Using a U.S. bought Nintendo DS Lite in Germany

So, I bought my boy a Nintendo DS Lite in the States. When I came back to Germany, I used a power transformer to charge it (i.e. a proper transformer, not just a little adapter thingee.) It worked once, then didn't work again. So I got a second transformer, and again, it didn't work. So then I thought, maybe it is problem with the plugs in my house, so I tried it at another house, still didn't work.

Then my ex, who has a Nintendo DS Lite he bought in Germany, plugged his German power charger into the US-bought DS Lite, and it charged it fine.

I was under the impression that the US DS Lite would blow its curcuits if overwhelmed with the 220 power. But apparently this didn't happen as the thing functions fine after being charged in this way one time.

So here is my question - is it safe to continue charging it with the German power charger, or is it possible that it will blow up later?

I hope my question is clear. I want to go to Saturn and buy a (German) Nintendo DS Lite power charger so I am not dependent on charging it at the ex's place, but I want to make sure this is a viable long-term solution before I buy the thing.

I am 100% clueless about how power works at all, so any help with this would be appreciated.

The charger you bought in the States will, in all likelihood, work on both 110 and 220 volts. So you can plug it into the wall with a "little adapter thingee" and nothing will blow up.

I have exactly this configuration at home - a Nintendo DS lite with a US charger with a little adapter. Let me check this evening to see exactly what I have, and I'll let you know...

You could also buy a german adapter - it'll be outputting the same low voltage for the DS lite as the american one - but that's probably unnecessary.

Edit to clarify that last bit: The Nintendo device itself wants the same voltage, regardless of where you bought it. All chargers for the Nintendo DS lite are supplying the correct voltage, so it's fine to charge it with the German charger.

The charger itself may expect a specific voltage from the wall (110V in the US, 220V here), but a lot of chargers today are happy to accept either voltage, and I'm pretty sure that the charger for the DS lite is one of those.

I looked at the charger from the States and tried to decifer the meaning of all the numbers. I can't remember for sure because I don't have it with me, but I thought it was along the lines of input: 110, output: 110. Mainly I was looking for a "220" somewhere and didn't see it, so was paranoid to just plug it in with a little adapter thingee. I blew up two different electronics when I first moved to Germany because I thought the little adapter thingee was enough.

But if you think it will work, I won't buy the German charger today and will try to charge it with just a little adapter thingee and see if that works tonight.

"Input 110" and "Output 110"??? Sounds unlikely. If that was the case then the adapter is superfluous.

The Nintendo unit itself will require the same power, wherever you buy it. Let's say it needs 6v DC @500mA. Depending on where it's sold then the power supply included will provide a step down/conversion to 6vDC and the ability (i.e. shape of plug) to plug into the local power outlet. This means a German power supply will work quite happily with the US-bought Nintendo as it provides the same power to the device as a US power supply. If, and only if the US power supply indicates in can work with 110-220v input then all it needs is an adapter (not a power converter) to plug into a German wall outlet and charge the device correctly.

Note that you can buy replacement Nintendo power adapters suitable for use in Germany complete on Ebay for example, for less than €5 plus shipping.

The DS Lite I have is from China, and I can't decipher all of the writing on the AC-adapter.

What I can see is the model number: USG-002(CHN), the input voltage: 220V-50Hz and the output voltage: 5.2V 450mA. So although the pins on my adapter look like American-style ones (which is why I thought it would be capable of accepting either 110V or 220V), my adapter won't work in the US, and your adapter almost certainly won't work in Europe.

So it looks like you'll have to buy one here. If you're worried about one bought here not supplying the DS with the right voltage, look at the output voltage on your current adapter (almost certain to also be 5.2V, 450mA, DC) and make sure the one you buy also outputs the same voltage, with a minimum of 450mA.

what is written on the power charger?

this will work in Germany and the US

this will only work in the US -> buy a new one

don't simply try it, you will certainly damage it if it doesn't work.

Before I moved I checked the US version DS Lite power adapter and it is NOT Dual voltage. Using a transformer as you did was the right thing to do, but I would guess the first transformer you used was defective and ending up blowing out the DS lite charger. I don't like using transformers in my house if I don't have to so i buy dual voltage everything. I went to ebay and found a Dual Volt DS Lite Charger. I can use this with a plastic adapter in pretty much any country in the world. Ebay offers them for as little as $2.99 shipped. Foe example: Ebay Item: 220288701872 ... Or get one in Germany for 15-20 Euro

I still don't know what happened for sure with my transformer difficulties, though wpbear's idea that the US charger got blown could be right.

In any case, I just bought a Nintendo DS Lite German charger, and it is working fine.*

_{*No Nintendos were harmed in the making of this post.}

Thanks for all your help!