I'm moving from the US to Argentina in December and have been researching the various power conversion issues I'll have to deal with. I've got a pretty good idea of what I need, but still have some remaining questions. I'm hoping someone on this forum can help me out. One bit of additional info is that I will be moving to another country every 2-3 years as a result of my job. I'm not sure where I'll be after Argentina, so future flexibility is one consideration.
In general, when would I want to use a voltage regulator/stabilizer and when should I use just a power transformer? Is price the only benefit of transformers? What type of products are recommended to be run on voltage stabilizers?
Does a voltage regulator take the place of a surge suppressor? In other words, do I still need a surge suppressor if I'm using a voltage regulator?
I've got several devices (cordless phone, wireless network adapter, etc.) that use AC/DC adapters; none of my current adapters support 220V. I'm wondering whether I should buy universal 220V AC/DC adapters or power transformers (and use my existing adapters). I'm inclined to do the later so I don't have to worry about adapter-device plug fit and I suppose the transformers could be more useful down the road. Price seems close enough to not be much of a decision point.
I've got a couple of small UPS that I believe will only work on 110V power. Is it OK to use these on stepped-down 220V? Would it be redundant to use both a UPS and a voltage regulator?
What type of appliances/electronic devices could be problematic (or damaged) with 50Hz? Virtually all of my things show only 60Hz on the "power plaque".
Thanks a lot for any advice/help.
Best Regards, Charles Goodman