I have the power!!!

[greenflash]

Uh, question that is. What kind of power (220 A/C, 120 A/c) and plugs do you have there on the island? Do you need transformers or just plug adapters for small appliances (hair dryer, coffee maker)?

http://www.speakeasydesigns.com/richter/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/heman_orko.jpg

[okisteve]

Offbase the power is 100 volts, 60 cycles. The outlets usually don't have a ground pin so you either need to get an adaptor or just break off the pin on the plug.

I have not found any 115 volt appliance that doesn't work just fine on 100 volts, by the way. Something like a window a/c or fridge will be less efficient though.

[DoctorP]

Clocks will run a bit slower. Hairdryers, clippers, radios are all fine. If you have an expensive tv or pc, check to ensure that it is auto voltage switching, and what the range is. If it goes from 100-220 (or even 100-120) then you are fine. If not, buy a transformer.

[okisteve]

Clocks will run a bit slower.


Doc - that's just Okinawa Time.

Almost every electric clock is either quartz-based or has a synchronous motor. So any clock meant for 60-Hz will keep the right time here. (For a long time I thought that the power here is 50 Hz. It actually is in the northern part of Japan. Weird, huh?)

[Blues]

The outlets usually don't have a ground pin so you either need to get an adaptor or just break off the pin on the plug.

I wouldn't recommend trying the above suggestions because the ground wire is an important item to protect the safety of the electronics. A connection to ground helps limit the voltage built up between power circuits and the earth, protecting circuit insulation from damage due to excessive voltage.

Granted, your items may run fine, but you run the risk of having your stuff seriously damaged if a power over or under surge occurs. It may operate weird or quit completely.

That's my offer of advice on the table.

[okisteve]

A connection to ground does not help protect electronics in the event of a surge. I hope whatever unit of the military taught you that uses surge protectors.

The physical ground wire for appliances is used (in the US and most of Europe, but apparently not often in Japan) so that if the "hot" side of any power circuit accidentally contacts a part of the appliance that a human is likely to come into contact with, it will pop a fuse or breaker and thereby warn of a problem. (In the USA the other side of the 115 volt line is the neutral connection, which is also grounded at the service entrance.)

Washing machines here have green ground pigtails, but few other appliances. In Japan, possibly the neutral (on a 200-volt curcuit) is not grounded. Maybe that's how they get away with it, but I never really checked into it.

And now you know!

[hankypanky]

Doc - that's just Okinawa Time.

Almost every electric clock is either quartz-based or has a synchronous motor. So any clock meant for 60-Hz will keep the right time here. (For a long time I thought that the power here is 50 Hz. It actually is in the northern part of Japan. Weird, huh?)

it's funny steve, friend of mine from japan is an electrician and says that they sell different appliances in north japan than in the south, 50 hz to 60 hz. can't take em with ya unless you have a trans. guess they still do it too.

[Blues]

Actually we step it up a notch and use uninterrupted power supplies, line regulators, filters, etc.

My main point (if not understood the first time) is: don't plan to use items that are designed with a ground cord and jerry-rig it. I've personally seen the effects of equipment not grounded and the effects. You run a higher risk.

[Asshat]

it's funny steve, friend of mine from japan is an electrician and says that they sell different appliances in north japan than in the south, 50 hz to 60 hz. can't take em with ya unless you have a trans. guess they still do it too.

Because the Okinawa grid used US supplied generating equipment and stayed with it. According to a friend of mine, some of this equipment is still in use today. (Post WWII era stuff)

Use a transformer on anything over a few amps-anything with a motor for example. Solid state equipment using micro-circuitry does fine with it's own internal regulators-generally 5-10 VDC.

Good luck running grounds on old homes without them.

[hankypanky]

i believe some of the major app. have a switch to go from 50-60, but i was talking about the southern part of japan and northern part being different, which i guess could be because of the majority of bases in the south..!?

[Asshat]

i believe some of the major app. have a switch to go from 50-60, but i was talking about the southern part of japan and northern part being different, which i guess could be because of the majority of bases in the south..!?

yeah most of Japan's stuff does have the switching ability. yeah, I was tryign to point out that anywhere there was occupation forces, there were power generating stations that used 60hz.

[okisteve]

yeah most of Japan's stuff does have the switching ability. yeah, I was tryign to point out that anywhere there was occupation forces, there were power generating stations that used 60hz.

Whatever the reason (and the occupation connection does make sense), what is really weird is that a first-world country would not have moved to standardize it long ago. I haven't seen any 50/60 switches on any appliances here though. As I said, only things like synchronous clocks would need them.

[DJ Tak]

I know the OP was typed up a few months ago, but now that I am fully settled I can say what works in my place (4 year old building)

Things that work 100% without a transformer

Computers
Video game consoles
televisions
major consumer electronics (camcorders, cameras, anything that recharges)

Things that don't work

microwaves
hair dryers
iron
older model component stereo units
bread machine
toaster (basically all kitchen appliances)

[Blues]

Things that work 100% without a transformer

Computers
Video game consoles
televisions
major consumer electronics (camcorders, cameras, anything that recharges)


The reason why these things work is because of the rectifier located with the power supply of the electronic item. A rectifier converts the 100+ V AC into 5+ DC. This is the how many electronic items can operate 110~220V (as listed.)

[hankypanky]

Whats a rectifier? Sounds like it hurts:cursing:

[okinawa]

I've got the power hey yeah heh
I've got the power
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
I've got the power
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
Gettin' kinda heavy

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

Like the crack of the whip I snap attack
Front to back in this thing called rap
Dig it like a shovel rhyme devil
On a heavenly level
Bang the bass turn up the treble
Radical mind day and night all the time
Seven to fourteen wise divine
Maniac brainiac winning the game
I'm the lyrical Jesse James

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
I've got the power
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah
Gettin' kinda heavy
I've got the power

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh
I've got the power

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

Quality I possess something I'm fresh
When my voice goes through the rest
Of the microphone that I am holdin'
Copywritten lyrics so they can't be stolen
If they are snap
Don't need the police to try to save them
Your voice will sink so please stay off my back
Or I will attack and you don't want that

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh

I've got the power

[P_chan]

I feel like I'm in electronic principles class gain:scared:

[Oki alumni]

I've got the power hey yeah heh
I've got the power
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
I've got the power
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
Gettin' kinda heavy

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

Like the crack of the whip I snap attack
Front to back in this thing called rap
Dig it like a shovel rhyme devil
On a heavenly level
Bang the bass turn up the treble
Radical mind day and night all the time
Seven to fourteen wise divine
Maniac brainiac winning the game
I'm the lyrical Jesse James

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
I've got the power
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh yeah
Gettin' kinda heavy
I've got the power

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda heavy

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh
I've got the power

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic
It's gettin' it's gettin' it's gettin' kinda hectic

Quality I possess something I'm fresh
When my voice goes through the rest
Of the microphone that I am holdin'
Copywritten lyrics so they can't be stolen
If they are snap
Don't need the police to try to save them
Your voice will sink so please stay off my back
Or I will attack and you don't want that

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh

I've got the power
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's gonna break my heart
He's gonna break my heart of hearts
He's got the power oh-oh-oh-oh

I've got the power

Can ya do that in binary? Preferably (but not necessarily) in the key of B Flat?

-Oki Alumni:old:

[SGT_OKINAWA]

Just my .02 worth:

I'd not risk a PC, Stereo or expensive TV, etc, on “if a”, “could a”, “would a”, “should a” but hey that is just me...

And here is a link:

Japan step up / step down transformers (http://www.traveloasis.com/japan-transformers.html)

Even in the USA, I use an UPS (Continuous power supply, i.e batteries feed the PC and the wall outlet feeds the batteries) one for my PC and one for the wife's PC.

And yes, you can rely on the PC power supply to "step down" the power because that is what it is doing it is stepping down the power from 110 A/C to 12 Volt DC. Yes you can plug a cigarette lighter into you PC power supply, with some splicing and all, however make sure the UPS is a “true seine” power supply, or some PC’s power supplies will not work. Anyhow I digress…

Agree blow dryer, toaster, etc, have to have the full 110 to operate, that is why his list is split above, any “high voltage item, needs the full amount and don’t have internal voltage regulation devices, there is no “circuit board and such” in a blow-dryer.

Anyhow, who would want to risk it?

Back in 1996, I had a 35" TV go out, we lived on the 3rd floor of an apt building we did'nt use a transformer, that thing is heavy and about killed me and my father in-law.

OH and the “clock” statement is TRUE! Yet the other way around, we have a Japan provided (when we purchased a cell phone) cheap digital clock, that has run FAST here in the USA and it worked fine off base.

Peace! :army: