Vanuatu is an island nation located in the Southern part of the Pacific. Any person visiting this country must know some basic information like the standard voltage, electrical outlet, plug, and adapters used in the place.

Indeed, using an electronic gadget or appliance in Vanuatu would be a lot safer and more convenient if a traveler is already prepared with the adapters at hand. The voltage used by appliances and electronic gadgets in Vanuatu is 220-240 volts while the primary electrical outlet type is the Type I Australian AS-3112.

Using an appliance or electronic gadget in Vanuatu that have a 110-120 V would require a plug adapter and a step-down transformer. For smaller gadgets like hair dryers and curling irons, there are also other types of voltage converters. The same goes for other electronic gadgets that a tourist will likely use in Vanuatu. Some of these are laptop computers, battery chargers, mp3 players, cameras, and radios.

Type I Australian AS-3112 Adapter, Plug, and Electrical Outlet

Type I plug and outlet

The Type I Australian AS-3112 electrical outlet and plug is commonly used in Vanuatu and other countries in the Pacific area. It is the standard in most houses in Vanuatu and it is also slightly similar to the Chinese CPCS-CCC and the Argentine IRAM electrical outlet. These three sockets are interchangeable and are classified under the unofficial “Type I” category. This plug in Vanuatu features a grounding pin and two flat prongs that form a V-shape. Moreover, the receptacle end of this Type I Australian AS-3112 can accept any standard household plug type in Vanuatu except the Type M South African SABS1661, also known as the Old British BS-546 Large plug. The blade contacts of the Type I Australia AS-3112 are 6.5 x 1.6mm with a phase and neutral blade angled at 30 degrees to vertical at a nominal pitch of 13.7mm. This standard plug of Vanuatu is also polarized and grounded. However, there is also an ungrounded version of the Type I plug that only has two flat V-shaped prongs, but the electrical outlet is always three-pinned.

Type I adapter

The Type I plug has other variants that include 15 A, 20 A, 25 A, and 32 A. Most of the time, during travels, people carry with them their laptop computers, cameras, mobile phones, and mp3 players. The batteries of all these must be charged through an electrical outlet and when the plugs do not match, an adapter that is compatible with the Type I outlet must be used. Aside from Vanuatu, other countries that use the Type I Australian AS-3112 are Argentina, China (mainland except Taiwan), Papua New Guinea, Uruguay, Fiji, and Tokelau (the Union Islands).

Type I Non-grounded Plug

Type I Grounded plug

Voltage Converters and Universal Adapters

Combination Voltage Converter

If a tourist wants to use his or her gadget in Vanuatu, the best way is by using voltage converters such as resistor-network converters, transformers, and in some cases the combination of both. 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 Vanuatu would cause damage to the appliance or electronic gadget, to the extent that it might be totally fried out or  might even cause a fire. These voltage converters and adapters will be very handy if a tourist would plan a trip to Vanuatu and intends to bring along some gadgets that require a particular voltage. There is a switch that enables the changing of modes from resistor-network converter to transformer, depending on the tourist’s needs in Vanuatu.

Transformer

The resistor-network converters to be used in Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu, the ideal voltage converter is a transformer which lowers maximum watt rating. It could be used for long periods of time but is a little bit heavy because of the large iron rods and copper wires.

Universal Adapter

The last kind of voltage converter in order to use electronics in Vanuatu that are not compatible with the electrical outlet present in Vanuatu is the combination of resistor-network converters and transformer. There are certain adapters that would fit particular plugs and these could be bought in hardware stores or electrical outlets in Vanuatu or before heading there. Another is that there are also universal adapters that could be used with any type of plug and electrical outlet, may it be in Vanuatu or another country.

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