Cyprus is located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and if a tourist would want to spend some time there, knowing the standard voltage, electrical outlet, and plug used in this country will really be helpful. Through this information, a tourist in Cyprus would be able to avoid problems in the use of electronic gadgets or appliances. There would also be no problems regarding safety and convenience. In Cyprus, the standard voltage is 220-240 volts while the primary electrical outlet type is Type G British BS-1363.

If a tourist would want to use his or her electronic gadgets and appliances that have a voltage of 110-120 volts in Cyprus, a plug adapter and a step-down transformer would be needed. For small electronic gadgets like hair dryers and curling irons, a plug adapter and voltage converter is required. For other electronic gadgets and appliances like laptop computers, battery chargers, and radios, a step-down or step-up transformer will be useful. In cases wherein the plug of the electronic gadget or appliance is not compatible with the shape of the electrical outlet, there are adapters that could be easily purchased. Adapters alter the shape of the plug so that it could be used together with the electrical outlet.

Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin Plug, Electrical Outlet, and Adapter

Type G plug

Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin also has a receptacle end that is compatible with most household plug types, except the Type M South African SABS1661 (Old British BS-546 Large) plug. The plug end is a British BS-1363 13-amp type. For the adapter, the live and neutral pins are 4 x 6 x 18 mm apart, with the grounding pin measuring 4 x 8 x 23 mm. With the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin adapter, a tourist could use his or her appliance or electronic gadget in Cyprus. The plug of this Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin is polarized and grounded but not fused. The Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin electrical outlet and plug has a British 3-pin rectangular blade used widely in Cyprus that has a protective fuse inside to protect cords from high-current circuits and, most of the time, the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin electrical outlet includes a safety switch.

Type G outlet with fuse

Another name for the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin plug is the 13-amp plug and for safety reasons Cyprus requires electrical outlets in households that use the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin to have shutters over the live and neutral connections of the electrical outlet. In the insertion of the longer earth pin from the plug, the safety shutters of the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin are opened. The shutters are also present to prevent the use of incompatible plugs made to other standards in Cyprus. However, there are cases wherein the safety shutters of this electrical outlet could be opened through a screwdriver in order to insert Type C plugs. But then, the usage of Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin outlet along with another kind of plug is not recommended because these plugs do not have a fuse. The regulation about the safety shutters and fuse is then followed in Cyprus and all the other countries that use the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin electrical outlet and plug like the United Kingdom, England, Ghana, Grenada, Macau, Malta, Malaysia, Qatar, Saint Vincent, Saudi Arabia, and Scotland.

Type G adapter

With all the safety measures and features of this plug and outlet, it is considered as one of the safest in Cyprus, even the world. However, with all its features, this type of plug is bulky and cumbersome. Some people claim that the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin plug is mostly bigger than the appliances they are connected to but if tourists would want to use their electronic gadget or appliance in Cyprus, then they must have a Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin adapter. Although the adapter would not change the voltage used, it will enable the plug of the appliance or electronic gadget to be inserted to the electrical outlet used in Cyprus. In terms of compatibility, the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin electrical outlet will work together with the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin plug and adapter in Cyprus. For the electrical outlet, the Type G British BS-1363 British 3-pin sockets are not compatible with other types of electrical outlet.

Voltage Converters and Universal Adapters

Combination Voltage Converter

In using an electronic gadget or appliance that has a different voltage requirement than the 220-240 volts of Cyprus, the best way is by using voltage converters such as resistor-network converters, transformers, and in some cases the combination of both. The resistor-network converters to be used in Cyprus are usually advertised to support as much as 50-1600 Watts and are just ideal to use for short periods of time. The resistor-network converter is also not recommended for digital devices like laptop computers however it is great for lightweight electronics like hair dryers and irons. If a tourist would want to use a laptop computer or charge batteries for camera, mp3 players, camcorders, and radios in Cyprus, the ideal voltage converter would be a transformer which lowers maximum watt rating.

Transformer

It could be used for long periods of time in Cyprus but is a little bit heavy because of the large iron rods and copper wires. The last kind of voltage converter in order to use electronics in Cyprus that are not compatible with the electrical outlet present in Cyprus is the combination of a resistor-network converter and transformer. Most of the time, there is a switch that enables the changing of modes from resistor-network converter to transformer, depending on the tourist’s needs in Cyprus. Moreover, there is a universal adapter that is compatible to almost any kind of plug and electrical outlet. The universal adapter is the best choice when selecting adapters to bring for one’s trip to Cyprus or to other countries.

Universal Adapter

Most appliances and electronic gadgets made in the United States of America (USA) have a voltage of 110-120 and using it directly on a 220-240 electrical outlet in Cyprus would cause damage to the appliance or electronic gadget, to the extent that it might get totally fried or might even cause a fire. These voltage converters and adapters will be very handy if a tourist plans a trip to Cyprus and intends to bring along some gadgets that require a particular voltage.