I have one device the only needs 2 prong, but another has a ground (laptop). Will I need a separate 3 prong adapter for that, and if so, what are the differences in the various countries? Might I need more than one 3 prong? France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Germany.
Thanks!
Chris, many laptop power chords come with that black box which is already the proper power converter. All you should need is the proper adapter so you can use the plug in the wall and you're fine with laptops.
I realize that...I know I don't need a converter. What I was asking was, do I need a separate 3 prong (grounded) adapter, and if so, are there different ones for differnt countries? I just ordered some, so nevermind.
France, Spain, Italy and Germany are European 2-prong (the round ones). Only UK and Ireland use three square prongs.
I'm asking about the round 3 prong grounded plugs. a 3 prong US plug has a ground post, which is also available in Europe. I do know that some countries are different than others. I would prefer my laptop's power supply to be grounded where possible.
Chris, Magellans sells EuroSurge Surge Protectors and a Grounding Adaptor Plug set. I'm sure other 'travel' product sites would have them also.
Tania, that's exactly where I ordered from. Glad to see I'm finding the mainstream. Future reference for others, Magellan website offers a Wizard to figure out which (3-prong) adapters you need for which countries. It will ask you what country, and if you need an adapter or a converter based on whether your device is dual voltage. It will then direct you to the page with the adapters (including grounded 3-prong) you'll need for that country.
Chris, just make sure that you take a 2-prong as well as the grounded 3-prong adapter. Some hotels (especially older hotels) do not have the 3 prong outlets.
Yes, I ordered two 2-prongers as well for a camera battery charger. Good point.
Is it necessary to buy a 3 prong grounded adapter if all Romania wall sockets are NOT grounded? I have a HP laptop that is grounded. I spoke to a tech person at an electronic store and he said the 2 round pin adapter is fine, leaving the ground pin exposed.
Or should I just buy a 3 prong grounded adapter to a US 2 flat pin adapter at Home Depot, and then use my current 2 round pin adapter for Romania?
That's much cheaper too, right?
