US to Ethiopia power adapters - do you need to bring an adapter to Ethiopia?

Power Plug Adapters

Benefits of a power plug adapter

• Simple to use.
• Cheap.
• Light and compact.
• Bringing a Type E plug adapter will work in Ethiopia.

Disadvantages of a power plug adapter

• Accomodation might only have one wall outlet, so you will only be capable of charging a single appliance at once.
• Should you intend to travel to more than just Ethiopia you may need to bring multiple plug adapter types.
• A single power adapter for each device - for every separate device or appliance you want to bring you will also need to use a separate adapter.
• Only modifies the shape of the plug to fit in a Type E Ethiopian power outlet and not the actual voltage used in Ethiopia, so if your appliance doesn't work with 220 volts and isn't dual voltage then you will still need to bring a voltage converter.
• You'll also still need to pack a separate domestic USB charger as well if you wish to power any USB device. [3] [AD]

Travel Power Strips

Benefits of a travel power strip

• Capable of charging more than one electronic appliance simultaneously via a single Ethiopian power outlet.
• Some models offer voltage conversation for low wattage electronics such as laptops or cameras. Therefore if your appliance isn't dual voltage it can still be used in Ethiopia by using a travel power strip, making them a cheap and lightweight alternative option to a voltage converter.
• Some models include multiple USB charge ports.
• Offers surge protection. Voltage from power outlets in certain areas might be unstable, a sudden power surge will damage devices. Some models have a built in surge protector to protect your electronics from being overloaded.
• It will be functional when you return to America as a power strip.
• US and Canadian power strips include Type A, B, D, E/F, G, H, I, L and N plug adapters so should work in Ethiopia.

Disadvantages of a travel power strip

• The converter on a travel power strip won't support higher wattage appliances such as hair straighteners or curling irons.
• Due to the size of a power strip it might be too bulky for hand luggage.
• Travel power strips might be excessive for travellers with only a small number of appliances and devices to charge. [6] [AD]

Travel USB Wall Chargers

Benefits of a travel USB wall charger

• Ideal if you only have to power USB devices.
• Rather than bring lots of domestic USB power chargers travellers only have to bring a single unit.
• Supplied with interchangeable adapter heads which make them useful in a large number of different countries. The interchangeable adapter heads are typically small and lightweight making them easy to pack in hand luggage.
• Offers surge protector built in.
• The charger could still be of use back home.
• Swappable plugs fit in Types A/B, E/F, G and I outlets so will work in Ethiopia.

Disadvantages of a travel USB wall charger

• Restricted to USB ports so you won't be able to power any electrical appliances, just USB powered ones. [7] [AD]

Universal Travel Power Adapters

Benefits of a universal travel power adapter

• Typical models work in over 150 different countries.
• An all in one compact design. Both small and lightweight.
• There are some models which include charging ports for USB devices.
• Relatively straightforward operation.
• There are some universal travel power adapters that include a surge protector built in, this will prevent any device from being overpowered by an unstable power grid in some countries.
• The pins retract so won't catch against other items when packed in your baggage.
• It will be functional domestically as a USB charger.
• Changes shape to Types A/B, E/F, G and I plugs so should fit into an Ethiopian power outlet.

Disadvantages of a universal travel power adapter

• Must not be used with high power appliances such as hair straighteners, kettles or hair dryers.
• Shutters and moving parts could be fragile on some universal travel power adapters which might make them prone to breaking when travelling.
• Only charges a single plug.
• Might not work in some countries; some adapters might not work in certain countries with less popular outlet types.
• Lacking a power converter means it won't be suitable for non-220 volt electrical appliances. [8] [AD]

Plug Adapter Sets

Benefits of a plug adapter set

• A set works out more cost-effective than purchasing individual plug adapter types.
• Covers all eventualities.
• If you are visiting multiple locations this is the most flexible option.
• Each power adapter set includes Type A, B, C, D, E/F, G, H, I, J, L, M and N plugs so should operate in Ethiopia.

Disadvantages of a plug adapter set

• Will involve some planning; you will need to decide which adapters to pack, if you don't know every country you'll be visiting you'll need to pack each power adapter in the set along.
• Lots individual plug adapters to bring with you.
• The remaining plug adapters will be useless and using up packing space.
• Not every power adapter types are typically included with each set (and especially less common adapters), so ensure that your set includes one that is compatible with an Ethiopian power outlet.
• A plug adapter only changes the shape of the plug to allow it to fit into an Ethiopian power outlet but not the voltage. [9] [AD]

Voltage Converters

Benefits of a voltage converter

• Step down voltage converters will let you to use any non-220 volt appliance with a 220 volt Ethiopian power outlet.
• A voltage converter has a built in surge protector to protect any device from being overpowered by an incorrect voltage.

Disadvantages of a voltage converter

• It will only change the 220 volts in Ethiopia and won't change the actual shape of the plug to slot into a Ethiopian power outlet, therefore you will still be required to use the correct type of power adapter.
• The weight of voltage converters makes them too heavy and bulky for packing in hand baggage.
• A voltage converter won't be useful when get back home.
• Usually less expensive to purchase a dual voltage travel appliance than to buy an expensive power converter simply in order to power your existing single voltage appliance in an incompatible location.
• When you travel from America go to Ethiopia then you will require a voltage converter as the voltage in Ethiopia is 220 volts.

Will a solar charger work in Ethiopia?

The climate in Ethiopia should be adequate enough to recharge solar power bank dependably, however it will need to be exposed to strong sunlight in order to provide adequate energy for a single charge. This might prove inconvenient to continually unpack a solar power bank and wait for it to recharge in sunny spells.

• The larger solar cells used on a solar backpack will give the backpack the ability to create more electricity within a shorter period of time and should also generate a smaller charge when cloudy, making them ideal for the climate in Ethiopia.
• A device that has been directly plugged into the USB charging port of a solar backpack can gradually recharge the power during sunny spells in Ethiopia, but might be inconvenient to have it continuously connected in the bag during the day should it be needed constantly. A normal power bank plugged in a solar backpack can be continuously recharged during the day, afterwards the phone can be powered up using the power bank without being attached to the bag.
• Although the sunlight in Ethiopia is strong, a bag should ideally have a solar cell efficiency of 22% or more, can generate a minimum of 6 watts of power and includes a power bank of 10,000mAH or stronger.
• Unlike normal solid solar panels, the flexible and durable solar cells used in solar powered bags have been built to endure bending and scratches. Solar bags are available in backpack, messenger and rucksack styles making them ideal for domestic, travel and work use.  [4] [16] [17] [AD]

Sources

• International Electrotechnical Commission - World plugs by location (cited August 2014)
• Wikipedia - Mains electricity by country (cited July 2014)
• Index Mundi - Power outages in a typical month (cited May 2018, data collected between 2006 to 2017)
• Index Mundi - Access to electricity (cited May 2018, latest data collected 2010)
• WikiPedia - List of countries by average yearly temperature (cited May 2018, data averaged between 1961 to 1990)

How to convert 220 volts to 110 volts

1. Use a step down power converter to allow you to use a 110 or 120 volt appliance with an 220 volt Ethiopian power outlet.
2. If the power converter doesn't include the correct shaped plug then it will also be necessary to plug in the power cord from the power converter into a power adapter for Ethiopia before plugging that into an Ethiopian power outlet.
3. Some power converters include the ability to perform both step up and step down voltage conversions, therefore it may be necessary to manually switch the converter to output the voltage to the 110-120 volt range.
4. Plug your appliance into the converter and turn the power on, your 110-120 volt appliance can now be used with an 220 volt Ethiopian power outlet. [10] [AD]

Will you only be charging USB devices?

• If you intend to pack USB powered electronics such as mobile phones or tablet computers for Ethiopia then we suggest just packing a travel USB wall charger.
• If you only use a simple power plug adapter you'll still need to use your domestic USB power charger as well. [7] [AD]

What types of electrical devices do you want to charge with an Ethiopian power outlet?

• There are 3 types of electrical devices or appliances:
  • Low wattage electronic items which can be plugged into a power outlet - for example a laptop.
  • High wattage electrical appliances which can be plugged into a power outlet - for example clothes irons and hair dryers.
  • USB devices that connect to a USB port - for example mobile phones or tablets.
• Should you only want to bring along just USB powered devices to Ethiopia then a travel USB charger is ideal as you'll only need to bring that single compact charger and some appropriate existing USB charging cables rather than needing to pack a collection of domestic chargers.
• Travel power strips are built for providing power and converting voltage for several low wattage devices, but won't work with high wattage appliances (such as hair straighteners) which need voltage conversion.

Will your devices work with 220 volt power outlets?

• Ethiopia uses 220 volts, if you travel from a country which doesn't use 220 volts and you don't have a dual voltage appliance (how to tell) then you will either need to pack a bulky power converter or a power strip with a built in power converter.
• It can be more expensive to buy a voltage converter rather than using a dedicated dual voltage travel appliance (for example a dual voltage hair dryer, clothes iron, hair straighteners or curling iron for Ethiopia) which is perfect for travel and often includes plug adapters.

Are you intending on visiting anywhere else abroad in the future?

• A USB charger with interchangeable heads or universal travel adapter can be reused for future trips to other countries.

Will the area of Ethiopia you are staying in have reliable access to electrical power?

• The power in Ethiopia could occasionally fluctuate which could cause damage to your devices, use an adapter which has surge protection built in such as a travel power strip.
• Due to Ethiopia suffering with power cuts or having limited coverage of electricity you might discover that whichever power charger you use won't work anyway. You can prepare for limited electricity and power cuts by using a portable charger or a solar backpack.  [4] [4] [16] [AD]