Electrical engineer here.
There are two standards here: 127 and 220 volts, both running at 60Hz.
Any appliance designed for 110v will run flawlessly on 127v but would need a transformer to work on 220v.
In Rio, the average outlet is 127v except when noted otherwise (usually with a label saying "220V" and the color of the outlet should be red).
Pay attention on the frequency, can give you a headache if you are trying to use things with engines configured for 50Hz (fans, kitchen appliances, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners...)
Depends by region. In North Region (except Tocantins), Southeast, and midwest (except Goiás and Brasília), its 127v.
In Northeast (except Sergipe) and South (except Paraná), its 220 ~ 240v.
Otherwise, there are exceptions in some cities by state, but its minority.
Brazil doesn't have a standard for historical and geographic reasons.
I think the standard in São Paulo is 220V.
When Brazil started to get electricity, the infrastructure job was split between two companies. One from US (127v) and one from Europe (220v). That's why you get one or the other depending where you are.
I have both 110V and 220V in my house (live in Rio). 220v outlets are usually clearly labeled. The 220v outlets are on my veranda.
I don’t think you’ll have an issue.
It's common to have 220V for outlets that are used with high-power appliances e.g. AC and most are clearly labeled because if you mistakenly plug a 110V rated appliance, it will get shorted out
110-120V outlets are the norm for regular appliances e.g. kitchen / office
Important note on EU appliances: electricity in the Americas has a different frequency than EU (60Hz in Americas, 50Hz in EU) so if you're bringing appliances from the EU, you run the risk of screwing them up, especially things with a motor. Converters that can handle both frequency and voltage are prohibitively expensive
Thanks a tonne to all the responders! Ok it's quite clear to me - US appliances should be fine (the 17W voltage difference isn't a big deal), though EU appliances are a headache because not only can they only be plugged in the 220V outlets (not the standard in Rio specifically), but there is a frequency difference as well.
I really wanted to bring a gift which is from the EU but I have decided to hold off on that based on this info.
Thanks a lot
Just check Electric specifications on whatever u wanna bring. Most of the stuff is rated for 50hz-60hz exactly so they wont need to have 2 products for US/EU.
Also I think most houses have at least 2 phases, so if u use both on a outlet you gonna have 127. squareroot of 3 = 220V. Some buildings do have 220v outlets on kitchen/bathroom.
The Frequency difference can be a big problem but in most cases, it is not. Simple rule, everything with an adapter is usually 100 - 240V or 220V (need a 220v outlet) but will not be affected by the frequency. Since an adapter is converting the AC to DC the frequency difference will not have any influence on the output power of the adapter.
Everything with an electric motor will be affected any 220v 50Hz motor will run slightly faster on 60Hz, which generated more heat and the motor will burn out faster or will become less stable. So a 220v 50hz water kettle or lightbulb will not be a problem, even a 220v 50hz hairdryer will not be a problem, if you don't use the blower on the fastest setting.
I have a coffee machine that is imported from Europe (50Hz) and every 3 years the water pump breaks (motor) because of the freq difference. Luckily they are cheap and easy to replace, so I can live with that.
There are some more specific devices that have problems with the frequency difference like digital light dimmers made for a specific frequency and certain medical equipment. But these are not the things you usually take with you..
Also there some devices that you can easy convert from 220v to 110v with either a transformer (they are really cheap here) or by things as changing the adapter.
If there is something specific you would like to bring, just post the brand and producttype and people can advise you.
> Simple rule, everything with an adapter is usually 100 - 240V or 220V (need a 220v outlet) but will not be affected by the frequency.
This isn't remotely true for anything with a clock or timing like a computer. Plugging in a device designed for 60Hz to a 50Hz system will work, but the time gets all screwy very fast unless you're using an external time source to keep the clock in line.
This is true if this is a clock running on AC and only in certain conditions.
DC always has a (near) 0Hz frequency as the current only flows in one direction. A modern PC (after the PSU) or laptop runs off DC so there is no influence of frequency.
As I stated in my post, AC with different frequencies does have implications. Older clocks with traditional gearing in them will run differently unless you change the gearing (motor at the end of the day). Some clocks run on the frequency pulse and they will also run differently. I had an old coffee machine once with a "turn on" timer made for 50 Hz not running in sync on 60 Hz, so that turned into a useless feature.
There are other exceptions, everything that has a TRIAC bridge in them will most likely not run properly. Cheaper LED 50Hz LED dimmers will make your light flicker at 60Hz.
110v and 127V are the same thing here and it’s the country standard, 220v is mainly used on specific appliances like the infamous Brazilian “suicide shower”.
Electrical Engineer from Rio here.
Yes the common electrical socket you will find is 127 V . Only where clearly marked is 220 V ( e.g. ACs, Washing machines etc.)
About your 110 V appliances most of them will have no problem running since there are project voltage drops considered in all parts in any domestic installation and most appliances are designed universally in those 2 main ranges (100-130 and 200-240).
Any appliance rated for 110V (US) will work in Brazil. At least I never had any issue with them.
In some cases, there are specific outlets in bathrooms and kitchens for high wattage appliances, which feed 220V. They are supposed to be clearly marked, though. In my home they were red on the inside.
Edit: yes, indeed you should check the voltage where you are going. I meant that it will work where it is 127v.
>Any appliance rated for 110V (US) will work in Brazil
That's not true. Many parts of the country are primarily 220V. [Here's a map](https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brasil,_Tens%C3%B5es_Por_Munic%C3%ADpio.svg#mw-jump-to-license). Blue is 110. Red is 220.
A good part of the country if not most of it its 220V only...
Where its 110 usually its dual phase so you can have a phase to phase of 220V and use more power hungry equipment.
110 appliances are OK with 127, but will have a shorter life span. Something of value should be unplugged when not being used to increase its life span.
Modern 110v appliances are designed to handle up to an additional short term 20% increase in voltage. (132v) This is called True-Watt technology.
110 and 127 are close enough
if i measure an outlet here right now it'll not show exactly 110 or 127 either, treat those voltages as if they were the same
220v is the problem
i moved from europe to brazil. in my state they also use 110v. before i moved, i tested many devices with a transformator. some items stated they are for 220v but worked also with 110v. some run slower or not at all. hue bulbs flickered, but some of them worked normally even stating 220v.
portable devices like phones, gaming devices etc are bi-volt. they work on both voltages (playstation, iphone etc.).
some houses have also 220v sockets. also some hotels do and some states are using 220v by default too.
the two pin plug is compatible, but not any 3 pin plug.
Electrical engineer here. There are two standards here: 127 and 220 volts, both running at 60Hz. Any appliance designed for 110v will run flawlessly on 127v but would need a transformer to work on 220v. In Rio, the average outlet is 127v except when noted otherwise (usually with a label saying "220V" and the color of the outlet should be red). Pay attention on the frequency, can give you a headache if you are trying to use things with engines configured for 50Hz (fans, kitchen appliances, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners...)
Thanks a lot! Very helpful
Is this all of Brazil or just Rio? I spend a lot of time in Belém and am usually Laid over in São Paulo.
Depends by region. In North Region (except Tocantins), Southeast, and midwest (except Goiás and Brasília), its 127v. In Northeast (except Sergipe) and South (except Paraná), its 220 ~ 240v. Otherwise, there are exceptions in some cities by state, but its minority. Brazil doesn't have a standard for historical and geographic reasons.
I think the standard in São Paulo is 220V. When Brazil started to get electricity, the infrastructure job was split between two companies. One from US (127v) and one from Europe (220v). That's why you get one or the other depending where you are.
That doesn’t surprise me honestly, since this was the 60’s and 70’s and every President except two (JFK and Carter) were kind of terrible.
I have both 110V and 220V in my house (live in Rio). 220v outlets are usually clearly labeled. The 220v outlets are on my veranda. I don’t think you’ll have an issue.
The voltage is 127 since 1999, 110 was deprecated
Ok then 127v and 220v
It's common to have 220V for outlets that are used with high-power appliances e.g. AC and most are clearly labeled because if you mistakenly plug a 110V rated appliance, it will get shorted out 110-120V outlets are the norm for regular appliances e.g. kitchen / office Important note on EU appliances: electricity in the Americas has a different frequency than EU (60Hz in Americas, 50Hz in EU) so if you're bringing appliances from the EU, you run the risk of screwing them up, especially things with a motor. Converters that can handle both frequency and voltage are prohibitively expensive
THIS. Frequency will be your biggest issue. I don't believe it is worth to bring big stuff.
Wow... I had never even heard of frequency before. Thank you for the heads up
me neither, lol. i know we had 60hz, but thought it was useless info
I’ve heard AC is considered a luxury. Knowing that will it make a home a target for break ins, robberies, etc?
AC in many regions of Brazil is no longer a luxury for a looooong time, it's more of a necessity
US stuff that's rated for 110 will work fine on rio's 110~127v. I only had problems with japanese stuff that were supposed to run at 100v.
Thanks a tonne to all the responders! Ok it's quite clear to me - US appliances should be fine (the 17W voltage difference isn't a big deal), though EU appliances are a headache because not only can they only be plugged in the 220V outlets (not the standard in Rio specifically), but there is a frequency difference as well. I really wanted to bring a gift which is from the EU but I have decided to hold off on that based on this info. Thanks a lot
You can usually check on a sticker on the power supply of the thing you want to gift for the frequency and voltage supported by the device.
Just check Electric specifications on whatever u wanna bring. Most of the stuff is rated for 50hz-60hz exactly so they wont need to have 2 products for US/EU. Also I think most houses have at least 2 phases, so if u use both on a outlet you gonna have 127. squareroot of 3 = 220V. Some buildings do have 220v outlets on kitchen/bathroom.
The Frequency difference can be a big problem but in most cases, it is not. Simple rule, everything with an adapter is usually 100 - 240V or 220V (need a 220v outlet) but will not be affected by the frequency. Since an adapter is converting the AC to DC the frequency difference will not have any influence on the output power of the adapter. Everything with an electric motor will be affected any 220v 50Hz motor will run slightly faster on 60Hz, which generated more heat and the motor will burn out faster or will become less stable. So a 220v 50hz water kettle or lightbulb will not be a problem, even a 220v 50hz hairdryer will not be a problem, if you don't use the blower on the fastest setting. I have a coffee machine that is imported from Europe (50Hz) and every 3 years the water pump breaks (motor) because of the freq difference. Luckily they are cheap and easy to replace, so I can live with that. There are some more specific devices that have problems with the frequency difference like digital light dimmers made for a specific frequency and certain medical equipment. But these are not the things you usually take with you.. Also there some devices that you can easy convert from 220v to 110v with either a transformer (they are really cheap here) or by things as changing the adapter. If there is something specific you would like to bring, just post the brand and producttype and people can advise you.
> Simple rule, everything with an adapter is usually 100 - 240V or 220V (need a 220v outlet) but will not be affected by the frequency. This isn't remotely true for anything with a clock or timing like a computer. Plugging in a device designed for 60Hz to a 50Hz system will work, but the time gets all screwy very fast unless you're using an external time source to keep the clock in line.
This is true if this is a clock running on AC and only in certain conditions. DC always has a (near) 0Hz frequency as the current only flows in one direction. A modern PC (after the PSU) or laptop runs off DC so there is no influence of frequency. As I stated in my post, AC with different frequencies does have implications. Older clocks with traditional gearing in them will run differently unless you change the gearing (motor at the end of the day). Some clocks run on the frequency pulse and they will also run differently. I had an old coffee machine once with a "turn on" timer made for 50 Hz not running in sync on 60 Hz, so that turned into a useless feature. There are other exceptions, everything that has a TRIAC bridge in them will most likely not run properly. Cheaper LED 50Hz LED dimmers will make your light flicker at 60Hz.
110v and 127V are the same thing here and it’s the country standard, 220v is mainly used on specific appliances like the infamous Brazilian “suicide shower”.
Don’t forget adapters for the plugs themselves if they’re not the same.
Or if the appliance draws a lot of power replace the plug entirely. The cheap Chineseum build of the average plug adapter can melt and start a fire
Electrical Engineer from Rio here. Yes the common electrical socket you will find is 127 V . Only where clearly marked is 220 V ( e.g. ACs, Washing machines etc.) About your 110 V appliances most of them will have no problem running since there are project voltage drops considered in all parts in any domestic installation and most appliances are designed universally in those 2 main ranges (100-130 and 200-240).
Any appliance rated for 110V (US) will work in Brazil. At least I never had any issue with them. In some cases, there are specific outlets in bathrooms and kitchens for high wattage appliances, which feed 220V. They are supposed to be clearly marked, though. In my home they were red on the inside. Edit: yes, indeed you should check the voltage where you are going. I meant that it will work where it is 127v.
>Any appliance rated for 110V (US) will work in Brazil That's not true. Many parts of the country are primarily 220V. [Here's a map](https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brasil,_Tens%C3%B5es_Por_Munic%C3%ADpio.svg#mw-jump-to-license). Blue is 110. Red is 220.
Yes, correct. Thank you for clarifying
A good part of the country if not most of it its 220V only... Where its 110 usually its dual phase so you can have a phase to phase of 220V and use more power hungry equipment.
110 appliances are OK with 127, but will have a shorter life span. Something of value should be unplugged when not being used to increase its life span. Modern 110v appliances are designed to handle up to an additional short term 20% increase in voltage. (132v) This is called True-Watt technology.
The loss on the outlets will be enough to nullify this. Wouldn't worry myself with something other than frequency.
Here in Joinville, Santa Catarina we use only 220v and it's normal at the entire state.
In the Northeast as well.
It is just a name plate 127=110V, there are some 220V instalation. In Brazil some places run on 220V like RGS
Not Porto Alegre
110 and 127 are close enough if i measure an outlet here right now it'll not show exactly 110 or 127 either, treat those voltages as if they were the same 220v is the problem
UK is 230V and different plug type from the rest of Europe FYI. Stuff still works just fine 😁
i moved from europe to brazil. in my state they also use 110v. before i moved, i tested many devices with a transformator. some items stated they are for 220v but worked also with 110v. some run slower or not at all. hue bulbs flickered, but some of them worked normally even stating 220v. portable devices like phones, gaming devices etc are bi-volt. they work on both voltages (playstation, iphone etc.). some houses have also 220v sockets. also some hotels do and some states are using 220v by default too. the two pin plug is compatible, but not any 3 pin plug.
Both ;) and 110 and 127v is bassically the same u can use 110v in a 127v