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Moving to Europe, Need help! (Electricity ?)
- Thread starter jbute2k2
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Judging by your title I assumed you were asking if they have electricity in Europe. Of course the answer is no.
You can buy different plugs for your Apple products, you won't need to buy an entirely new iWhatever.
You can buy different plugs for your Apple products, you won't need to buy an entirely new iWhatever.
I moved the other way and there shouldn't be much difference in the process. For everyday things, it's probably just easiest to get a couple cheap adapters and an american power strip so you won't have to keep using adapters on every single charger. Every charger should/has to say what voltage it takes and most do take 110-240 volts so they're fine to use without a voltage converter.
Edit: Target and Walmart have cheap sets of adapters for $10 or less.
Edit: Target and Walmart have cheap sets of adapters for $10 or less.
Yep just get the proper adapters you need for a power strip and you should be OK, Your best bet is going to Radio Shack even if they don't have it in stock they have a knack for quickly ordering some very obscure things in the electrical and electronics area that should fit your needs.
Not just adapters either, converters might be a necessity as well to step down voltage not all euro utilities go by the same standard some regions do the 110-125 volt which is comparable to our small appliance standard while others may do 210-240 volts which we only use for larger appliances usually like baseboard heat, water tanks, stoves and some air conditioner units so I'd invest in a good quality digital Voltmeter that you don't have to fiddle with to be certain what adapter/converter you should use for an outlet otherwise you might accidentally fry your equipment.
The apple products will be fine with 2pin leads, the ps3 will be good with a 'kettle' lead. You won't need to use converters or anything then, and the leads are cheap from Maplin (kind of like radio shack) if the part of Europe you're moving to is the uk...
How are you getting your stuff over to Europe if you don't mind me asking?
How are you getting your stuff over to Europe if you don't mind me asking?
Why don't you check the power ratings on your existing adapters? If they can handle 110-240 VAC / 50-60 Hz, all you need is a cheap $3 plug adapter from RadioShack. You should not buy power strips in the US for use in Europe, and the only reason you'd need a transformer is if you've got a heavy-duty appliance that can only handle US voltage/frequency.
Why not? As I explained, I find it much easier to just use a power strip from your home country because then you don't need to get adapters for every single item you want to plug in, but only one for each power strip.
The job I took supplies a furnished house so I do not have to worry about that. I will be taking 2 enormous suitcases, a large carry on, and a back pack.
Outside of clothes, my iPad, iPhone, MBP, & PS3. I will not have a whole lot of other stuff. As much as I hate to do it I will leave most of my DVD and Blu-Ray collection (well over 600 movies combined) here in storage with most of my other belongings. The job requires me to be there 9 consecutive months then I will be back state side.
This whole thing is messing with me because I do not know which adapters or converters to buy and I really don't want to mess up my stuff. So far I am thinking about these....
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W9DJ1Q/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A1SJV7Q7GQM4PE
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BMFH7I/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A27DUHPPTQX1VZ
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WFYUGI/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A1SJV7Q7GQM4PE
Any thoughts?
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Don't check anything expensive with the airline, it's bound to get stolen by a baggage handler. I'd ship it Fedex or UPS insured.
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Don't forget different countries have different sockets - it tends to split between UK+Ireland, Northern Europe, Southern Europe.
What country you're going to will determine what adapters you need. Although you can get universal adapters like this one - http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2486454 - it's likely going to be cheaper for you to do what was suggested earlier, a country-specific adapter and a US power strip.
And you don't need anything like a step down adapter - a simple plug adapter will work for the three items you listed in your OP. I'm just back from a trip to Ireland where I took my MBP and my iPhone, and that's what I used. If I were going for an extended length of time, I would consider just taking a US power strip and replacing the plug with a county-specific one.
What country you're going to will determine what adapters you need. Although you can get universal adapters like this one - http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2486454 - it's likely going to be cheaper for you to do what was suggested earlier, a country-specific adapter and a US power strip.
And you don't need anything like a step down adapter - a simple plug adapter will work for the three items you listed in your OP. I'm just back from a trip to Ireland where I took my MBP and my iPhone, and that's what I used. If I were going for an extended length of time, I would consider just taking a US power strip and replacing the plug with a county-specific one.
Yeah, I figured i'd carry all that kind of stuff on with me.
Luxembourg and Germany
I was under the impression that the UK was the only country with a different adapter than the rest of western Europe?
As has been said, just about all of your electronicseverything that has a power brickcan be used with a simple adapter that changes the shape of the plug. I like these because they are three-prong and feel more snug: http://www.amazon.com/American-Germ...ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1281288272&sr=1-3
Remember to check your power bricks for a line like "100-250v 50-60hz" before plugging anything in.
You only need a transformer if you have something that doesn't support the different voltagemaybe an electric razor or something like that. Be VERY careful about matching the power handling (watts), and don't cheap out if you really need a transformer. They can overheat and blow out if you are using even a 55w rated transformer for a 60w appliance. It makes a bang and leaves the room smelling like ozone for a couple of days, trust me, I've blown out 3 of them.
Remember to check your power bricks for a line like "100-250v 50-60hz" before plugging anything in.
You only need a transformer if you have something that doesn't support the different voltagemaybe an electric razor or something like that. Be VERY careful about matching the power handling (watts), and don't cheap out if you really need a transformer. They can overheat and blow out if you are using even a 55w rated transformer for a 60w appliance. It makes a bang and leaves the room smelling like ozone for a couple of days, trust me, I've blown out 3 of them.
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Sorry I am extremely slow with this....So what voltage ranges (#s) would I NEED a converter for?
For example my shaver says 110V, 10w, 80 cycle? Does that need a converter or adapter?
My iPad charger says 10W Input:100-240v Output:53v Does it need an adapter or converter?
For example my shaver says 110V, 10w, 80 cycle? Does that need a converter or adapter?
My iPad charger says 10W Input:100-240v Output:53v Does it need an adapter or converter?
Europe generally uses around 230V if it says it works up to that voltage it'll be fine with a plug adapter, which should cost a euro or two.
If it says 110V only then you'll need a voltage converter as well.
For shavers you may well find they have 110V sockets for them - I have one in my house.
In general the UK and Ireland have big fat "type D" plugs, and the rest of Europe uses various different kinds of round pin plugs - although you can get Universal adapters for them as your living there it may be best to get them in country as they have different positions for the earth.
If it says 110V only then you'll need a voltage converter as well.
For shavers you may well find they have 110V sockets for them - I have one in my house.
In general the UK and Ireland have big fat "type D" plugs, and the rest of Europe uses various different kinds of round pin plugs - although you can get Universal adapters for them as your living there it may be best to get them in country as they have different positions for the earth.
Awesome, Clears it up somewhat. So for something that has a cap on it (doesn't go up to 230v) I need to use a converter. Sorry for having to spell it out like this... So will this one work or do I need something else?
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Germany has 230v/50hz mains, so if your device doesn't include that, it needs the transformer. The shaver will need a transformer because it says it only operates on 110v, the iPad will only need a plug adapter because it can operate on the German current.
That looks fine.
Shavers sockets often go to 110V anyway - the one in my house does. For that I'd wait until you arrive.
FWIW if the only things that need 110V (rather than 230V) are cheap things like a kettle I'd just get a new one when you arrive. It'll make life easier.
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Yeah I literally think the only electronics I am taking are my Macbook Pro, iPhone, iPad, Razor, & Playstation 3
As Eraserhead pointed out dual voltage shaver sockets 240/110 are very common in bathrooms,I'd say most places wired in the last 30 years would have one.