Q. What does a universal adapter do?

Answer

Universal Adapters are actually called Universal Travel Adapters, and as the name suggests, they come in handy during International travel. Although the definition of a universal adapter, is complicated as defined by the IEEE society, its role can be simply understood. Countries across the world do not have the same power socket ratings. For example, in India, the output voltage is 230V, while in the USA the output voltage is 110V. This means that an electronic device would not be compatible with USA power sources and vice versa. This is where a universal travel adapter comes in handy. A universal travel adapter is generally suited for devices up to 250W ratings, such as mobile phones, laptops, etc. It has power conditioning electronics inside that ensure the compatibility of your device to the output voltage requirement irrespective of the country.