The Dominican Republic power converters

What does a power converter for The Dominican Republic do?

Power converters for The Dominican Republic allow travellers to use a 220, 230 or 240 volt electric appliance with a 110 volt Dominican Republic power outlet.

Also known as: electrical converter, electrical transformer, voltage converter, power transformer or voltage transformer.

What is the difference between a power converter and a power adapter?

An expensive and bulky power converter converts the voltage of 110 volts from a Dominican Republic power outlet to work with a non-110 volt appliance, but a more lightweight and cheaper power adapter (or plug adapter) will change the shape of the plug on your appliance to slot into a power outlet found in The Dominican Republic. [3] [AD]

Do I need a power converter for The Dominican Republic?

When you are travelling to The Dominican Republic from another country ensure that your device will accept a 110 volt power supply.

  • You will need a step up power converter if you are travelling from a country that uses 220-240 volts and your appliance or device is incompatible with 110 volts. Read the WikiConnections world power outlets guide to find out which voltage is used in your country.
  • You won't need a power converter if you are already using either a single voltage appliance that works with 110 volts or one that supports dual voltage.
  • Devices which originated from another country which use a higher voltage such as 220 volts and used in a 110 volt power outlet may take longer to charge or won't power up. If your device does not power up or charges slowly when you are travelling to The Dominican Republic from another country check that it will work with a 110 volt power supply or you will need to bring a step up power converter.
  • You don't need a converter if you are attempting to power a smaller electrical device such as a mobile phone or laptop as these are typically designed for international use and support dual voltage, however please always check the device for dual voltage support first.
  • For supplying power to high wattage appliances or generate heat (for example curling irons or hair dryers) then you will need to use a much larger higher wattage heavy duty power converter.
  • It should be more cost effective to bring a robust lightweight dual voltage travel appliance than bringing a heavier high wattage power converter just to use your existing domestic appliance.
  • Read these travel guides on travelling with curling wands, clothes irons, hair straighteners and hairdryers with a Dominican Republic power outlet which includes advice for affordable dual voltage alternatives.  [4] [5] [AD]

Will I need a power converter if I'm travelling to The Dominican Republic from the US?

You won't need to bring a power converter because the voltage in The Dominican Republic is in the same 100-120V range as America. [3] [AD]

What converter do I need for The Dominican Republic?

You need to use a step up power converter to use any 220-240 volt appliance in a 110 volt Dominican Republic power outlet. [4] [AD]

What is the difference between a power transformer and a converter?

Voltage converter

What is the difference between a power transformer and a converter?

Converters and transformers are both used to change one voltage to another, but this ambiguity can cause confusion as their purposes are different:

  • Power converters are designed for simple electrical appliances which typically generate heat or use motors such as clothes irons, shavers or hair dryers. Transformers are designed for more complex electronic items such as televisions or games consoles.
  • Buying a power converter is cheaper than buying a power transformer.
  • Power transformers are larger and heavier making them more suited for permanent residential use; for example an expat wishing to use an imported television would need to use a transformer for this purpose.
  • Power converters are more suitable for travellers wishing to bring domestic appliances abroad such as hair dryers or flat irons. However, it is more practical and cost effective to purchase a dual voltage appliance designed for travel rather than a heavier power converter.
  • Power converters are suitable for 2 pin ungrounded appliances, it could be harder to find a converter if you want to use a grounded 3 pin appliance.
  • Transformers can be used constantly however it is recommended that converters are used for no longer than a couple of hours at a time.
  • Shops may sell transformers under the name of converters, for the purposes this guide we will be referring to both converters and transformers as converters.

How to convert 110 volts to 220 volts

  1. Use a step up power converter to allow you to use 220, 230 and 240 volt appliances with a 110 volt Dominican Republic 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 The Dominican Republic before plugging that into a Dominican Republic 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 from 220-240v.
  4. Plug your appliance into the converter and turn the power on, your 220-240 volt appliance can now be used with a 110 volt Dominican Republic power outlet. [4] [AD]

What voltage does The Dominican Republic use?

The Dominican Republic uses 110 volts in their standard power outlets. [2]

https://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/
What voltage is my device?

Single voltage hair straighteners

What voltage is my device?

A simple way to see if your appliance is either single or dual voltage is to check for numbers printed on the supplied charger or on the device itself, normally near to where the power cord goes. The location might vary depending on the make or model of your device but should also state on the box or in the instruction manual.

  • Single voltage devices might have a specific number - such as 110V.
  • Single voltage devices could also say a small voltage range (20 volts difference) with a dash to accomodate small voltage fluctuations - such as 100-120V.
  • Dual voltage devices will typically say a larger voltage range separated with a slash - such as 100/240V.

  1. Wikipedia - The Dominican Republic Wiki page.
  2. iec.ch - International Electrotechnical Commission World Plugs
  3. Power converter - Heavy-duty power converters are designed to convert voltage levels between different electrical standards, shifting between 110V/120V and 220V/240V with both 50Hz and 60Hz, often incorporating safety features such as fuse protection and circuit breakers..
  4. Step up power converter - Step-up power converters are engineered to convert lower voltage outlets of 100V/120V to higher voltages of 220V/240V, enabling the use of appliances designed for higher-voltage environments in lower voltage countries..
  5. Heavy duty power converter - Heavy-duty power converters robust voltage transformation capabilities for designed for high-wattage devices, making them best suited for appliances like kettles and hair dryers that consume a significant amounts of power..