Vietnamese laptop in the US??
August 18, 2011 7:31 PM Subscribe
I need a laptop from Vietnam to work on US outlets....I'm talking long term use. Is it possible to change the power cord, or is it strictly a power converter, and if so what?
The laptop is Sony Vaio model VPCSB16FG. I'm used to using American appliances overseas via converter, but not the other way around. It's a Vietnamese 2 round prong outlet that needs to work in a standard US outlet.
The laptop is Sony Vaio model VPCSB16FG. I'm used to using American appliances overseas via converter, but not the other way around. It's a Vietnamese 2 round prong outlet that needs to work in a standard US outlet.
Most of the laptops power adapters are made with a detachable end that goes into the wall. You should be able to remove that and switch it to one made to fit US outlets.
posted by advicepig at 7:41 PM on August 18, 2011
posted by advicepig at 7:41 PM on August 18, 2011
Response by poster: Disclaimer: I'm a laptop/power voltage idiot.
So if I go to Monoprice and type in Sony Vaio, and this comes up, then it should work?:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022806&p_id=7673&seq=1&format=2
Are laptop power cords somewhat universal? In that you can stick any ole laptop power cord into any random laptop and expect it to work?
posted by texas_blissful at 7:59 PM on August 18, 2011
So if I go to Monoprice and type in Sony Vaio, and this comes up, then it should work?:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022806&p_id=7673&seq=1&format=2
Are laptop power cords somewhat universal? In that you can stick any ole laptop power cord into any random laptop and expect it to work?
posted by texas_blissful at 7:59 PM on August 18, 2011
Mr. Roboto has it. As long as the power brick says "110-220v" or something like that, and all modern electronics I know of say that, you don't need anything but a $3 adapter from radio shack. I suppose you can switch cords too, but then you're carrying two cords around for no good reason.
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:21 PM on August 18, 2011
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:21 PM on August 18, 2011
Are laptop power cords somewhat universal? In that you can stick any ole laptop power cord into any random laptop and expect it to work?
Sorry, no. Generally there are two specifications: the voltage, and the current. The voltage provided by the brick and the voltage needed by the computer must match.
Thee current that the brick can provide has to equal or exceed the current required by the computer.
If the brick voltage is too low, the computer can't use it. If it's too high, there's a danger of destroying the computer.
If the brick current is too low, the computer will shut off during heavy use. (If the brick current is too high, everything is fine. The computer will just not draw as much as the brick can supply.)
The voltage is labeled in "volts". The current is labeled in "amperes" or "milliamps".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:23 PM on August 18, 2011
Sorry, no. Generally there are two specifications: the voltage, and the current. The voltage provided by the brick and the voltage needed by the computer must match.
Thee current that the brick can provide has to equal or exceed the current required by the computer.
If the brick voltage is too low, the computer can't use it. If it's too high, there's a danger of destroying the computer.
If the brick current is too low, the computer will shut off during heavy use. (If the brick current is too high, everything is fine. The computer will just not draw as much as the brick can supply.)
The voltage is labeled in "volts". The current is labeled in "amperes" or "milliamps".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:23 PM on August 18, 2011
I probably should have added that most computers, and most bricks, operate at 12 volts. But there are exceptions. Some use 6 volts, and some use 24 volts.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:24 PM on August 18, 2011
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:24 PM on August 18, 2011
Best answer: texas_blissful, I looked up your Sony Vaio model, and the specifications I found online state that it shipped with either the Sony VGP-AC19V36 or the Sony VGP-AC19V42 AC Power adapter (look at your adapter and confirm that this is correct; let us know if it is something else). So, good news, both of these power adapters appear to accept 100-240V, 50/60Hz and output 19.5V and both will work with standard US power if you use the correct cord from the wall outlet to the adapter. Take a close look at your power adapter, you should be able to unplug the cord that goes from the wall to the adapter. The plug on the cord and the inlet on the adapter that the AC cord plugs into should either be a C5/C6 plug and inlet or a C7/C8 plug and inlet.
If your current AC power cord has a C5 plug, you want to replace the AC cord with a three prong 5-15P to C5 AC cord ($1.77 from Monoprice). This cord has one end that is a standard US 3-prong plug and one end that looks like "mickey mouse ears".
If your current AC power cord has a C7 plug, you want to replace the AC cord with a non-polarized 1-15P to C7 AC cord ($1.17 from Monoprice). This cord has one end that is a standard US 2-prong plug and one end that looks like a "figure eight".
If all of this makes you nervous, I'm pretty sure that if you contact Sony support that they'll be happy to help you. Just tell them your notebook model number, explain that you want a US power cord for it, and I'm fairly certain that they'd be happy to sell you an appropriate cable (although they'll probably charge you way more than Monoprice).
posted by RichardP at 10:09 PM on August 18, 2011
If your current AC power cord has a C5 plug, you want to replace the AC cord with a three prong 5-15P to C5 AC cord ($1.77 from Monoprice). This cord has one end that is a standard US 3-prong plug and one end that looks like "mickey mouse ears".
If your current AC power cord has a C7 plug, you want to replace the AC cord with a non-polarized 1-15P to C7 AC cord ($1.17 from Monoprice). This cord has one end that is a standard US 2-prong plug and one end that looks like a "figure eight".
If all of this makes you nervous, I'm pretty sure that if you contact Sony support that they'll be happy to help you. Just tell them your notebook model number, explain that you want a US power cord for it, and I'm fairly certain that they'd be happy to sell you an appropriate cable (although they'll probably charge you way more than Monoprice).
posted by RichardP at 10:09 PM on August 18, 2011
Pretty much any consumer electronics product with an external AC/DC adapter made after about 1999 will run on any voltage / frequency you will encounter around the world. Anything made today absolutely will. The way to be certain is to read the label on the adapter - it'll say something along the lines of "110/220V 50/60Hz."
(as an intern back in the 90s I often blew up PCs destined for European markets when I forgot to flip the switch from 220V to 110V when testing here in the US.)
posted by MillMan at 10:21 PM on August 18, 2011
(as an intern back in the 90s I often blew up PCs destined for European markets when I forgot to flip the switch from 220V to 110V when testing here in the US.)
posted by MillMan at 10:21 PM on August 18, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mr_roboto at 7:38 PM on August 18, 2011 [1 favorite]