electrical outlets in Europe hotel bathrooms

Hi,

In many, if not most, of the hotels in the U.K. and France have an
electric outlet in the bathroom that says "For shavers only" (and
provides both U.S. and European voltage choices). In the case of the
U.K. it is a 2 prong outlet, as opposed to the usual 3 prong.

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or
electric toothbrush in this situation. I purchased European versions
of my toothbrush, etc. so that the voltage would be compatible. But
in France I plugged my Braun toothbrush into the outlet in the
bathroom and it killed the recharger base. Therefore, I haven't tried
anything else in it.

Although I can use my curling iron in the other room of the hotel, I
can only use my waterpik in the bathroom but the "For shavers only"
makes me hestitate.

Any one know how this works?

Many thanks,

Jan

Jan Hanford wrote:

Hi,

In many, if not most, of the hotels in the U.K. and France have an
electric outlet in the bathroom that says "For shavers only" (and
provides both U.S. and European voltage choices). In the case of the
U.K. it is a 2 prong outlet, as opposed to the usual 3 prong.

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or
electric toothbrush in this situation. I purchased European versions
of my toothbrush, etc. so that the voltage would be compatible. But
in France I plugged my Braun toothbrush into the outlet in the
bathroom and it killed the recharger base. Therefore, I haven't tried
anything else in it.

Although I can use my curling iron in the other room of the hotel, I
can only use my waterpik in the bathroom but the "For shavers only"
makes me hestitate.

Any one know how this works?

Many thanks,

Jan

These outlets are usually fused at 1 amp, so anything using more amperage
- most things other than shavers - will blow the fuse. Hair driers and
curling tongs are definitely too powerful for a 1 amp fuse to handle.
Stick to an adapter plug and use the 3 pin sockets in the main room.

Llamedos
--
Has anyone ever found a double-yolker creme egg?

The views and expressions contained in this message do not necessarily
coincide with those of my employer.

"Llamedos" wrote in message
...
Jan Hanford wrote:

Hi,

In many, if not most, of the hotels in the U.K. and France have an
electric outlet in the bathroom that says "For shavers only" (and
provides both U.S. and European voltage choices). In the case of the
U.K. it is a 2 prong outlet, as opposed to the usual 3 prong.

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or
electric toothbrush in this situation. I purchased European versions
of my toothbrush, etc. so that the voltage would be compatible. But
in France I plugged my Braun toothbrush into the outlet in the
bathroom and it killed the recharger base. Therefore, I haven't tried
anything else in it.

Although I can use my curling iron in the other room of the hotel, I
can only use my waterpik in the bathroom but the "For shavers only"
makes me hestitate.

Any one know how this works?

Many thanks,

Jan

These outlets are usually fused at 1 amp, so anything using more amperage
- most things other than shavers - will blow the fuse. Hair driers and
curling tongs are definitely too powerful for a 1 amp fuse to handle.
Stick to an adapter plug and use the 3 pin sockets in the main room.

Llamedos
--

That wont solve the problem

US mains voltage is 110V at 60 Hz,just about everybody else
uses 220 at 50 Hz

You can get a 220-110v transformer but they are limited
to low power applications so while a toothbrush would be
fine a flat iron would draw too much power.

Keith

(Jan Hanford) wrote in
om:

In many, if not most, of the hotels in the U.K. and France have an
electric outlet in the bathroom that says "For shavers only" (and
provides both U.S. and European voltage choices). In the case of the
U.K. it is a 2 prong outlet, as opposed to the usual 3 prong.

The limitation is because of fusing (power).

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or
electric toothbrush in this situation.

You can use the toothbrush on the low power outlet, but not devices that
produce heat (curling iron, flat iron, hair dryer ...), as they use too
much power. What's a waterpik?

I purchased European versions
of my toothbrush, etc. so that the voltage would be compatible. But
in France I plugged my Braun toothbrush into the outlet in the
bathroom and it killed the recharger base.

I suspect a voltage mismatch anyway. Devices and sockets can be switchable,
and perhaps you chose the wrong combination there ... The "shaver"
limitation, which is really a fuse limitation, couldn't have killed the
toothbrush.

Regards

--
Staras eku Flonderanen

http://www.wschwanke.de/ usenet_20031215 (AT) wschwanke (DOT) de

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or electric
toothbrush in this situation.

You could cut down on some of the stress involved by looking at your holiday or
trip differently from the way you do things at home. For instance, leave the
electric toothbrush and waterpik at home - and take an old-fashion manually
operated toothbrush and some floss on the trip. Maybe they won't do as good a
job, but it's only for a short time.

About the flat iron - when my wife and I began traveling many decades ago, we
too took a small travel iron. Then we found we never used it and we started
taking clothes that don't wrinkle as much. The travel iron hasn't gone with us
for 15 years.

My wife doesn't use a curling iron. She still takes a very small hairdryer. I
try to get her to leave it behind. She has short hair but likes the dryer in
case the hair goes the wrong way during the night. We stay mostly at 2-star
hotels. Even these are putting hairdryers in their bathrooms.

Keith Willshaw wrote:

"Llamedos" wrote in message
...

Jan Hanford wrote:
Hi,

In many, if not most, of the hotels in the U.K. and France have an
electric outlet in the bathroom that says "For shavers only" (and
provides both U.S. and European voltage choices). In the case of the
U.K. it is a 2 prong outlet, as opposed to the usual 3 prong.

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or
electric toothbrush in this situation. I purchased European versions
of my toothbrush, etc. so that the voltage would be compatible. But
in France I plugged my Braun toothbrush into the outlet in the
bathroom and it killed the recharger base. Therefore, I haven't tried
anything else in it.

Although I can use my curling iron in the other room of the hotel, I
can only use my waterpik in the bathroom but the "For shavers only"
makes me hestitate.

Any one know how this works?
Many thanks,
Jan

These outlets are usually fused at 1 amp, so anything using more amperage
- most things other than shavers - will blow the fuse. Hair driers and
curling tongs are definitely too powerful for a 1 amp fuse to handle.
Stick to an adapter plug and use the 3 pin sockets in the main room.
Llamedos

That wont solve the problem
US mains voltage is 110V at 60 Hz,just about everybody else
uses 220 at 50 Hz
You can get a 220-110v transformer but they are limited
to low power applications so while a toothbrush would be
fine a flat iron would draw too much power.
Keith

That is a bit of an over generalization. It is not uncommon for the
power circuit on modern appliances to operate on a wide range of
standards. The charger for my camera battery, for example, runs on
pretty much any input 100V - 250V and about 40 Hz to about 70 Hz.

As to transformers they can handle pretty much any load you desire.
It's just that for high loads they get heavy & expensive. FFM

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...
Keith Willshaw wrote:

"Llamedos" wrote in message
...

Jan Hanford wrote:
Hi,

In many, if not most, of the hotels in the U.K. and France have an
electric outlet in the bathroom that says "For shavers only" (and
provides both U.S. and European voltage choices). In the case of the
U.K. it is a 2 prong outlet, as opposed to the usual 3 prong.

How does one use things like a curling iron, flat iron, waterpik or
electric toothbrush in this situation. I purchased European versions
of my toothbrush, etc. so that the voltage would be compatible. But
in France I plugged my Braun toothbrush into the outlet in the
bathroom and it killed the recharger base. Therefore, I haven't tried
anything else in it.

Although I can use my curling iron in the other room of the hotel, I
can only use my waterpik in the bathroom but the "For shavers only"
makes me hestitate.

Any one know how this works?
Many thanks,
Jan

These outlets are usually fused at 1 amp, so anything using more
amperage
- most things other than shavers - will blow the fuse. Hair driers and
curling tongs are definitely too powerful for a 1 amp fuse to handle.
Stick to an adapter plug and use the 3 pin sockets in the main room.
Llamedos

That wont solve the problem
US mains voltage is 110V at 60 Hz,just about everybody else
uses 220 at 50 Hz
You can get a 220-110v transformer but they are limited
to low power applications so while a toothbrush would be
fine a flat iron would draw too much power.
Keith

That is a bit of an over generalization. It is not uncommon for the
power circuit on modern appliances to operate on a wide range of
standards. The charger for my camera battery, for example, runs on
pretty much any input 100V - 250V and about 40 Hz to about 70 Hz.


So does my laptop but in the US they dont put multivoltage power
supplies on devices like curling tongs, flatirons and toothbrushes

As to transformers they can handle pretty much any load you desire.
It's just that for high loads they get heavy & expensive. FFM


The transformers you'll see on sale at most stores are
however limited to a couple of amps at most. A transformer
capable of handling the power absorbed by a flat iron
weighs around 24 lbs

Keit


Keith

Keith Willshaw wrote:

So does my laptop but in the US they dont put multivoltage power
supplies on devices like curling tongs, flatirons and toothbrushes

Not entirely correct. It's not general, but _some_ US-sold irons and
dryers are made to work on either US or UK power sources.

Sheila

S Viemeister schrieb:

Keith Willshaw wrote:

So does my laptop but in the US they dont put multivoltage power
supplies on devices like curling tongs, flatirons and toothbrushes

Not entirely correct. It's not general, but _some_ US-sold irons and
dryers are made to work on either US or UK power sources.

Sheila

Our daughter brought a 110v hair curler (actually a hair straightener)
with a US style plug back from a Mexico trip to Europe.
I told her on no account to try and plug it in to our 220v sockets, it
would most likely melt, catch fire, burn out our house wiring, or all
three.

So much for father's advice- she jury-rigged a plug and socket from our
collection of travel adapters, and plugged it in- it works.

Tom.

"Thomas Peel" wrote in message
...


S Viemeister schrieb:

Keith Willshaw wrote:

So does my laptop but in the US they dont put multivoltage power
supplies on devices like curling tongs, flatirons and toothbrushes

Not entirely correct. It's not general, but _some_ US-sold irons and
dryers are made to work on either US or UK power sources.

Sheila

Our daughter brought a 110v hair curler (actually a hair straightener)
with a US style plug back from a Mexico trip to Europe.
I told her on no account to try and plug it in to our 220v sockets, it
would most likely melt, catch fire, burn out our house wiring, or all
three.

So much for father's advice- she jury-rigged a plug and socket from our
collection of travel adapters, and plugged it in- it works.


As long as the thermostat works that will be fine since it cuts
the power to the heating coil when the selected temperature
is reached.

HOWEVER if it should fail the heating element will very
likely produce dangerously high temperatures as at 220v
you'll get twice the heat output through the same resistance

That could be nasty.

Keith