yet another thread about stepups/stepdowns moving between the UK and the USA

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ok, i know there are already some threads about this here somewhere, but my searching skills aren't up to finding any of them. this time i'm mostly interested in moving from the UK to the US. if we want to use things like our UK printers in the US, i presume that we need some kind of "step up", analogous to the stepdown that we use for our US printer in the UK - is this right? if so, does anyone have any experience of this - is it just as easy as going the other way has proved to be?

also, more generally, if we're unsure as to which country we're going to be in longterm, is there an advantage to buying electronic devices compatible with one system rather than the other (other than the obvious economic ones)? i'm thinking for example of things like food processors - i can imagine that these might not work so well with stepup/downs, but i'm wondering if they work better with one than the other.

― toby, Monday, 7 May 2007 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I thought this was going to be another thread about washing machines and tipping.

― Alba, Monday, 7 May 2007 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

sorry!

― toby, Monday, 7 May 2007 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

I could help you out here, if I was clever.

I use a mixture of devices with various adapter, no problems to speak of.

Where are you moving?

― admrl, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:11 (nineteen years ago)

Im trying to remember, but Im quite sure its not a huge problem for small stuff like cellphones, ipods etc when going UK -> US because the voltage is less, not more, so no POP even without a transformer. IIRC cellphones will just charge a lot slower.

If you want a transformer you do need a step-up transformer. You can get small, easy to carry ones for small wattage appliances but for anything bigger I think you have to get one of those gigantic inductrial looking things that cost a bundle and seem impossible to lug around.

My advice is to buy new stuff. How often to you plan to jump back and forth between UK and US (How is the DHS even letting you do this??)? Remember, stuff here is a gazillion times cheaper than in the UK. I mean, do you really need a food processor?

― sunny successor, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:24 (nineteen years ago)

*industrial*

― sunny successor, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

My ipod, dv camera, external HD and wife's laptop are all UK and run both places without problems. Get one of those food processors you can hang around your neck on a chain. Always good for a quick smoothie in the departure lounge if you're a transatlantic jet-setter like me.

― admrl, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Some electronics' power supplies (like my laptop) have dual voltage capabilities. They will be labeled with info like "Input: AC 100 - 240 V ~ 1.5A 50-60 Hz". Then all you need is the plug adapter to go from UK stylee to US. Things that have a high power draw (electric kettles, microwaves, hair dryers) are less likely to adapt and are generally better bought locally because the cost of a step down transformer for each can get prohibitive. These higher power things take longer to heat up on our weedy US power, and that's regardless of whether you bought it local or are using it with a step down transformer.

― Jaq, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

In all seriousness, we also don't know which country we would settle in "long-term", but if you're going to be here for a couple of years it's worth looking for a bargain printer, etc. and just writing it off rather than buying for an uncertain future. Or failing that, something that will have resale value. At least, that's the way I tend to think. I could probably be wrong, though. I mean, we bought a brand-new car and I'm fairly sure we wouldn't take that back to London!

― admrl, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

oh! Also don't forget that if you are moving for work (which I think you are?) and are filing taxes in the US next year, keep all your receipts (UK ones too) because you can claim all "moving expenses" back. Makes all these decisions a lot easier!

― admrl, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

you can claim moving expenses??? plane tickets? transporting animals?

― sunny successor, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

yes. yes. $$$$$$$

― admrl, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

If you are moving more than 200 miles (check that, could be less) for a job and you keep it for like 8 months, you can claim lots of moving expenses (no meals though) - storage, shipping, cost of movers to pack up your stuff, hotel rooms (1 night), etc. And, this is separate from doing the long form schedule A stuff, so even if you don't have enough to do that bit, you can still claim moving expenses.

― Jaq, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry for starting this thread and disappearing - I kind of forgot we had to go get a flight! Thanks a load for all the advice, especially the stuff about taxes - that's very useful indeed, I didn't know it at all! I guess it sounds like we'll not bother about moving anything electrical that doesn't have a transformer built in - it was pretty much just printers (which do indeed seem to be very cheap) and my old amp, anyway.

Oh, we're moving to Chicago, btw.

― toby, Wednesday, 9 May 2007 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

When you cash your euros for dollars you will most certainly need to use a stepdown.

― Aimless, Wednesday, 9 May 2007 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

ummmm...euros?

― admrl, Wednesday, 9 May 2007 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

I live in an ideal world.

― Aimless, Wednesday, 9 May 2007 20:43 (nineteen years ago)

Portland? I know, I've been there. You are a very lucky old man.

― admrl, Wednesday, 9 May 2007 20:43 (nineteen years ago)

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