Kaseki thanks much for your time responding. Lucky you not needing hearing aids. Most likely you were smart and used ear protection with power tools. I'm not sure I quite understand the plug situation. As far as I could understand reading all things about plugs, the Japanese plugs are the same as US plugs, two prongs, hence the cell phone charger plug will fit (I hope)

Going back many years when we moved to France, we bought a microwave to take with us. At that time they did not exist in Europe. Checking with Sharp they said it would not function properly and the warranty was null and void. We took it along anyhow and I plugged it into these enormous heavy transformers that HP supplied us with which changed the voltage but not the frequency. It seemed I was dragging transformers everywhere to use the sewing machine, and other appliances. The microwave did not function quite as well as it should have due to the cycles but it worked. When we returned stateside and built a new house we had the microwave built in. It worked fine and was still working when we sold the house 25 years later.

I'm not sure I understand what a USB power module is. " You would need a USB power module with a Japanese plug to power it." In the greater scheme of things maybe hearing well is not that important as I don't understand Japanese and hope to use my cell phone with translation app.

arigato gozaimashita (deep bow)

Ingeborg

USB, a computer communication link, includes a 5V dc pin allocation. Most computers nowadays have USB connectors that one can plug a cable into. The other end of the cable can have one of several plugs, and cell phones make use of this. Recent Samsung Galaxy phones, for example, use USB3. Some devices use microUSB. Apple has their own proprietary plug.

If the intent is to recharge something, then an appropriate cable can be used along with a "wall wart" power module to supply power via the USB cable. No other communication is involved.

For help with adapters, see your Walmart electronics section, Verizon phone co. store, Apple store, probably "best buy" store, etc. NewEgg may have phone help. You can look up USB and view the plug and receptacle options, varying in size and shape.

Japan indeed seems to use EIA US style wall receptacles, both 2 prong and 3 prong (but using 100V) so carrying along other styles of plug converters would seem to be unnecessary.

Thank you very much. I have my work cut out. Off to Verizon and Walmart fortunately they are both local as well as Best buy and not far away at that.

arigato gozaimashita

Ingeborg

You're welcome

Anata no shimobe

that's what I need servants. one can't have too many:))

According to your explanation I should be able to take a lap top and plug in my hearing aid charger or anything else for that matter without problems. My Chrome book is the closest to a lap top but weighs over 3 lbs which is a lot when you're trying to travel light. There are several ports on the side. Unfortunately, they are too small for my hearing aid charger. I give! c'est la vie

This is an issue with a plethora of USB interface definitions. However, I do not understand why your C-1B2 doesn't already have a wall wart charger (denoted power plug below) that provides a socket for the hearing aide charger power cable.

"Hearing aids are Philips HearLink charger C-1B2 Input 6.0V...200mA"

The charger voltage is FIVE volts, not SIX.

The Phillips charger is equipped with a standard, USB connector. You just need a USB charger (example: Anker 323) which you probably already have.

1. If the cables for ALL your devices have only two prongs, you don't even need a plug adapter as described in this article.
2. If ANY of your cables has three prongs, you will need a plug adapter such as this BESTEK Japan Travel Plug Adapter.

I think maybe I am a bit dense in the head. I have all of the items above. I just thought with

the cycle difference and the 100 V system that I could not/should not plug in even though the plug with two prongs will work in Japan.

That little plug thingie converts 100+ Vac to ~6 Vdc by "sipping" a bit fom the higher potential. It probably contains some integrated circuit that can do that for whatever higher voltage ac is present when the low voltage side needs relatively low current. Circuits of that type may be relatively indifferent to 50 vs 60 Hz. But you should look at the booklet and the plug for any contrary information.

If you have any trouble, visit Akihabara [Akiba for otoku] area near Akihabara station for gadget help.

@kaseki: "That little plug thingie converts 100+ Vac to ~6 Vdc"

The Philips C-1B2 uses FIVE volts not six as shown in the photo above. That's why it connects to a five volt USB wall charger.

"I just thought with the cycle difference and the 100 V system that I could not/should not plug in..."

No. Take a look at your wall charger. It's probably like the one in the photo above. Note that the charger supports a voltage range of 100 to 240 volts and frequency of 50 or 60 Hz. It can be used worldwide including in Japan.

Sorry about the "6." I thought I remembered the unusual value specified in the user guide. Perhaps an astigmatism mis-read on page 12: https://wdh01.azureedge.net/-/media/hearing-solutions/pdf/global/user-guides/223777_ph_charger_minirite_t_r_ifu_20_h2_uk.pdf?la=en-us&rev=896D

wdcruise,

The back of my charger says input 5.0V---200mA. (don't know what 200mA means) One other thing, the two prongs are identical in size unlike most American where one is slightly larger. It says nothing about the frequency.

200mA should be 200 milliamperes. It's a unit of electrical current. W = V*A.

If we're all using the terms denoted in kaseki's picture, there are 2 pieces required for charging: the charger and the power plug.

Look at the writing on the power plug; it should look much like what's in wdccruise's picture ... maybe with different numbers. It will have an input that gives volts, hertz, and amperes; it will also have an output that just gives volts and amperes. There are no hertz for the output because the output is direct current. Hertz are only applicable to alternating current, as they are the feequency of alternation ... there is no alternation in direct current.

The charger piece is receiving direct current (from the power plug or whatever usb port you plug it into), so it makes no reference to frequency/hertz.

Last night as I was plugging the charger into the wall socket I saw a flicker of some writing on the plug. Couldn't for the life of me read it as the plug is black with a light texture and the writing is dark grey or a different shade of black. This morning, just now with a magnifying glass and a flashlight I have spent 1/2 hr trying to read what it says. Is that crazy or what.

In fairly large and legible letters it says PHILLIPS ADAPTER (they should be shot at dawn)

As best I can see below that it says input 100-240V -02A 50 Hz-60-Hz there is more but it is not legible,.. The plug measures 1.5 " x 1.5" actually a bit larger metric I'm guessing. I do believe I'm good to go. Especially for traveling It's a nice small charging unit with a very long wire which may come in handy to reach an outlet.

Ingeborg who will be going to Japan and hear everything but understand nothing :))

Historically, the US used two-prong plugs with equal prong sizes. No one fussed with which way they were inserted. However, for radios where the chassis was connected to one lead, safety depended on the radio being inside a wood box (and table saws didn't have guards). When household and appliance wiring rules became more stringent, "polarized" plugs and receptacles were required. Polarized plug requirements depended on internal construction of the attached device. For polarized plugs/receptacles, the prong that connected to neutral (and bonded to ground in the main breaker box or thereabouts) was made larger.

The safety requirements were extended to incorporating a third prong providing actual ground. Polarized receptacles were kept for the two-prong cases. For three prong plugs, the power prong sizes could go back to being equal because there was only one way of connecting to the receptacle. For the Phillips power module, its internal construction and safety design does not require it to be polarized.

Anti-tamper prong gates (quasi child proofing) followed later. Also GFCI/AFCI receptacles and/or breakers became necessary, and are presently in a state of tri-yearly extension into more areas in the residence.

A copy of Getting Along with the Japanese by Kate Elwood (ISBN4-87217-065-2) is recommended, with or without language fluency.

"it says input 100-240V -02A 50 Hz-60-Hz"

"I do believe I'm good to go."

Correct! There's far too much information written here.