US Hairdryer voltage

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › US Hairdryer voltage

turb

880 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 135

#290676 27-Nov-2021 09:34

I bought a hairdryer off Amazon for my daughter.

Unfortunately it has a US plug, it's 110-120v and says "DO NOT operate this appliance with a voltage converter".

Is there anything I can do? Is the warning just a formality or is it for real?

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

Behodar

11209 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6236

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2820149 27-Nov-2021 09:53

A hairdryer is effectively a heater, which pulls a lot of energy. I suspect that a number of consumer-grade transformers won't be able to handle that amount of load. In short, the warning will be there for a reason.

NB: I'm not an expert.

rscole86

5002 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 467

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2820154 27-Nov-2021 10:01

Unless the hair dryer is worth a lot of money to you, then consider this a learning experience.
Hair dryers, hair straighteners, irons, heaters, etc etc are usually cost prohibitive to buy transformers for. If you're interested, check the wattage of your appliance, then find a transformer to match.

Technofreak

6695 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3554

Trusted

#2820157 27-Nov-2021 10:06

The best thing you can do with that is send it back or throw it away. Even if you find a transformer that works it will be a pain having to lug a relatively heavy item around if she takes it away but worst of all what happens if someone else picks it up to use it without realising it's 120v and plugs it into a 240 v socket. I know the plug will be different but there's plenty of adapter plugs lying around these days from all the parallel imported electronic devices.

For me at least the risks are too high of something going wrong through someone else being unaware of the wrong voltage.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

mkissin

402 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 391

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2820164 27-Nov-2021 10:25

nztim: Hairdryer is a sunk cost you will never get that $$$ back as its 120v

My house has a dual shaver’s socket like this https://www.pdl.co.nz/products/detail?CatNo=PDL675&itemno=PDL675WH&tab-document-1=0 which will work fine for hairdryer

Or Jaycar have some Voltage transformers which are like $40

Failing that you are SOL

Do not do either of these things.

Do you see the writing on that socket that says "shavers only"? It's because the maximum load on those sockets is about 20W. The hairdryer is probably anywhere from 800W through to 2000W. Best case scenario, you ruin your shaver socket.

The largest stepdown (240 -> 120V) transformer that Jaycar sells is rated for 500W (probably less than half what you need) and is $380

Cut the plug off the hairdryer and throw it out or recycle it. It's dangerous here.

nztim

4071 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2783

ID Verified

Trusted

TEAMnetwork

Subscriber

#2820166 27-Nov-2021 10:28

Just saw the pic more closely it says don’t operate with a voltage converter (its is probably due to the HZ rating) I am deleting my suggestion above and now suggesting to throw it out

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

turb

880 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 135

#2820171 27-Nov-2021 10:43

Bugger.

Thanks for the help, you guys rock.

Interests: HTPC, Web App authoring.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Mehrts

1112 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 984

Trusted

#2820172 27-Nov-2021 10:45

Yep, that warning is real.

For anyone wondering about purchasing electronics & electrical devices from the likes of Amazon, just make sure that the power supplies are rated for universal voltage input e.g. 100-240v 50-60Hz.

Typically these universal voltage ranges are only found on external AC to DC power supplies. i.e The brick style ones with the DC barrel jack.

Scott3

4187 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3003

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2820174 27-Nov-2021 10:49

As per the other comments, best bet is to write of the sunk cost of 110v hairdryer, and buy one that suits NZ voltage.

Hairdryers (basically being heaters) are cheap and draw a lot of power, making a transformer uneconomic.

Comment about not using voltage conversion is likely just the manufacturer trying to stop users from overloading small transformers, and to avoid people using other technologies like voltage choppers? (only seen one of those in person in my life):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/261271470822

(that's not a transformer like the title says.

Technically you could use a big transformer like this without issues (assuming the hairdryer has a universal motor that is fine on 50hz).

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001327395091.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001899409953.html

But including shipping it is getting up towards $400. (if it is a Dyson you could seriously consider this option)

It's black Friday sales at the moment. Can get a fairly high end hairdryer for cira $130. And no need to deal with a massive expensive transformer. And to boot a New Zealand hairdryer will likely be more powerfull than a USA one, due to differing power limitations on our sockets

https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/p/vs-sassoon-3q-hair-dryer/N136173.html

Travel hairdryers have a selective voltage switch, which changes the resistance of the element, as voltage conversion is uneconomic.

nztim: Hairdryer is a sunk cost you will never get that $$$ back as its 120v

My house has a dual shaver’s socket like this https://www.pdl.co.nz/products/detail?CatNo=PDL675&itemno=PDL675WH&tab-document-1=0 which will work fine for hairdryer

Or Jaycar have some Voltage transformers which are like $40

Failing that you are SOL

There is a reason that those shaver plugs have "shavers only" printed on them - they are only capable of supplying a fairly low current. No good for a hairdryer.

Basically the same deal with the $59.90 jaycar stepdown. it's rated for 50VA. A hairdryer will need around 2000VA (VA = Watts at a power factor of 1.0).

SpartanVXL

1529 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 675

#2820193 27-Nov-2021 11:36

If you ordered from amazon and it’s not opened yet, you can likely return it? Friend made the same mistake with a food processor from US amazon instead of AU but they were able to return it back.