answer to geopoliconomic question
The answer to the geopoliconomic question I posted the other day is:
Orange areas use 100-127 V electrical systems, while blue areas use 220-240 V electrical systems. The map is a simplified version of the map found here.
This is important to us because almost all our consumer electronics stuff that we have here won't work in New Zealand. Some things such as wall warts and battery chargers may accept 240 V, but we'll need a few plug converters (the plug shape is diagonal / \ instead of vertical | |). Other things, such as any appliance with an AC motor, won't work. My desktop computer has a switch on the back of the power supply to change the accepted voltage; I just need a new power cord which I'll be able to buy there. Similarly, Amy's Mac Mini has an external power supply which we'll have to replace once we get there too.
We recently received formal confirmation by letter that our application submission has been accepted by New Zealand Immigration. Since I do not have a New Zealand job offer yet, our application is in the slow queue and they are estimating up to four months before our application is assigned to a visa officer, and then up to a further three months after that. However, the current processing times bulletin shows that they only have a two month backlog on skilled migrant applications. Futhermore, we don't have any special circumstances like existing medical conditions or criminal convictions that might make our application take longer to process, so my best guess is we will receive approval around april.
April would put us in New Zealand near the end of summer in the southern hemisphere. We had hoped to get there earlier to enjoy more of the summer, but we may have to settle for autumn instead.
Orange areas use 100-127 V electrical systems, while blue areas use 220-240 V electrical systems. The map is a simplified version of the map found here.
This is important to us because almost all our consumer electronics stuff that we have here won't work in New Zealand. Some things such as wall warts and battery chargers may accept 240 V, but we'll need a few plug converters (the plug shape is diagonal / \ instead of vertical | |). Other things, such as any appliance with an AC motor, won't work. My desktop computer has a switch on the back of the power supply to change the accepted voltage; I just need a new power cord which I'll be able to buy there. Similarly, Amy's Mac Mini has an external power supply which we'll have to replace once we get there too.
We recently received formal confirmation by letter that our application submission has been accepted by New Zealand Immigration. Since I do not have a New Zealand job offer yet, our application is in the slow queue and they are estimating up to four months before our application is assigned to a visa officer, and then up to a further three months after that. However, the current processing times bulletin shows that they only have a two month backlog on skilled migrant applications. Futhermore, we don't have any special circumstances like existing medical conditions or criminal convictions that might make our application take longer to process, so my best guess is we will receive approval around april.
April would put us in New Zealand near the end of summer in the southern hemisphere. We had hoped to get there earlier to enjoy more of the summer, but we may have to settle for autumn instead.
Bona enigmo! Mi tute ne elpensis tion.
Mi esperas ke mi ne devos atendi tiom longe por akiri mian vizon. Bonŝancon! Aŭtuno pli bonas ol somero ĉiuokaze... :)
Mi esperas ke mi ne devos atendi tiom longe por akiri mian vizon. Bonŝancon! Aŭtuno pli bonas ol somero ĉiuokaze... :)
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ghewgill
2005-12-24T22:25:21Z
Ha, sed la somero en Nov-Zelando estas ege malpli varma ol la somero in Teksaso! Ĉiukaze, aŭtuno ankaŭ bonas.
Mi pensas pri regule verki similajn enigmojn, eble semajne aŭ monate. Mi nur devus pensi novan demandon, kaj krei la mapon...
Mi pensas pri regule verki similajn enigmojn, eble semajne aŭ monate. Mi nur devus pensi novan demandon, kaj krei la mapon...
goulo
2005-12-24T22:43:01Z
Ho, tiaj mapoj estas bona ideo por komuna enigma temo! Mi povas imagi finfine eldonindan kolekton de tiaj enigmoj.
eliset
2005-12-24T22:36:09Z
There is an Apple office in Australia - you might call them before you go, and that way Amy's Mini won't have any downtime. :) It looks like the Australia # is 133 MAC (622).
chrisj04
2005-12-25T01:28:22Z
Yeah, but you can't call the 133MAC (or any other 13xxxx) number from outside Australia, though, coz of the way our phone system works.
kvarko
2005-12-24T23:46:43Z
I don't think I ever took my iBook to New Zealand, but I have brought my IBM thinkpad with external AC adapter and all I did was use a plug converter (no current change) and it works. Oh, but yeah, my iPod chargers have all worked in New Zealand with just a simple plug converter. So I would expect the external AC adapter for my iBook would work too, which might mean your Mac Mini's adapter would too. ASK AT AN APPLE STORE. I think I asked at an Apple store if the iPod AC adapter would work in NZ and they told me yes -- the plug adapter kit they sell is just to change the plugs, not anything about the current. (Funnily enough, even though the iPod and iBook AC adapters that I have allow for interchangeable plugs (different plugs can snap in), you can't just buy a snap-in plug for NZ -- not even in NZ. The Apple dealers in NZ can sell you the full international set of snap-in plugs, but not just the NZ ones.) Oh, and my digital camera battery charger also worked fine in NZ -- what consumer electronics items do you have that wouldn't work!?
My parents had an expensive vacuum cleaner that they really liked, so they paid to have it converted to work on NZ current I think -- or maybe they bought one current adapter (does actual converting of the current, not just changing plugs for show; it's a big box) ... I know they do have just one, that maybe they used in the first couple year, but they don't use it at all any more (as far as I know) since by now all their appliances are made-for-NZ appliances.
Do you know how you're going to ship your stuff to NZ? I actually have to wonder if most appliances are cheaper to re-buy in NZ than to spend a fortune shipping them there. I assume you would be buying a crate of shipping space, so anything you can fit in the crate you get for a flat fee (I'm guessing?), so then it's just a matter of whether you have to trade-off some things for others. If you choose a method that charges by weight, you might be better off selling appliances (like toasters) than shipping them. Plus, then you can own appliances made by Fisher & Paykel! Saying the name alone makes me smile :)
My parents had an expensive vacuum cleaner that they really liked, so they paid to have it converted to work on NZ current I think -- or maybe they bought one current adapter (does actual converting of the current, not just changing plugs for show; it's a big box) ... I know they do have just one, that maybe they used in the first couple year, but they don't use it at all any more (as far as I know) since by now all their appliances are made-for-NZ appliances.
Do you know how you're going to ship your stuff to NZ? I actually have to wonder if most appliances are cheaper to re-buy in NZ than to spend a fortune shipping them there. I assume you would be buying a crate of shipping space, so anything you can fit in the crate you get for a flat fee (I'm guessing?), so then it's just a matter of whether you have to trade-off some things for others. If you choose a method that charges by weight, you might be better off selling appliances (like toasters) than shipping them. Plus, then you can own appliances made by Fisher & Paykel! Saying the name alone makes me smile :)
mduell
2005-12-25T19:47:27Z
A small correction, the blue areas are 220-250V.
ghewgill
2005-12-25T19:49:06Z
Great. Now go edit the source material at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_AC_power_plugs_and_sockets :)
decibel45
2005-12-26T00:21:30Z
Actually, many AC motors can be easily re-configured to run on 240V. What's a bigger issue is 50Hz; the lower the frequency, the bigger all the 'magnetics' need to be, so there's a power issue.
Basically, best to buy stuff made for 240V/50Hz, but if you've got anything hard to find or something you probably can get it to work.
Basically, best to buy stuff made for 240V/50Hz, but if you've got anything hard to find or something you probably can get it to work.
2005-12-24T22:12:39Z