sending electrical appliance to Japan: need converter?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I want to send a CFL desktop lamp to someone in Japan. Total power consumption is rated at 25 watts.

 

The electrical system here in the US is 120 VAC, 60 Hz.

 

The eletrical system in Japan (Osaka specifically) is 100 VAC, 60 Hz.

 

Do I need to supply a power converter, or will this CFL be expected to function properly (if at reduced capacity)?

[Gary in Aus]

Mitch ,

 

I am sure you have your reasons why you would be sending a light to Japan and I can't answer how the light will perform in Japan.

 

Where was the lamp you are sending across made?

 

I can't prove it but I would suggest that japan is one of the leading ,if not the leading , cfl lamp maker in the world.

 

Can't source this particular lamp in Japan or something extremely similar?

 

A bit like exporting pineapples to Hawai or sheep to New Zealand

[yabadabapal]

Call an electrical parts wholesaler. Im thinking about it and Ive got a hunch but since Ive been somewhat electrically shocked 4 times last week, trying to repair a speaker system, you will probably be better off If I dont help.

[Ken H.]

I think it will work fine. Very little of North America is actually at 120 VAC at the home anyway. Anywhere from 112 VAC – 116 VAC is far more typical. The difference between the 100 VAC specificaton and 120 VAC spec. is within normal operation tolerances.

[ltljohn]

I have a friend in Japan I will email him.

[OoPEZoO]

It will work fine. I do quite a bit of battery charger testing for our products that go all around the world. Most products need to be designed for a pretty wide range of voltage inputs......including power surges, voltage dips, potential brownouts.....etc. In the case of something like a lamp (normal or CFL), if it wouldn't run at 100V AC, then it would never pass the standards set for 120V AC appliances. If it was heading to 230V land you would obviously have some issues, but the 100V in Japan should allow it to function just peachy.

[E30TECH]

I think it will work fine. Very little of North America is actually at 120 VAC at the home anyway. Anywhere from 112 VAC – 116 VAC is far more typical. The difference between the 100 VAC specificaton and 120 VAC spec. is within normal operation tolerances.

 

It will work fine as Ken stated.

 

I had no issues with my electronics while I was in Nagoya, however I didn't power a CFL