Korean Job Discussion Forums

Generic88 · Joined: 23 Sep 2010

I was wondering about how feasible it is to take my tower to Korea with regards to power usage. Do I need to get some sort of adapter and plug it into a surge center? Or can you buy a plug that you can just plug into your computer and into a standard surge center. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Generic88 · Joined: 23 Sep 2010

I'm coming from the US to Kwangju. Unfortunately my power supply does not have the 220 switch that you mentioned, but I was wondering if it would be cheaper to just by an adapter.

Giant · Joined: 14 May 2003 Location: South Korea

rather just buy a new power supply.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

noky · Joined: 14 Jul 2010 Location: Yeongcheon

Not all power supplies still have switches. I know my old PSU was made to handle 100-240 (Silencer 470) but it didn't have a switch. Just read it the label and check the voltage ranges.

Mokpo_Wookie · Joined: 24 Sep 2010

geldedgoat · Joined: 05 Mar 2009

I brought my US desktop with me and just had to buy a new power cord (not a whole new power supply). The cords here have the same female plug but a different male. It was alot simpler than I thought it would be.

Giant · Joined: 14 May 2003 Location: South Korea

Then you were lucky you had a powersupply that (I assume) auto sensed the voltage. Persoanlly I have not seen any like that though.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

emjay · Joined: 28 Sep 2010

Do you need your desktop, or just the info on the desktop's hard drive? Will you be taking a laptop too?

If so, I recommend removing the HDs and getting an external enclosure. It essential turns your desktop's internal hard drives into portable hard drives.

You can save yourself a lot of packing headaches that way and "simplify, simplify" by stream-lining your possessions.

blawrensen · Joined: 08 Feb 2009

On the back of the computer's power supply, it is required to have a power rating. For example it might say: 100-240VAC, 50-60 Hz, 350W. Many laptops now come with the 100-240VAC rating for traveling, which is convenient. Also, many electronics manufacturers provide power supplies for cameras, mp3 chargers, phone chargers, etc. that are "universal voltage" so you only need a plug adapter and not a transformer. In fact, I brought three US Power strips from the US and then purchased Korean power plugs to wire on the end (I cut off the US Plug) and now have US Power strips. THE USER MUST REMEMBER that these US outlets in this power strip are STILL 220 VOLTS, but I have trained my family about this. I thought about spray painting the powerstrips orange or something as a reminder, but we haven't had any problems because we always check when we buy a new electronics item, preferring the universal voltage for electronics.

My Linksys Router had a universal power supply, so it can plug in to my US power strip, as can my computer speakers' power supply, our MacBook and Dell laptop power supplies, and my USB Hub power supply. So read the voltage range printed on the power supplies to see if they are 110V only or 100-240V universal voltage. We brought a cordless phone from the US, and I couldn't find one there with a universal power supply. So here in Korea, I ordered the same low voltage (5VDC, 350mA) supply with 220V Korea plug input) from Gmarket for 12,000 KRW.

For appliances, I don't bother using 110V items here, except for the clothes dryer (hard to find a 220V electric clothes dryer). Buy your blow dryer and curling iron and clothes iron here, rather than using a transformer. It is ironic that our school's photocopiers are not universal voltage or made with a 220V power supply, but our school has 10 copiers, made for Korea, but all of them have 110V power supply and a big transformer has to be used for every one.

If you have a power supply that says 100-240V, you can just use an adapter plug and don't need a transformer. Or rather than an adapter plug, go to an electrical store and buy a Korean style cable for about 5000 KRW. If your power supply says 100-120VAC, 60 HZ, etc., then I agree with the post to buy a new PC power supply here. Most PC shops will change this in 10 minutes for you once you get here for 10,000 KRW plus the cost of the power supply (under 50,000 KRW). Or you can do it yourself; there are online tutorials including youtube to show you how to replace your power supply. It is just unplugging and plugging some cables and usually four screws to hold the power supply to the case.

Kryten · Joined: 10 Nov 2008

I'm taking my Korean built desktop back to Canada. I just opened the unit up to take peak at my Raptor brand power supply since there's no voltage switch on the back. It states 230Vac, 60Hz and also "Caution: select the right voltage!"

If I remember correctly, the US and Canada are on 120V. So I'm guessing I can't plug this in back Canada without a transformer, correct?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

shutterbugguy · Joined: 16 Mar 2010

Go to newegg dot com and look for a Power Supply like this one: APEVIA ATX-CW500WP4 Then open up the case and just swap out the power supply. Search youtube for how to replace computer power supply and there are videos showing how to do it.

This costs about $40, and the one I suggested has a 110/220V switch so if you travel abroad again, you just flip the switch for the other voltage.