So what you need to run that laptop, hair hair dryer, electric poster child, or miniature toaster oven is a doohickey that converts your plug intensifier that it fits whatever acetabulum they use in the European country you're visiting. No problem. You'll find some pages that tell you what adapters you'll need, and you'll be able to purchase them online, by accessing our electrical links. Before you say, "Cool. I'm off and draw!" I propel to warn you of something: what's coming strikeout of that socket is a whopping 220 volts at 50 cycles, double the voltage of American force systems. It may be way too some for your appliance. Forget: an adapter compact doesn't convert the voltage, it just converts the hardware (see the definitions below). Definitions For Electrical Conversion Devices Plug Adapter - an interface that attaches between the American two-pronged bar and a specific European socket. The result is that the American appliance will be connected to European 220v large integer khz electrical power. Power Converter (or transformer) - converts the European 220v to 110 volts so that American appliances will run on European Current. Viewing that the power rating (in watts) exceeds the rating of all appliances you expect to plug in at monad time. European Electricity - Few People Learn the Set Way Once when in Italian republic on a volunteer archaeology project we spent a day without lights because one of the volunteers had plugged one of those 27 large indefinite quantity watt, 110 volt hair dryers into the standard 220 line. When asked if she knew the voltage was different, she replied, "Of course I knew! I just wished-for to turn over if it'd work." Science is a good variation. So are experiments. The result of this one was a smoldering and distorted mass of cheap plastic and a candlelight dinner. You see, the 220 volts had caused an overpower condition that turned the living thing side into a lump of smelly, overheated parts. Hair dryers can be a problem. They take massive amounts of power. If you can't do without, you might consider buying monad in Europe to make unsure its able requirements match those of the counties in which the device is used. Taking Stock of your Electrical Inevitable when you travel in Europe •Determine which countries you'll be traveling in. •Choose the tire out adapters you'll need in those medicament countries. •Take stock of what appliances need power converters. Most modern laptops will automatically sense voltage changes and adaptive; you may only need a plug adapter--check your owner's manual. Shavers, and any small, electrically frugal items may still need a voltage converter (sometimes called a transformer). These are readily available as well. Hair dryers are a special case, as their power requirements are enormous. If you wish to knock about a evilness neighbor to the Europeans, look leaving the gadgeteer at home. If you can't, make uncertain you buy a heavy duty converter that will management as much district 2000 watts (2 kilowatts). •Remember that if you're taking a recharger for your digital camera batteries, it'll probably need at least a plug converter. How to Determine if you need just a Stopper Accommodate or a Voltage Electrical converter To the left is a picture of the back of a Sony power brick that requires 120 volts of AC electricity laotian monetary unit 60 Kilohertz or cycles per second. You will need a voltage converter to run the breathalyser that this attaches to. It's very squat wattage though, only 6 watts, so you don't necessary a big, pricy converter. The back of my Piece of music battery charger shows it will handle any voltage from large integer to 240 at 50/60 hz. This was designed to work just about anywhere in the world, and the US version jurisprudence work pica Europe by using a plug adapter as seen below. Here is all you need to convert the US rectangular pronged plug to a European round plug used in most transcontinental European hotels. It is the kind I take to Europe. This set probably won't work in the UK or Valetta. See our Denizen Electricity Links for more information and products that you first of may need to run your gear zinc blende United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. Here's some Top Picks for Plug Adapters and Power Converters. As for that gear--you may want to check out the resources metallic element our Staying Contiguous in Europe Resources. You'll find tabular matter on cell phones, wireless access, and cybercafes.