Power Changer

Power changers are used in regulating the amount of energy a specific device may receive or need. These devices plug into the outlet or power supply and then convert the electric voltage to the proper amount needed. They are very useful and also needed when traveling form one area to another, such as the US to Europe.

Most power changers are known as SMPS, which is short for switched mode power suppliers. These include the PSU (power supply unit), which provides the power to the device, and a circuit inside that controls how much electricity is actually flowing out. This controlled flow is what helps convert the current to something actually usable to your specific device. Say you went to Europe with your U.S. made TV.

If you tried to plug the TV into the socket, your TV would fry. Europe uses 210 V outlets, whereas the U.S. uses 110 V outlets. On the flip side, if you were heading to Japan you wouldn’t need a changer, as Japan uses the same voltage for outlets as the U.S. SMPS are typically used as they are cost effective and also can provide a steady stream of electricity to your device. However, they are also sometimes classified as being on the chintzy side, as they sometimes operate somewhat inefficiently.

There are a few different types of SMPS:

  • DC to DC
  • DC to AC, which can be called a inverter
  • AC to DC, which is also known as a converter
  • AC to AC

“AC” is short for alternating current, and “DC” is short for direct current.

You can also use the power changers to be able to charge your appliances using your car’s 12 V DC electricity to AC so you may charge your laptop, DS, PSP, or other portable device on the go. These plug directly into your car’s “cigarette lighter” and convert the energy for use with standard 110 V appliances. If interested in buying one of these, i would suggest checking out TigerDirect’s power changer section of their website. They also have devices are capable of storing energy if you need to be able to charge something without any avaible sockets around, such as their portable USB charger.

There are two main types of power changers: standard power changers and universal power changers. While standard power changers simply convert one type of current to another (i.e. European to US), universal changers can convert from a larger number of different currents. While these are more useful, they are also more costly.

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