U.K. Converter question

Another question for you experienced travelers out there . . .

I am traveling from the U.S. to London for about 2 weeks. I have a
couple different electronic items that I will need to charge overnight
in the hotel room (cell phone, ipod, laptop and kids handheld video
game). With regard to voltage and plug type, can any recomend the best
converter to buy, keeping in mind that I will need 3 or 4 of them?

Thanks in advance.

Richard

"Richard" wrote in message
...
Another question for you experienced travelers out there . . .

I am traveling from the U.S. to London for about 2 weeks. I have a
couple different electronic items that I will need to charge overnight
in the hotel room (cell phone, ipod, laptop and kids handheld video
game). With regard to voltage and plug type, can any recomend the best
converter to buy, keeping in mind that I will need 3 or 4 of them?

Thanks in advance.

Richard

Richard,
We always take just one converter along with the plugs needed for the
different countries that we visit. We also bring an extension cord that has
several outlets on the end to plug in our cell phone, camera battery
charger, etc...I believe our cord has three outlets. We have a Samsonite,
but there are several good ones out there. They come as an adapter/converter
plug kit. You might also check Amazon online, as they carry several brands.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/site-directory

--Jean

-

"Jean O'Boyle" wrote in message
...

"Richard" wrote in message
...
Another question for you experienced travelers out there . . .

I am traveling from the U.S. to London for about 2 weeks. I have a
couple different electronic items that I will need to charge overnight
in the hotel room (cell phone, ipod, laptop and kids handheld video
game). With regard to voltage and plug type, can any recomend the best
converter to buy, keeping in mind that I will need 3 or 4 of them?

Thanks in advance.

Richard

Richard,
We always take just one converter along with the plugs needed for the
different countries that we visit. We also bring an extension cord that
has several outlets on the end to plug in our cell phone, camera battery
charger, etc...I believe our cord has three outlets. We have a Samsonite,
but there are several good ones out there. They come as an
adapter/converter plug kit. You might also check Amazon online, as they
carry several brands. http://www.amazon.com/gp/site-directory

--Jean

Sorry, I hit "send" before I included this link. I found it helpful in
choosing the right plug.

http://users.telenet.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm

On Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:16:30 -0400, Richard
wrote:

Another question for you experienced travelers out there . . .

I am traveling from the U.S. to London for about 2 weeks. I have a
couple different electronic items that I will need to charge overnight
in the hotel room (cell phone, ipod, laptop and kids handheld video
game). With regard to voltage and plug type, can any recomend the best
converter to buy, keeping in mind that I will need 3 or 4 of them?

First check the devices. These days many of them will be noted as
120-240v 50-60Hz, which means you don't need a converter, just an
adaptor plug. The device detects the source you've plugged into
and adapts to it.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Hatunen" wrote in message
...

First check the devices. These days many of them will be noted as
120-240v 50-60Hz, which means you don't need a converter, just an
adaptor plug. The device detects the source you've plugged into
and adapts to it.

That's a good point. It's pretty rare to find modern appliances that do not
cover the full range of voltages without the need for a transformer.

Ian

On Fri, 9 Jul 2010 09:25:14 +0100, "Ian F."
wrote:

"Hatunen" wrote in message
.. .

First check the devices. These days many of them will be noted as
120-240v 50-60Hz, which means you don't need a converter, just an
adaptor plug. The device detects the source you've plugged into
and adapts to it.

That's a good point. It's pretty rare to find modern appliances that do not
cover the full range of voltages without the need for a transformer.

Some may require manipulating a switch, but usually not. My wife
had to replace the hairdryer whe brought with her to England (we
had a converter) and she found a 120/240vac model at Boots. We
spent some time trying to fathom where the switch was but another
shopper overhead us and said the hairdryer knows without a
switch.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

On Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:16:30 -0400, Richard
wrote:

Another question for you experienced travelers out there . . .

I am traveling from the U.S. to London for about 2 weeks. I have a
couple different electronic items that I will need to charge overnight
in the hotel room (cell phone, ipod, laptop and kids handheld video
game). With regard to voltage and plug type, can any recomend the best
converter to buy, keeping in mind that I will need 3 or 4 of them?

First of all, check the labels on your chargers. Many, if not most, of
them are multi-voltage.

You'll need plug adapters for sure. But these are cheap.

On Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:57:14 -0400, Alexander Arnakis wrote:


First of all, check the labels on your chargers. Many, if not most, of
them are multi-voltage.

You'll need plug adapters for sure. But these are cheap.

If you hold the probes in the left and right hands
then look at your forehead, if the lines are straight it is DC,
if they lines are wavy it is AC.

Thanks very much for the good advice . . .

Richard

"Richard":
I am traveling from the U.S. to London for about 2 weeks. I have a
couple different electronic items that I will need to charge overnight
in the hotel room (cell phone, ipod, laptop and kids handheld video
game). With regard to voltage and plug type, can any recomend the best
converter to buy, keeping in mind that I will need 3 or 4 of them?

As others have said, it's entirely possible that you don't need a
voltage converter at all. However, the number of electrical outlets
in the hotel room may be limited. You may want to take a power bar
or cube tap or something that will allow you to charge 3-4 things off
a single outlet.

(However, if you use this with just a plug adapter, you'll be running
230 V or so through it instead of the usual 120 V -- so it must NOT
contain a surge protector that would trip on the higher voltage.)
--
Mark Brader "I used to own a mind like a steel trap.
Toronto Perhaps if I'd specified a brass one, it
wouldn't have rusted like this." --Greg Goss

My text in this article is in the public domain.