There is no worldwide standard for the voltage that comes out of your wall outlet, so world travelers have been forced to rely upon a series of converters to handle the problem. Even when the plug fits, if your device is designed to be used with a different voltage than it receives, it may fail — either benignly shorting or spectacularly melting. European devices operate on 230 volts, while their American counterparts operate on 120 volts. Although sometimes the word inverter is used in this context, an inverter technically converts direct current (DC), such as from a battery, to alternating current (AC), used by most electrically powered home devices. An inverter is not needed for converting between voltages from a wall outlet. Tips Warnings Writer Bio
