GBA HELP! Can we charge in USA?

[SammieG]

we bought a Gameboy Advance SP today for my son (thinking it would be easier to buy it here and use it in the USA...?) But looking at the charger.. it says we can only use it in the UK... is it not multi-voltage?

has anyone used theirs over in the USA? or will we have to buy ANOTHER one to use in the USA?!

many thanks

Sammie x

 

[AndRu]

Fear not! We took two Gameboy Advance SP's over to the USA in February and used a simple plug adapter like this one:

It's available from Maplins over here but I would think you'd also find 'em in luggage shops or hardware stores. We plugged the adapter into the USA mains and then the GBA power adapter into this. We used a similar method to recharge our mobile phones and video camera batteries with no ill effects.

Just get one of these travel adapters and your GBA will be fine

 

[SammieG]

thanks for your reply!

yes we have those for the phones and other bits and bobs we usually take with us.. its more the voltage - the power adapter we have says 240v... and cant you only use 110v in the US?

I am assuming yours didnt blow up then!?

 

[Bexx]

Nothing will blow up! It may just take a lot longer to charge. You can always buy a step-up? voltage converter, though it makes one more thing to pack!

 

[DisneyBB]

We bought ours in Walmart as it was $ for £ in price. When we were there in Feb they were $69.99 each. So quite a saving. We bought a separate charger for charging in the UK.

 

[AndRu]

Nope - they didn't blow up! Neither did the UK GBA's when fed by an offical US charger that came with the GBA SP we bought in America.

You'll be fine, honest!

Oh, make sure you visit Wallmart or Electronics Boutique (Florida Mall) as they're sell GBA games at virtually HALF the prices of the UK. Brand new games over there cost around $30 (£18). The 2nd hand games are even better value between $5-$15 allowing you to build a nice collection!

We bought a brand new GBA SP for my daughter and 8 games (new & 2nd hand) for the equivalent of £89. Seeing as a new GBA SP over here costs around £65 on its own the USA prices are bargains!

 

[SammieG]

thanks for the tips! Yes virtually all our games come from Canada when my husband is on business.. they are even CHEAPER there!! They are the same in CAN$ as in US $ and is 3:1 canadian $ound! So.. they are virtually paying us to take them away!!!!

 

[tartangirl]

We bought a voltage adapter in the US that worked a treat.

We bought it from the electronics outlet at Beltz Annex 1 - cost about $10.

We plugged the voltage adapter into the wall, then the plug adapter into the voltage adapter and finally the gameboy plug into the plug adapter - was a bit of long chain but it worked.

 

[SammieG]

thanks for your help!!

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Take it back and buy a nintendo DS instead plays all old GBA games - quality superb.

 

[paulh]

will the uk charger for GBA SP charge up the DS if so we will get our DS in the states
Paulh

 

[Tron[ADS]]

will the uk charger for GBA SP charge up the DS if so we will get our DS in the states
Paulh

I wouldnt have advised doing this, but someone else has already stated that it will work, but charges in double the time. The reason I wouldnt advise it is that once the AC signal becomes DC within the charger, it will be at half the voltage it should be, so the device will automaticaly draw more current than it would normaly do so to try and bring itself up to its required voltage at the regulator/output stage....this could push a component to self distruct, especialy after pro-longed usage. It is of course entirely possible that these psu's are designed for multi-voltage, but not stated as such.

I certainly would not advise anyone use a US charger in the UK without a suitable voltage convertor. Doubling the designated voltage causes much more of a problem than supplying it with half the voltage.


The cheapest option to purchase a new one, is to buy the console in the US, and on your return, buy an aftermarket charger for about a fiver (mine was a fiver at makro but they are the same price with free delivery from gameplay.co.uk). A fiver being cheaper than a 15 quid or so voltage convertor from Maplin.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

Can't help as we never had the SP, but I believe all DS are universal now, there isnt a version for each country. If not I think you can buy adapters on ebay.

 

[paulh]

thanks just checked there web site and the charger is for SP and DS so our uk SP charger will charge up the us DS
Paulh