

Picture	Name	Description	Regions of use	Voltage	Notes
	Socket type A / B "American"	with two vertical pins and one round for the earth	North America and central, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan	typically 100–127 V Thailand and Philippines 220–240 V
	Socket type C / E "European"	Two round pins, inverted round bottom	France, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia	220–240 V	Many connectors and adapters are designed for socket types E and F
	C / F type socket "Schuko"	Two round pins, earth contacts on the sides	Most of theEurope, the Russia, the South Korea	220–240 V
	Socket type G "British"	Three flat pins	British Isles, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong (occasionally in India and Uzbekistan)	220–240 V
	Type I plug "Australian"	Two angled pins, vertical ground pin	Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, China, Argentina	220–240 V	The Chinese plug is upside down and has slightly longer pins than the Australian plug.
	L-type socket "Italian"	Three round pins in line	Italy, Vatican, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Lebanon	220–240 V

World map colored by type of plug used

Universal plug adapter

These types of plugs cover approximately 95 % of the world with equipment that can handle local voltage and frequency. The main exceptions areIndia and theSouth Africa. The adapters between type A and C and C to G are tiny and inexpensive; on the other hand the conversion from type A to G or from G to whatever else, needs a larger model.

Country with type of plug and socket

Country	Type A	Type B	Type C	Type D	Type E	Type F	Type G	Type H	Type I	Type J	Type K	Type L	Type M	Type N	Voltage (V)	Frequency (Hz)
Azores		Yes	Yes			Yes									230	50
Afghanistan			Yes			Yes									220	50
South Africa				Yes									Yes		230	50
Albania			Yes			Yes									230	50
Algeria			Yes			Yes									230	50
Germany						Yes									230	50
Andorra						Yes									230	50
England (UK)							Yes								230	50
Channel Islands (JerseyGuernsey)			Yes				Yes								230	50
Angola			Yes												220	50
Anguilla	Yes						Yes								240	50
Antigua and Barbuda	Yes	Yes					Yes								230	60
Netherlands Antilles	Yes	Yes				Yes									127/220	50
Saudi Arabia	Yes	Yes				Yes	Yes								127/220	60
Argentina			Yes						Yes						220	50
Armenia			Yes			Yes									230	50
Aruba	Yes	Yes				Yes									120	60
Australia									Yes						230	50
Austria						Yes									230	50
Azerbaijan			Yes			Yes									220	50
Bahamas	Yes	Yes													120	60
Bahrain							Yes								230	50
Balearic Islands						Yes									230	50
Bangladesh			Yes	Yes			Yes				Yes				220	50
Barbados	Yes	Yes													115	50
Belgium					Yes										230	50
Belize		Yes					Yes								110/220	60
Benign					Yes										220	50
Bermuda	Yes	Yes													120	60
Bhutan				Yes		Yes	Yes						Yes		230	50
Belarus			Yes			Yes									220	50
Burma (Myanmar)			Yes	Yes		Yes	Yes								230	50
Bolivia	Yes		Yes			Yes									230	50
Bosnia and herzegovina						Yes									230	50
Botswana				Yes			Yes						Yes		230	50
Brazil														Yes	127/220	60
Brunei							Yes								240	50
Bulgaria						Yes									230	50
Burkina Faso			Yes		Yes										220	50
Burundi			Yes		Yes										220	50
Cayman Islands	Yes	Yes													120	60
Cambodia	Yes		Yes				Yes								230	50
Cameroon			Yes		Yes										220	50
Canada	Yes	Yes													120	60
Canary Islands			Yes		Yes							Yes			230	50
Green cap (He is)			Yes			Yes									230	50
Central African Republic			Yes		Yes										220	50
Chile			Yes									Yes			220	50
China	Yes		Yes			Yes			Yes						220	50
Christmas Island (Australia)									Yes						230	50
Cyprus						Yes	Yes								230	50
Cocos Islands									Yes						230	50
Colombia	Yes	Yes													110	60
Comoros			Yes		Yes										220	50
Republic of Congo			Yes		Yes										230	50
Democratic Republic of Congo			Yes	Yes	Yes										220	50
Cook Islands									Yes						240	50
North Korea	Yes		Yes												110/220	60
South Korea			Yes			Yes									220	60
Costa Rica	Yes	Yes													120	60
Ivory Coast			Yes		Yes										220	50
Croatia						Yes									230	50
Cuba	Yes	Yes	Yes									Yes			110/220	60
Curacao	Yes	Yes													127	50
Denmark						Yes					Yes				230	50
Djibouti			Yes		Yes										220	50
Dominican Republic	Yes	Yes													120	60
Dominica				Yes			Yes								230	50
Scotland (UK)							Yes								230	50
Egypt			Yes			Yes									220	50
United Arab Emirates							Yes								240	50
Ecuador	Yes	Yes													120	60
Eritrea			Yes									Yes			230	50
Spain						Yes									230	50
Estonia						Yes									230	50
United States	Yes	Yes													120	60
Ethiopia			Yes		Yes	Yes						Yes			220	50
Faroe Islands											Yes				230	50
Fiji									Yes						240	50
Finland						Yes									230	50
France					Yes										230	50
Gabon			Yes												220	50
Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)	Yes	Yes													120	60
Wales (UK)							Yes								230	50
Gambia							Yes								230	50
Georgia (country)			Yes			Yes									220	50
Ghana				Yes			Yes								230	50
Gibraltar			Yes				Yes								230	50
Greece						Yes									230	50
Grenade							Yes								230	50
Greenland											Yes				230	50
Guadeloupe			Yes		Yes										230	50
Guam	Yes	Yes													110	60
Guatemala	Yes	Yes					Yes		Yes						120	60
Guinea			Yes			Yes					Yes				220	50
Equatorial Guinea			Yes			Yes									220	50
Guyana	Yes	Yes		Yes			Yes								240	60
Guyana			Yes	Yes	Yes										220	50
Haiti	Yes	Yes													110	60
Hawaii	Yes	Yes													110	60
Honduras	Yes	Yes													110	60
Hong Kong							Yes								220	50
Hungary						Yes									230	50
India			Yes	Yes									Yes		230	50
Indonesia			Yes			Yes									230	50
Iraq			Yes	Yes			Yes								230	50
Iran			Yes			Yes									230	50
Ireland							Yes								230	50
Iceland						Yes									230	50
Israel								Yes							230	50
Italy						Yes						Yes			230	50
Jamaica	Yes	Yes													110	50
Japan	Yes	Yes													100	50/60
Jordan			Yes	Yes		Yes	Yes								230	50
Kazakhstan			Yes			Yes									220	50
Kenya							Yes								240	50
Kyrgyzstan			Yes			Yes									220	50
Kiribati									Yes						240	50
Kosovo						Yes									230	50
Kuwait			Yes				Yes								240	50
Laos	Yes	Yes	Yes		Yes	Yes									230	50
Lesotho													Yes		220	50
Latvia						Yes									230	50
Lebanon			Yes	Yes			Yes								230	50
Liberia	Yes	Yes					Yes								120	60
Libya				Yes		Yes									127/230	50
Liechtenstein (Principality)										Yes					230	50
Lithuania						Yes									230	50
Luxembourg						Yes									230	50
Macau				Yes			Yes								220	50
North Macedonia						Yes									230	50
Madagascar			Yes	Yes	Yes					Yes	Yes				127/220	50
Madeira (Isle)						Yes									230	50
Malaysia							Yes								240	50
Malawi							Yes								230	50
Maldives				Yes			Yes								230	50
Mali			Yes		Yes										220	50
Falkland Islands							Yes								240	50
Malta							Yes								230	50
Isle of man			Yes				Yes								230	50
Northern Mariana Islands	Yes	Yes													120	60
Morocco			Yes		Yes										220	50
Marshall Islands	Yes	Yes													120	60
Martinique			Yes	Yes	Yes										220	50
Mauritius (Isle)			Yes				Yes								230	50
Mauritania			Yes												220	50
Mexico	Yes	Yes													127	60
Micronesia	Yes	Yes													120	60
Moldova			Yes			Yes									230	50
Monaco					Yes	Yes									230	50
Mongolia			Yes		Yes										230	50
Montenegro						Yes									230	50
Montserrat	Yes	Yes													230	60
Mozambique			Yes			Yes							Yes		220	50
Namibia				Yes									Yes		220	50
Nauru									Yes						240	50
Nepal			Yes	Yes									Yes		230	50
Nicaragua	Yes														120	60
Niger			Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes									220	50
Nigeria				Yes			Yes								230	50
Niue									Yes						230	50
Norfolk (Island)									Yes						230	50
Norway						Yes									230	50
New Zealand									Yes						230	50
New Caledonia						Yes									220	50
Oman			Yes				Yes								240	50
Uganda							Yes								240	50
Uzbekistan			Yes			Yes									220	50
Pakistan			Yes	Yes											230	50
Palau	Yes	Yes													120	60
Panama	Yes	Yes													120	60
Papua New Guinea									Yes						240	50
Easter island			Yes									Yes			220	50
Paraguay			Yes												220	50
Netherlands (Holland)			Yes			Yes									230	50
Peru	Yes	Yes	Yes												220	60
Philippines	Yes	Yes	Yes			Yes									220	60
Pitcairn Islands									Yes						230	50
Poland					Yes										230	50
French Polynesia			Yes		Yes										220	50/60
Porto Rico	Yes	Yes													120	60
Portugal						Yes									230	50
Qatar				Yes			Yes								240	50
The meeting					Yes										230	50
Romania						Yes									230	50
Russia			Yes			Yes									220	50
Rwanda			Yes							Yes					230	50
Saba	Yes	Yes													110	60
Western Sahara			Yes			Yes									230	50
St. Bartholomew					Yes										220	60
Saint Kitts and Nevis				Yes			Yes								230	60
Saint Helena							Yes								230	50
St. LUCIA							Yes								230	50
Saint-Eustache	Yes	Yes				Yes									110/220	60
San Marino						Yes						Yes			230	50
Saint-Martin (French Antilles)					Yes										220	60
Saint-Martin (Kingdom of the Netherlands)	Yes	Yes													110	60
Saint Pierre and Miquelon					Yes										230	50
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines							Yes								230	50
Solomon Islands									Yes						230	50
Salvador (country)	Yes	Yes													115	60
Samoa									Yes						230	50
American Samoa	Yes	Yes				Yes			Yes						120	60
Sao Tome and Principe			Yes									Yes			230	50
Senegal			Yes	Yes	Yes										230	50
Serbia						Yes									230	50
Seychelles							Yes								240	50
Sierra Leone				Yes			Yes								230	50
Singapore							Yes								230	50
Slovakia					Yes										230	50
Slovenia						Yes									230	50
Somalia			Yes												220	50
Somaliland (Republic)			Yes												220	50
Sudan			Yes	Yes											230	50
South sudan (Republic)			Yes	Yes											230	50
Sri Lanka				Yes			Yes								230	50
Sweden						Yes									230	50
Swiss										Yes					230	50
Suriname			Yes			Yes									127	60
Svalbard						Yes									230	50
Eswatini													Yes		230	50
Syria			Yes		Yes							Yes			220	50
Tajikistan			Yes			Yes									220	50
Taiwan (Republic)	Yes	Yes													110	60
Tanzania				Yes			Yes								230	50
Chad				Yes	Yes	Yes									220	50
Czech Republic					Yes										230	50
Thailand	Yes	Yes	Yes												220	50
East Timor			Yes		Yes	Yes			Yes						220	50
Togo			Yes												220	50
Tokelau									Yes						230	50
Tonga									Yes						240	50
Trinidad and Tobago	Yes	Yes													115	60
Tunisia			Yes		Yes										220	50
Turkmenistan			Yes			Yes									220	50
Turks and Caicos Islands	Yes	Yes													120	60
Turkey						Yes									230	50
Tuvalu									Yes						230	50
Ukraine			Yes			Yes									230	50
Uruguay			Yes			Yes			Yes			Yes			220	50
Vanuatu									Yes						230	50
Vatican						Yes						Yes			230	50
Venezuela	Yes	Yes													120	60
British Virgin Islands	Yes	Yes													110	60
US Virgin Islands	Yes	Yes													110	60
Vietnam	Yes		Yes				Yes								220	50
Wallis and futuna (He is)					Yes										220	50
Yemen	Yes			Yes			Yes								230	50
Zambia			Yes			Yes	Yes								220	50
Zimbabwe				Yes			Yes								240	50

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