How to convert pc.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Hi everyone. We are just wondering if anyone from the UK has brought their desktop pc over to the US with them. If so, how did you go about converting it? I know we can change the power supply, but is there anything else we would need to consider? Ours is just a year old now....and I would hate to not be able to use it.

[PlatyPius 5]

1. Locate switch on power supply (if equipped) that changes from 220V to 110/120V.

2. Flip switch

3. Plug in US style power cord.

4. Turn PC on.

Bring your keyboard if you plan on continuing to use a UK keyboard. Maybe bring a spare, too. Otherwise, you'll have to get used to the US keyboard layout. Those are the only differences - power requirement and keyboard.

Edited June 14, 2008 by PlatyPius

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

1. Locate switch on power supply (if equipped) that changes from 220V to 110/120V.

Ok...I don't seem to have one of those. I can see where it probably should be...but its not there.

Now what?

[william_wallace 8]

Hi everyone. We are just wondering if anyone from the UK has brought their desktop pc over to the US with them. If so, how did you go about converting it? I know we can change the power supply, but is there anything else we would need to consider? Ours is just a year old now....and I would hate to not be able to use it.

What your after is a voltage converter or transformer. If your in the States you probably can get them from Circuit City or in the UK get it from Maplin. If you google " Voltage converter " you will get plenty of info on where to buy.

Good luck

[PlatyPius 5]

Hi everyone. We are just wondering if anyone from the UK has brought their desktop pc over to the US with them. If so, how did you go about converting it? I know we can change the power supply, but is there anything else we would need to consider? Ours is just a year old now....and I would hate to not be able to use it.

What your after is a voltage converter or transformer. If your in the States you probably can get them from Circuit City or in the UK get it from Maplin. If you google " Voltage converter " you will get plenty of info on where to buy.

Good luck

That has to be the worst advice I've ever seen. Power "converters" are unstable and an unnecessary expense. A new power supply is probably about $40. Depends on your PC, obviously. How much is that power convertor? Also, as mentioned, power convertors are stupid here in the US. It's like trying to enlarge an image that's 300 pixels to 1200 pixels....you can do it, but it loses all of its quality and definition. Stepping up AC voltage is pretty much the same.

Just get the power supply. It'll keep you from frying your computer due to fluctuating AC voltage.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

So just a new power supply should fix the problems then? Glyn knows how to do that as he built his first pc so if that is all we need to do we should be all set.

[william_wallace 8]

Hi everyone. We are just wondering if anyone from the UK has brought their desktop pc over to the US with them. If so, how did you go about converting it? I know we can change the power supply, but is there anything else we would need to consider? Ours is just a year old now....and I would hate to not be able to use it.

What your after is a voltage converter or transformer. If your in the States you probably can get them from Circuit City or in the UK get it from Maplin. If you google " Voltage converter " you will get plenty of info on where to buy.

Good luck

That has to be the worst advice I've ever seen. Power "converters" are unstable and an unnecessary expense. A new power supply is probably about $40. Depends on your PC, obviously. How much is that power convertor? Also, as mentioned, power convertors are stupid here in the US. It's like trying to enlarge an image that's 300 pixels to 1200 pixels....you can do it, but it loses all of its quality and definition. Stepping up AC voltage is pretty much the same.

Just get the power supply. It'll keep you from frying your computer due to fluctuating AC voltage.

Whats you going on about " the worst advice I've seen " I bought mines for less than $40. It worked perfectly.

[PlatyPius 5]

Whats you going on about " the worst advice I've seen " I bought mines for less than $40. It worked perfectly.

Oh, just 10 years of computer hardware experience.....

[coatsy 0]

I would advise against the voltage converter as well

buying a new power supply will be a far safer and more efficient option (the reason some UK power supplies don't have the switch is due to optimizations for the UK grid)

One caveat, if you have a branded pc (dell, HP etc, double check it actually takes an ATX format power supply, some of them have this awful habit of using proprietary form factors for certain components, including the PSU)

Good luck

I'm currently pulling my main workstation apart and working out how to fit it, and a 24" LCD into my hand luggage! lol

[PlatyPius 5]

I would advise against the voltage converter as well

buying a new power supply will be a far safer and more efficient option (the reason some UK power supplies don't have the switch is due to optimizations for the UK grid)

One caveat, if you have a branded pc (dell, HP etc, double check it actually takes an ATX format power supply, some of them have this awful habit of using proprietary form factors for certain components, including the PSU)

Good luck

I'm currently pulling my main workstation apart and working out how to fit it, and a 24" LCD into my hand luggage! lol

Aye. Being only a year old, it could be a BTX as well.

So.... what kind of computer is it?

[Ban Hammer 12,899]

Whats you going on about " the worst advice I've seen " I bought mines for less than $40. It worked perfectly.

Oh, just 10 years of computer hardware experience.....

i'll second that and toss in my 19 years worth of computing experience on that.

as the computer will more than likely stay in the usa, it's worth getting a new power supply and ending the hassle of a transformer. transformers do btw use power even if the computer isn't turned on. costwise over time, it's best to swap out the power supply.

now if the computer was going to be here in the states, or if the situation was reversed, go overseas, in both cases for less than 3-4 years, then a transformer could be a worthwhile deal.

Edited June 14, 2008 by charlesandnessa

[coatsy 0]

Whats you going on about " the worst advice I've seen " I bought mines for less than $40. It worked perfectly.

Oh, just 10 years of computer hardware experience.....

i'll second that and toss in my 19 years worth of computing experience on that.

as the computer will more than likely stay in the usa, it's worth getting a new power supply and ending the hassle of a transformer. transformers do btw use power even if the computer isn't turned on. costwise over time, it's best to swap out the power supply.

now if the computer was going to be here in the states, or if the situation was reversed, go overseas, in both cases for less than 3-4 years, then a transformer could be a worthwhile deal.

Right,

except that most US power supplies still have the voltage switch, meaning you could use it in the US and abroad with far less hassle, so it might make sense to get a US one anyway

[Ban Hammer 12,899]

Whats you going on about " the worst advice I've seen " I bought mines for less than $40. It worked perfectly.

Oh, just 10 years of computer hardware experience.....

i'll second that and toss in my 19 years worth of computing experience on that.

as the computer will more than likely stay in the usa, it's worth getting a new power supply and ending the hassle of a transformer. transformers do btw use power even if the computer isn't turned on. costwise over time, it's best to swap out the power supply.

now if the computer was going to be here in the states, or if the situation was reversed, go overseas, in both cases for less than 3-4 years, then a transformer could be a worthwhile deal.

Right,

except that most US power supplies still have the voltage switch, meaning you could use it in the US and abroad with far less hassle, so it might make sense to get a US one anyway

that's very true about the us models, however: my first ccmputer in 1988 i'd bought from gateway. while it had the switch, the gateway reps admitted to me they didn't test them for 220. i wound up with a faulty power supply and since then i've alwyas used a transformer while overseas. (just make sure you have a polarity tester). that was the last gateway i ever bought as they gave me a real difficult time about sending me a power supply to replace the one i had. i'd paid cash for the ocmputer and didn't have a credit card at the time. i've never forgotten that fiasco with them.....

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

But guys, by power supply you guys mean the whole unit - right?

It's fairly possible that although the OP's computer doesn't have a switch, it can be used with 110. if they look at the info supplied with the computer, or around the back of the computer, it's quite common to find the input AC as 100-240v or 110-220 or similar. In that instance the OP only needs a new plug or a plug adaptor, no?

[PlatyPius 5]

But guys, by power supply you guys mean the whole unit - right?

It's fairly possible that although the OP's computer doesn't have a switch, it can be used with 110. if they look at the info supplied with the computer, or around the back of the computer, it's quite common to find the input AC as 100-240v or 110-220 or similar. In that instance the OP only needs a new plug or a plug adaptor, no?

No, the power supply is a smallish box of wires, fans, transformers, and such within the computer case.

As for using the 220V computer with 110.... Would you want to try it with YOUR computer? I wouldn't. $40 for a power supply sounds like cheap peace of mind to me.

However, even if the voltage range allows for it, you need to check the Hz rating. UK and USA are different. I would think that a power supply would only work within a certain Hz range (unless there was a switch allowing you to activate a different set of resistors, diodes, and such inside the power supply.)