When traveling to the Philippines, you should be aware of electrical outlet types as well as the voltage and plugs available in the country. Most residents and business centers in the Philippines are using 220 volts A/C, 60 Hertz. However, some of the major hotels also have 110 volt A/C outlets, that is mostly used for air-conditioners. It is important to know what is the available voltage when using your equipment because using the wrong voltage is a sure way of destroying them.

Electrical Outlet Types and Plugs

In the Philippines, there are three electrical outlet types as well as the kinds of plugs and sockets. The Nema 1-15 USA 2 pin, Nema 5-15 USA 3 pin and the CEE 7/16 Euro plug. Most plugs and outlets in residential and business centers use the Nema 1-15 USA 2 pin, but some of them also have CEE 7/16 euro plug. The Nema 5-15 USA 3 pin, in turn, is commonly found in high-powered appliances and computers. But there are also available electrical outlets, sockets and switches that accept all of the three. These electrical outlets, sockets and switches are built to USA dimensions and fit USA sized wall boxes. The Nema 1-15 USA 2 pin has two flat parallel blades, while Nema 5-15 USA 3 pin has two flat parallel blades with a grounding blade.

They are both rated 15 A at 125 Volts. Nema 1-15 plugs are compatible with Nema 5-15 sockets, however, Nema 5-15 plugs are not compatible with Nema 1-15 sockets. Nema 1-15 and 5-15 are standard in Canada, the United States and Mexico. So if you came from North America, your plugs will fit,

but you will have to make sure that your equipment can handle the voltage, which is considered twice as high than they regularly use. On the other hand, CEE 7/16 euro plug is a flat, two-pole domestic AC power plug that is rated up to 250 Volts and currents up to 2.5 A. It can safely be used in domestic power sockets. If you travel to the Philippines and your appliance or gadget plug has a different shape (different from the available electrical outlet), you may need to get a plugadapter. Usually, these plug adapters are available in your hotel, some are free of charge and some can be rented.

Types of Voltage Converters 

Remember that when you travel to the Philippines and your device is not compatible with 220 Volts at 60 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter. There are three types of voltage converters that can be found in the Philippines. The first is the resistor-network converters that support devices with 50 to 1600 Watts. They are light-weight and support high-wattage electrical appliances like hair dryers and irons. They are only advised to be used for a short period of time and are not ideal for digital devices. Second is the step-up and step-down transformer that has a much lower maximum watt rating of 50 or 100. This transformer contains large iron rods and lots of copper wire. It can be used continuously and provides better electricity for low wattage equipment such as mp3 players, camera, laptop computers, radios, chargers, and camcorders. The third type of voltage converter is a combination converter that includes both resistor network and a transformer. It comes with a switch that switches between the two modes. This is the most convenient type of converter, you will no longer need to bring both in case you need both types of converter for your gadgets and the available electrical outlet. It is practical to get a plug adapter and a combination voltage converter especially when you travel a lot.

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