Review on Simran SMF-200 Deluxe 200 Watts Step Down Voltage Converter: Perfect for International Travel to 220V/240V Countries; Great for Laptops, Cameras, iPhones, BlackBerry, iPods, and More! by Walter Hodzic

After reading other reviews it seemed like a good idea to test this unit at home before relying on it abroad. This is easy if you have access to 240V at home, but you can ask someone who is familiar with electrical equipment for help. temperature rise. Next came a 40 watt incandescent load, then 75 watts, then 100 watts. At 100 watts, the outer case hit 161 degrees in an hour, which isn't too bad. However, the temperature has never stabilized, suggesting that heat build-up can be an issue when running near full rated load (200W), especially over long periods of time. I don't think this will be an issue with a load less than 50 watts or so. I disassembled the case and found that there are no ventilation holes to dissipate heat. When running at full rated load, you can open the case (with the power off!) to vent heat if you want to run longer than 20 minutes. the 200 watt specification only applies to a purely resistive load such as a light bulb. The power rating for other loads, such as a motor or charger, with a "power factor" less than one is less than 200W because such loads require more current for the same power. Rated output of 200 watts at 120 volts with a resistive load corresponds to a current of 1.66 amps. It is the current (amperes) that must be maintained as a maximum at all loads. The product description says "Protected by a fuse" but I didn't see a fuse inside the unit.