Voltage Converters

I use a CPAP breathing machine when sleeping. Most of the voltage converters I've investigated are for short term use, rather than several hours of continuous use. Do the hotels we'll be staying at have converters available to loan to guests?

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  • edited March 2018
    I use a CPAP breathing machine when sleeping. Most of the voltage converters I've investigated are for short term use, rather than several hours of continuous use. Do the hotels we'll be staying at have converters available to loan to guests?

    No. It would be very rare that a hotel has any "converters." Unless your CPAP is a newer, dual voltage (120V and 220V) machine, you should plan on bringing your own converter. Are you sure your unit is not dual voltage? (e.g. "AC input: 100-240V, 50 -60 Hz") which you can manually switch or automatically switches voltage. If it has a separate power "brick", chances are it is dual voltage. There will be a label on the brick.

    Some hotels will have loaner "adapters" that physically convert a US plug to a European outlet but they don't "convert" the voltage. More and more European hotels these days have 110V or dual voltage outlets which you can use with an adapter to operate your CPAP, but these outlets may not be near the nightstand. Any that you will find in bathrooms, are typically designed for very low current devices like an electric shaver or tooth brush. Even if you could use a bathroom outlet you would need an extension cord. Any 110V or dual voltage outlets may not be near the nightstand, either, so the folks at Fodors and Rick Steves recommend taking a 15' extension cord. p.s. If you haven't traveled with a CPAP before, read what it says about airlines and security on the various travel sites.

    How many amps does your CPAP draw? - it will say somewhere on the spec label, e.g. 120V / 1.5 amps or may show wattage instead (volts X amps = watts.) e.g. a device that operates on 120 volts and uses 800 watts draws 6.6 amps. Suitable converters should be easy to find.

    Hopefully someone else who has traveled with a CPAP can answer your question.
  • This is important. I would call all the hotels and ask them about the locations of outlets in the rooms and speak to Tauck too so that they are aware of this in advance. One thing about Tauck tours, there isn't much time for sleep anyway!
  • If it's not a dual-voltage device, it still might not function correctly with a converter.

    Devices with timing circuits using the AC as a reference signal, and motors, will run slower than designed on 50 HZ AC if made for 60 Hz AC. This is why a 120V/60Hz hair dryer should never be used in the 50 Hz world, even with a voltage converter. The motor runs slower and the airflow across the heating coil could cause overheating and possibly a fire.
  • I use a CPAP breathing machine when sleeping. Most of the voltage converters I've investigated are for short term use, rather than several hours of continuous use. Do the hotels we'll be staying at have converters available to loan to guests?

    My husband uses a dual voltage CPAP machine and we have made many trips with it. He has used it in hotels, river cruises and ocean cruises without any problems. We have found that all he needs is an adapter. Also we learned the hard way back in a hotel in Ireland in 2012 that an extension cord was needed. So now my husband always carries an extension cord just in case the outlet is not convenient to the bed. This has happened a few times. If your CPAP is a newer model most likely it is dual voltage.

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