August 17, 2004
-
This electrical plug-in has been the bane of my existence since my wife returned from England. It is 230 volts and a converter is $86 and I’m not sure the store can get one. The attached hair dryer is a $25 item. The problem! My wife, bless her heart, loves this thing. “It is the best hair dryer I’ve ever had.” I’ve hunted all over to look for a converter with no luck. There are travel converter kits but they don’t do this job because of the high wattage. I guess it is nice to have a problem like this when you think of all the problems in Florida now or the many other things that I have had to deal with in my lifetime. Still, it is aggravating. Here is another photo of the darn thing.
Comments (7)
Dear Vex,
I probably shouldn’t volunteer this information but I work in the electrical industry as a control panel designer. If I knew the NEMA spec. of the type of plug you are showing, my company can build a box with a receptacle for the plug, and a transformer inside the panel to convert the 120VAC common two wire voltage to 230V single phase 3 wire. Only problem, would be that I’m talking about at least a $1000.00 panel wholesale that would be about 30” x 30″ x 16″ in size, to give heat dissipation to the transformer. I would need to know the amps from the hair dryer. I already have the volts. Then I could determine the VA needed for the xfmr. The best solution is an American hair dryer. LOL.
Yours truly ,
Michael F. Nyiri,poet,philosopher,fool, and electrical designer.
Try looking on eBay for transformers. We used to have a 1000 watt one in the UK to run our Brit appliances, hairdryer included, and they could be bought there for around $25. We accidentally brought one back with us in our household goods when we returned stateside – and couldn’t even GIVE it away at a yard sale. (We no longer have it or I’d send it to ya). Surely there are other military families or foreigners who have one to sell for cheap.
But it’s strange that a hair dryer doesn’t have a 220V/110V switch on it. You could just flip the switch and rewire for a new 110V plug. Keep us posted.
Why Vex, I had NO IDEA you had a Mrs!
Sometimes, the perfect hair dryer is a woman’s best friend.
Sweetheart, sweetheart, what a sweetheart you are!
I do hope that the one I marry would have a heart big enough to bother searching for some unnecessary thing I may seem to “love”… This post is probably one of the most surprising ones that I’ve read my entire xanga life.
Only because few males I’ve come across here talk about going out of their way for their special someone. Therefore, you have the absolute best of my wishes. I’m very glad that chances allowed an electrical designer to be the first to comment today! 
Maryanne
P.S. Thank you kindly for your subscription. I’m honored, indeed.
interesting.
Best of luck!
yea, when i moved fromt he old country i ended up buying a few 1000 w transformers. Start hunting!