Help on American electronic devices in England?

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Monsieur Pearly Pig

http://www.travelwithcare.com/browse.asp?catID=711&sNode=711&Exp=Y

Jesus I need to spend my time better.

Princess

I buy all my electronics from America and all I've ever needed is a plug adaptor- things like Ipods, Laptops and cameras will be fine with the voltage difference, I've never had problems.

But don't bring a hair dryer- only time I tried to use an American one over here it blew the fuse, although it said it would be OK on 240v!

cool_breeze_2444

Go to Radio Shack, Best Buy, Circuit City or some other electronics store and get an adapter kit. It'll probably run in the neighborhood of $40-$50. Most of Europe uses 220-240 VAC at 50 Hz. North America uses 110-120 VAC at 60 Hz. So the adapter has to change both the voltage and the frequency.

sandy

At the airport you can buy a 'universal adapter' that works in most country's around the world. Definatelly works in all of Europe.

tommy

buy a three prong adaptor.
most of europe is also two prong but the uk is three.

Stephen M

the UK is three pin, europe is two pin but they are a different voltage to american ones so you may need an adapter for those as well

Pete

geminipetelo is right you will need to step down the voltage
we can use our devices there, but US visitors who brought a hairdryer found it blew-up because it was not designed to deal with the double voltage on UK and European items
If you have i-pod etc, some of those can plug into USB port of computer and charge - much safter way to do it. Other items, leave behind or get battery operated.

popeleo5th

You'll need to buy some adaptors. You can pick some up at Heathrow, a lot of the shops sell packs for international travellers.

The UK operates on a different system to the rest of Europe. So you'll need a 3 pin adaptor for use in the UK and a 2 pin adaptor for France and the Netherlands.

In truth here in the UK we are 3 pole just like everyone on the planet. Live, Neutral and EARTH. We just have a 3rd pin for the earth pole, the rest of you use the plug shroud as earth. We are 240v AC (215 actually) but most laptop transformers are multi voltage. Check your laptop transformer and see if it gives a Voltage Input range?
Most European ones normally show 100 - 240VAC. As you're 110v in the USA you should be fine, in which case you only need a simple cheap plug adaptor which you can purchase in the airpot on you way out.

Have a nice time here...oh and bring a Brolly!!!

srracvuee

just buy a 4 change type of plug and your on your way I know the type two prong in USA but I adapt to yours when I'm in US so you will to ours which is mostly 3 pin plugs ' I3 AMPS

geminipetelondon

You will need a step-down transformer to change the european voltage of 220-250v AC to the American 110v AC that you require. You can get such a device in the uk from www.maplin.co.uk Of course you will also need an adaptor to connect the transformer with it's UK 3-pin plug to the continental Schuko (?) plug, which you can also get from Maplin.

The Booler

You will be able to buy a simple adaptor at any airport. You can even buy multi-adaptors which should cover you for most of the European countries. The simplest cost only pence, and the more complicated are a pound or two.

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