ELECTRICITY IN IRELAND
Using Electrical Equipment in Ireland
It is important to note that the power supply in Ireland and the UK (which includes Northern Ireland) is quite different from that in the USA and that the plugs and sockets used are different from those in both the USA and the rest of Europe.
Electricity Supply Information
Voltage Frequency Plug/Socket
Ireland & UK 230v 50hz 3 square pins
Most of Europe 230v 50Hz 2 round pins
USA 120v 60hz 2 prongs
About Voltage & Frequency
Why does all this matter? Well, primarily because connecting things to a socket with a different power supply can cause equipment to burn out!
Electrical equipment is designed to be used at a specific Voltage (measured in volts) and Frequency (measured in Hertz), which will be mentioned on a name plate attached to all electrical items.
If you connect 120 Volt equipment to a 230 Volt supply:
The current delivered to the equipment will go up almost 100% and the result will be dangerous, hot and catastrophic for the equipment - pretty much instant burnout!
If you connect 60 Hertz equipment to a 50 Hertz supply:
The current goes up too, because the cycle is shorter, but not so dramatically - about 17%. Most equipment can deal with this for a while so it may not appear to cause any immediate problems, but it will lead to a slow burnout of equipment in the long term.
Another effect of using 60hz equipment on a 50hz supply is that it will run more slowly. Anything with a timer, such as a clock radio, will lose 10 minutes an hour - not good if you are relying on it to wake you up in the morning!
Electrical Adaptors, Converters and Transformers
If you are bringing electrical equipment from the USA to Ireland you will need one or other of these, and because these can be so confusing, we will look at each in turn.
Plug Adaptors
Plug adaptors do not change the electricity supplied to equipment, they simply allow it to be plugged in to a different type of wall socket or outlet.
Choose an adaptor if:
The equipment you are using supports dual voltage and dual frequency. If it does then a plate on the equipment will state something like "120/240v, 50/60Hz".
Most laptop computer and battery chargers are dual voltage, so all you will need to use them with a different supply is a plug adaptor.
Power Converters
Power converters step down the voltage from 240V to 120V, allowing equipment which is not dual voltage to operate at the voltage for which it was designed. Converters do not alter the frequency at which electricity is delivered and they are not designed for continuous use, 1-2 hours at a time is the maximum advisable.
Choose a converter if:
You wish to use common electrical equipment which is not dual voltage, such as hairdryers, irons, fans etc.
All hotels and most other accommodation in Ireland will have a two-pin 110V to 120V plug for shavers in the bathroom, which will accept an American style plug and allows 120v shavers to run safely, so if a shaver is all you are bringing you need no additional equipment.
Power Transformers
Power transformers will also step down the voltage and they are specifically designed to be used with "electronic" equipment, that is equipment which is powered by a chip or a circuit rather than a mechanical motor. They alter the voltage of electricity reaching such equipment to a safe level and can be used continuously, or at least for much longer periods than a power converter.
However they are both heavy and expensive and are overkill unless absolutely required.
Choose a transformer if:
You wish to make extensive use of electronic equipment such as a DVD player, a computer or printer or a television that does not support dual voltage.
Note that transformers nor converters only change the voltage supplied to equipment, they do not alter the frequency of the electrical supply. Thus long term use of equipment with either a converter or a transformer may damage it.
Please Note:
110v outlets (from a Transformer) are available in the villas at Adare Manor and we also supply 110v Transformers to guests on request.
