How to ship belongings from US to Philippines?

I'm going through this exact same thing. I have so many appliances that are 110V only and I know replacements in PH are either more expensive or lower quality. Kitchen has the most so will wire in a 3KW power converter. All my garden tools are cordless $1k worth so will get xfer for the battery charging. My power washer is plug in electric. Might just sell it, I dont want a gas one tho. Like Bob, I've accumulated many things over the years, worth more to me than the value, so will be shipping.

Hi Filamretire. I used a stepdown transformer for my Bose stereo systems. It also worked on other US appliances. It may work for your tools and appliances.  Check the link below, and have support estimate your wattage. You should take a picture of how much wattage each device uses and send it to them.

Panther Transformer.

also check out this video.

Video on step-down transformers in the Philippines.

I hope that helps.

Lone Wolf NYC

@Moon Dog Moondog I use the Creston Push Mower. It worked nicely on my Carabao grass. It also has a grass trap. You are right about how expensive these things are. I went to a store to purchase them, and they wanted as much as 21000 ph. They were just as expensive as the gas and electric ones and didn't even have a grass trap.  I bought mine at Ace Hardware in the mall for 4699 ph. And it works nicely.

Check it out.

Lone Wolf NY

Hi Filamretire. I used a stepdown transformer for my Bose stereo systems. It also worked on other US appliances. It may work for your tools and appliances. Check the link below, and have support estimate your wattage. You should take a picture of how much wattage each device uses and send it to them.

Yes, you must match the wattage and not exceed about 75% of the transformer rating. You can also buy voltage regulators with 110v outputs but at 110v, the max wattage should not exceed about 35% of regulator rating. I will say that with a Bose stereo, a regulator would be better than a transformer because it assures a clean supply. We also have a Bose speaker unit for use with our desktop PC. I (or my wife) mistakenly plugged it in to 220v. Ugh! But, I opened up thd Bose msin unit and was so fortunate because the only damage was to the input fuse...usually, damage to electronics occurs when you do this but in this case we were lucky and I had to do was replace the fuse. It is still working today, 5 years later.

@LoneWolfNY Thanks, I bought a 3kw one in the US before I leave, might get another one. $140

3000W ST-Pro Auto Step Up & Step Down Voltage Transformer Converter, Heavy-Duty AC 110/220V Converter with US Standard, Universal, Schuko AC Outlets & DC 5V USB 

@LoneWolfNY Nice!! Might do that

@danfinn Yeah, I just know thats gonna happen to me LOL

My power washer is plug in electric. Might just sell it, I dont want a gas one tho. Like Bob, I've accumulated many things over the years, worth more to me than the value, so will be shipping.
-@Filamretire

I see the electric pressure washers for sale on Lazada and Shopee at reasonable prices so I would sell the one you have and buy a new one here. It is the gasoline models that are in short supply.

If you are looking for a major brand like Makita there are plenty of counterfeit versions for sale at unbelievably low prices. I bought a fake Makita circular saw when I first arrived and it was poor quality and blew up in a cloud of smoke a couple weeks ago. I replaced it with a Lotus which is a popular Philippine brand of reasonable quality and won't bust your budget. Ingco and Tolsen are also brands that have a good reputations and these are brands that don't seem to be targeted by the Chinese counterfeiters.

@LoneWolfNY The Creston reminds me of the reel mower we had on dad's farm in West Virginia but we have a lot of grass to cut and my wife does most of it so it would be a hard sell getting her to use one of those. Thanks

@Moon Dog Thanks! Yes I saw some on Lazada and Shopee, mostly they dont even show the pressure rating but correlates with wattage so, all are lower output but i'm sure still ok for my use. trying to tell here, first time I used Facebook Marketplace, I couldn't believe so many scammers respond, asking for google codes etc it's really disheartening.

@Moon Dog Our property is 800 sqm. I hired my brother-in-law and his wife to help us because at least I could trust him in the house while his wife cleaned. He is doing a great job outside the house, his wife is killing it inside, and I can take my wife out to lunch like a normal couple. Sometimes it is best to go with family. He and his wife is directly related to my wife. And they understand how adamant I am about having strangers in my home when we are not there. I can trust them, and so far, they've been fine.

Lone Wolf NY

@LoneWolfNY Sorry not sure if my previous message applied to this blog.

Lone Wolf NY

@Moon Dog Did you have problems using the tools you have sent from America that has 110 volts to the the philippines that has 220 volts?

@Aeta Tribe

Most of the tools I brought were hand tools. I sold or gave away all of my 110 volt tools except my Dewalt cordless tools and  my vacuum pump for pumping down A/C units. I bought a 1,000 watt stepdown transformer from Citi Hardware that is more than enough for my battery charger but marginal for the vacuum pump. I did buy a 220 volt Dewalt knockoff charger on Lazada which was a piece of junk and died after a week.

I bought the tools needed to finish the construction projects here which included a cut off saw for cutting rebar, hammer drill, angle grinder and submersible pump, all genuine Makita. The only problem I had with those tools was a failed bearing in the angle grinder from cutting tile and concrete. I bought a new armature which came with bearings for P1,000, easy fix. I bought a fake Makita circular saw and jig saw. The circular saw blew up and the speed controller on the jig saw failed but it still works at full speed. I just replaced the circular saw with a Lotus brand saw which is a good saw for the price. You get what you pay for.

If you're going to do a lot of construction work with your tools you don't want to drag a step down transformer around. You also have the issue of a worker plugging a 110v tool into a 220v outlet if you let the crew use your tools. If you're going to use the tools mostly on a work bench and you're attached to the tools then bring them along and buy a good quality step down transformer. The crew built me a nice little airconditioned work shop behind the house so I use the tools mostly on the workbench now that everything is finished. Photo of workshop.

When I moved here 4 years ago, I bought and brought extra suitcases for which I paid a very high Overweight Luggage fee. The Philippines Airlines reps, upon arrival, advised me that I could have claimed the extra weight items as Recreational Goods, like Skis, etc. to significantly reduce the charges. wish I had known. Would have saved me over $500.

@jemil2k

Hello,

do you have an email address or phone number to reach you? I will be bringing my household items from california to palawan.

My email address is  ***

Thank you!

@jemil2k

Hello,

I will be moving to Palawan, Philippines from California,USA and like to know more on the process and cost. My email address is ***.

Thank you!

There are many Filipinos in California. Try to find one and ask about moving companies that do ”Balikbayan” shipping.  Essentially, you buy boxes at a flat rate, then call for a pick up. They will require detailed inventories for customs. After getting them, they will consolidate shipments until a shipping container is full, they get it on a container ship. itll take 2-3 weeks to get to the Philippines, then addit time to Palawan.

I cannot recall the charges though…sorry.

Good luck.

For 20+ years I have been using a combination of 110 & 220V tools and no problem.  Many of the 110 ones are from Harbor Freight here in the USA and so far so good.  All our 220V items have the round 2 pin plug and the 110V ones have the flat 2 pin plug.  All our wall plugs are the same way so we do not mix up voltages and it works most of the time.  A harbor freight impact tool cost about $50 here and the same one but a different color at the mall in the PI is more than double but it is prettier.  B&D tools tools at ACE are good but extremely expensive.   I am still sending tools in a bali box as much as I can.  Ship as much as you can.  Tools for men are like jewelry for women. 

My opinion is bring only personal items and buy what you Need/Want here. You can find almost everything if you research where to search.

As far as tools, been using TOTAL tools, on par with Ingco, Lotus etc.

Best pressure washer for me is the 160 bar by FASA, but it runs 9-10K...

Please Please remember and be aware of, in the Philippines, it is 220 volt which fluctuates and 60 hrz.  if you have 110volt you will need a step up transformer. and they weight a ton lol.  also depends where you are going to live, split systems are great, but most rural areas in the philippines do not have good engineers to survice your equipment. and when they do, they do not service correctly,  so i buy the hole in the wall a/cs, and change them out every 18 months.  I live by the sea, and the salt and humidity is hell on earth for electrical or come to that metal items.

Also there is no direct earth, they use the negative, well actually they use nothing.  as previously mentioned you can buy 80% of what you want in the Philippines.  if i had my time over again, i would ship over what i would need and could not sell in the country i live in. and dump the rest, or give it to family and friends,

Unless you are the bionic man, it is to hot to work normal times. unless you come from an area close to the equator.  i shipped 80 BB boxes, and i can tell you I have not used or given away at least 50.

@Moon Dog. Lovely shop and yard 👍