For most appliances, here is a general rule.

1. If the device has an AC motor, it may have an issue with the frequency.

- Mixer, Washer/dryer, fan blower etc.. might have an issue

2. Most modern electronics without moving parts (with exceptions)
.. TV, Stereo, DVD player, computer, monitor etc are less likely to
have a problem.
These things may have moving parts, but usually they are DC
powered.

Obviously there are exceptions and other factors involved, but this
should do it.

For TVs etc, you may want to check the tuner for local standards.
NTSC/PAL etc.. (most new/HD sets work with almost every standards)

You find 110-120v in North America and just a couple of other places (like Japan). 220-250v is standard in the rest of the world (Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, etc).

The voltage is usually over a range, in the 220-250 range. How it is described varies from country to country but the allowable range tends to be the same. The voltage drops the further you get from the substation, but the higher the voltage the less you lose on the way. You must have an awful lot of substations in the US.

Switches on the outlets are a UK standard as well, just like in Malaysia and elsewhere. So if small children stick something in the outlet they don't get killed by the shock as a number each year are in other countries. We think it's a good idea.

The various television systems described in the posts above are as follows (in order of both introduction and quality) :

NTSC (American) : Never Twice the Same Colour
SECAM (French) : System Essentially Contrary to the American Method
PAL (UK) : Picture At Last


Most places that came to colour after all three were available chose PAL. The US system did of course have the issue of having been first, which the others could then improve on. When Socialist Eastern Europe went colour in the 1970s they chose SECAM deliberately (one of the few to do so) so the sets could not receive PAL transmissions from adjacent West Germany, etc.

Regarding shipping stuff round, I did this some years ago with a friend shipping items from Canada to the UK. Many were fine with a transformer, but the record player was useless as it turned at 5/6 of expected speed UNTIL I found there was an adaptation inside where a rubber drive band could be moved, this was obviously how the manufacturer made one unit to cater for all markets. So each item has its own challenges. We had two transformers but no frequency converter.

Among other difficulties a radio with presets didn't work because although the FM frequency band for radio is the same, the "steps" between frequencies are different (0.2 MHz in Canada, 0.3 MHz in UK). I expect your coffee pot will be fine (ours was), drill and saw will run a bit slower but probably acceptable, computer fine, TV very little chance.

If you have several items you may want to bring a US-standard extension cable with multiple outlets which you can plug into the transformer and then plug multiple items into it, as US-standard multi-way connections are of course unobtainable elsewhere. Some of the transformers on the market also have multiple US-standard outlets on them to cater for this.

Regarding DVDs you will run into the issue of Region Codes, imposed by the manufacturers to prevent DVDs being shipped round the world in a way their marketing department does not want. Your US DVD disks put into an Australian-purchased player would probably come up with "Wrong Region Code" and be unplayable. We have this problem with Russian-language DVDs, only available in Russia, being unplayable on our DVD here in London. For some reason laptop DVDs do not have this control so you can play anything in them.

and it allows you to carry more energy over thinner conductors.

This discussion brings a question to me. In North America the electrical system is 120/240v where you get 120v with a hot conductor and the neutral and 240v between two hot conductors of the opposite phase. So in a residence the larger electrical loads (Electric ranges, water heaters, clothes dryers, HVAC etc) run on 240v. I sort of assumed that those types of appliances might use a higher voltage in the nominal 230v countries. I was in a store in the UK and I looked at the back of some of the larger aplliances and saw a 230v rating plate on it. Do countries with 230v electricity have any sort of similar systems to the 120/240v system in North America?

edited to add: I am asking about residential service. We do not need to get into commercial service, three phase etc.

Generally the power lines run to the residence are also 3 Phase. Generally
only one phase makes it to the home, but on request, they offer multiple
phases in many countries. Rare, but not impossible.

I can't think of anything for residential use that uses a power feed
over 220-250volts.

As cpx had already mentioned, there are, generally, no residential-use one-phase devices that operate on a voltage level above the 220~240V level.

The dual 120/240V residential feed in North America arises strictly from the inadequacy of its primary power supply voltage (120V) for modern needs. In the 1950-1960s, most of Europe went through a conversion process from 110~120V to 220~240V, while North America did not.

I have never heard of a US residence getting 3 phase electrical power but I guess it happens (the grow-lamp people or large apartments). Usually its 2 legs of the 3 phases. There is 3 phase coming in the neighborhood so your neighbors may be getting different phases than you. I guess you could run extension cords and experiment but I would not recommend it. Basically it is much more efficient for the power companies to transmit 3 phase (or six phase)electrical power than only a single phase.

MisterNice

I know of one residence with 3 phase power. For a kiln, not grow lamps

If you really really really need 3 phase at many residential locations in Australia, you can pay your utility A$$$$$$ and a few weeks later you'll have around 415v at your place...

3 Phase 415v is also available in the UK but is normally only installed in factories for large industrial machines etc. Because the domestic supply is double the US voltage in the first place there is no need to have this sort of arrangements for anything you would have in the home.

Speaking of unusual voltages, the London Underground, like many underground/subway systems worldwide, runs on 600 volts DC. However whereas all other systems supply this at +600v through the power rail just outside the running tracks, returning through the running tracks at zero potential, in London there is a separate fully insulated negative in the centre of the tracks (those of you into these things may have noticed there are 4 rails rather than the usual 3 in London). Furthermore the 600 volt supply is at +400v in the outer power rail and -200v in the centre rail. There are a number of technical reasons for this unique method, starting with some unusual electrolysis corrosion problems the Underground is liable to in various places.

I think our poor Original Poster, who just wanted to run their television, might be getting a little lost by now !

Most electronics say 100-240v/50-60Hz. If it specifically says 60...then it is probably 60. You don't necessarily need plug adaptors -- when I moved to the UK from the USA 15 years ago, I just got new "power bricks" for most of my devices from the manufacturers. In a number of cases, I just wrote to them and they sent me them for free!

Nonetheless, I sold a LOT of electrical stuff when I moved. And as other posters noted, forget clocks -- they will run slow since they are based on the current alteration.

First of all, thanks for all the replies ^

I believe I've come to the conclusion to sell off our TV and dvd players. It's just not worth the hassle and potential aggrevation if they do malfunction. I think we might buy a multi-region dvd player here in the US if I can find one that accepts 110-240V/50-60Hz. Maybe a portable one.

As far as other electrical stuff, my thinking is that I'll sell off everything that we use on a daily basis. So, f.ex. the coffee maker and hair dryer probably won't come with us, simply to avoid the hassle of having a voltage converter as a permanent fixture on the kitchen/bathroom counter...

For a bunch of the other stuff that's only used on occasions, I think we will bring most of it and I will buy at least a couple of voltage converters with some US power strips, so I can hook it up when it needs to be used.

Most of my computer stuff is good for 110-240V/50-60Hz, except for my printer which for some reason on the back says 50-60Hz, but only says 115V ... ?

We also have some re-chargeable stuff, like dustbusters, baby-monitors and cameras and such-like that require DC, typically 12V.

• How easy/cheaply can I buy new power cords, with the correct DC "brick", that will plug into an OZ wall outlet and with a DC plug that will fit my dustbuster etc. ? (Maybe at a Radio Shack type of store)

I have a $20 multi-region DVD player and it works on 100-240V. Not sure
where I bought it from,.. it could either be from buy.com/newegg or Radioshack.

I think thats a good idea. Heating elements draw a lot of current and getting
a transformer for that would be heavy and expensive.

You might want to get a large transformer for general stuff. That should cover
most of your small items that run on 110-120volts. You can easily put your
power strips through this transformer.

chances are that printer does not accept variable voltage.

This can go on the same transformer + power strips. You could get small
power converters for convenience and portability, but if you are moving
there.. I'd say just use fixed permanent transformer(s) with higher capacity.

You can get a small power adapter with variable input and output voltage, but you are better off
using original adapters with a step down transformer/powerstrip.

here's an example:

http://welectronics.com/dvd/pioneer/DAEWOO5900.SHTML

That site also has some adaptors, transformers, etc...

Ran a washer/dryer for six years on 110/50. No problem (other than the cycles on the washer will be a little longer Even bought a spare motor for each just in case, but never needed them. Machines lasted another 5 years after returning to the US. I think we got at least 25 years out of those two.