I will be staying in hostels from Ireland, GB, Netherlands, Poland, Czech, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece.
I was thinking about getting a power strip to charge our stuff since I feel like outlets in the hostels will be a hot commodity... We will have 2 cameras, 2 phones (every couple days), and a battery pack to charge.
What should I be looking for online to buy? I figured this way we will only need one converter.
jillian,
I would NOT recommend using a Power Bar, as the majority of models these days include some type of surge or noise filtering. Those models will likely self-destruct in spectacular fashion as soon as they're connected in Europe. There is one model you could use though.....
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-MP-OTG400-BK-Outlets/dp/B000F9YN2M
You most likely will NOT require a voltage "converter". What you MUST do to begin with is to check the Input Voltage specifications on EACH device you'll be travelling with. Most (if not all) of these will probably state "Input 100-240 VAC, 50~60 Hz", and if that's the case all you'll need is inexpensive Plug Adaptors specific to the countries you're visiting.
For travel in the U.K. and Ireland, this is the style that you'll need.....
https://www.magellans.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=118,3681&T1=MEA33MCG
For travel on the continent, you'll need this style.....
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-US-Euro-Plug-Adapter/dp/B004SRU37G
I'd suggest packing at least a couple of each, as they're small and easy to misplace. You should be able to find them at local stores in your area such as Best Buy, Wal Mart or at travel & luggage stores.
If you want a power strip, buy it after you get there.
As Ken says, you would need a basic power strip with nothing voltage sensitive. Some basic strips have LED lights that if purchased in North America would be 120 volt rated. Not sure what 240 volts will do to an LED, but a resistance light bulb would burn pretty bright (for a while).
Disadvantage of buying a UK power strip is that each North American device will need a US (Type A) to UK. If you can find a US type basic extension cord with multiple female sockets, then you would only need one US to UK adapter for the extension chord.
I think it largely depends on how your cameras charge. Most cell phones charge from a USB port, as probably does your battery pack. If the cameras use USB too, then all you need is something like this and appropriate plug adapters for the countries to which you'll be traveling.
Think of this as a USB power strip.
My newest digital camera uses AA batteries, so I bought rechargeable batteries and this USB charger.
I took a small extension cord (5 or 6 feet) with multiple outlets and that worked great. I strongly recommend that you tape your adapter to the extension cord you don't accidently forget it and leave it in the wall outlet.
" Not sure what 240 volts will do to an LED, but a resistance light bulb would burn pretty bright (for a while)."
LED's require a current-limiting series resistor, the value of which is partially calculated on the supply voltage. The most likely result of connecting a device designed for 120 V. to a 220 V. supply is a puff of smoke and a non-functioning LED.
"If you want a power strip, buy it after you get there."
As Edgar mentioned, the problem with that approach is that you'd have to use a Plug Adaptor for each appliance you were connecting to it. Also, if you bought the Power Bar in the U.K., you'd have to buy another Plug Adaptor to connect the Power Bar on the continent.
I have a 110/220 extension cord with universal plug outlets on it which I bought on Amazon. I've used in Europe and at home in Canada without any problems, including in Italy where power supply is notoriously..........different. (I always find out where the circuit breakers are in advance).
It works well and I only have to carry one adapter for the cord and not for each item. We plugged in 4 things at once and did not have any issues.
It was similar to this
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B005ZIM73A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also I have a monster extension cord, but it does not work - used it once and it stopped working
This is closer to the one I have
If you just need USB ports, you can use something like this
Shirley,
Good to know about the 120/240 volt power strips and even better the USB charging ports. For those doing carry-on bags flying with a carry-on max weight limit carrier, a large 1/2 kg power strip eats into the weight limit. The 1/4 kg USB charging port you suggest is also more compact and provides multi-country (except Swiss) plug adapters.
These days we seem to be going light except for our electronic devices.
Edger, from the picture it looks like it does fit into the recessed sockets on Swiss (and Italian) receptacles (note the pointed ends). I like it. It's has CE listing and is double insulated, so no need for grounding. And it's under the 575W limit for ungrounded plugs in the EU. Unfortunately for those in the US, that link is to Amazon, Canada. I found the same one on Amazon, US, but they only had one used one available. Here is a similar one with more available. And, it's not that obnoxious pink color. But the pink one might be harder to leave plugged in when you leave.
Lee,
Just saying that the referenced USB unit only has adapters for:
w/ Interchangeable Plugs (US/CA, UK, EU, AU)
This means that for travel to
GB, Netherlands, Poland, Czech, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece
jillian will need to acquire or borrow a Swiss adapter for the USB unit cited in Shirley's post.
One more comment.....
A slightly more elegant solution that offers six USB charging ports is the ChargePod. This offers a bit more versatility also, in that the user can configure it with device-specific adaptor cables for GPS units, phones, etc. Unfortunately they don't have an adaptor cable for the Apple Lightning, but their USB model works for that.
"need to acquire or borrow a Swiss adapter"
In what way do you think that the adapter will not work in Switzerland? They call it a EU adapter, and Switzerland is not in the EU, but in reality, it is a "Europlug" adapter, which means it is designed for ungrounded, low amperage (<2½A) applications in any receptacle in continental Europe. I had an old Europlug adapter from 1990, with fat rounded ends that would not fit in a Swiss recess, but my newer one, from Ace Hardware, will.
Read this about Swiss receptacles (type J) and this, about Europlugs (type C).
another thing to consider if you are thinking of buying a USB charging device. check the current rating of the USB ports. for travel I have a travel unit that can output 2 ports BOTH at 2.1 amps. eg: 4.2amps total. as I like to charge the ipad and phone etc simultaneously. some devices do have multiple ports but don't have the capacity to charge things like ipads. just something to check.
Lee, as the say here "Jein" (sort of). A two-pin Europlug will fit in Swiss sockets (apart from a few old French plugs which had round profile instead of hexagonal, like the one you had).
If you have a 3-pin plug from outside Switzerland, it will not fit in Swiss sockets. And Italy is different again.
The revolting pink adaptor Shirley posted is two-pin and so would work in Swiss and Italian sockets.
The site posted calls it an "EU plug" which is a total misnomer, as it is only good in part of the EU (not in the UK), but is OK in some non-EU countries.
Chris,
My Toko waxing iron is a 230 v device with the box marked as having an "EU" plug and have worked in Germany, Austria and Finland sockets. The actual plug looks like an CCE 7/7 plug (two round pins projecting from the face of the plug and the ground conductor on the side of the plug and face of the plug.
Will my EU Toko iron with what appears to be a CCE 7/7 plug will match the Swiss receptacles except that the iron will not be grounded? Will I have any problem with the pin diameter being comparable with Swiss sockets? (Planning on the Davos/Klosters area next year). Are the German conductor pins and the Swiss conductor pins the same diameter?
The plug that you have will work in most receptacles in Europe, EXCEPT for Switzerland and Italy. The type ECC 7/7 plug is on a ~Ø1½" "barrel, which will not fit in the squashed hexagon recess in Switzerland (type J). It probably also has pins that are Ø4.8mm (German standard); the Swiss standard is Ø4.0mm pins.
Compare the pins to drill bits. Ø4.0mm is about 5/32"; Ø4.8mm is about 3/16".
Actually I have the Olixar, not the ugly pink thing - just wanted to give people an example of what's out there.
http://www.olixar.com/olixar-travel-adapter-4-usb-ports/
Re: Italian plugs - sometimes the 2 prong standard European plugs do not work. They have a grounded 3 pin plug and it's slightly smaller than the 2 prong plugs. I have an adapter with a universal end to plug into with a 3 prong end for the socket. You can buy them cheaply in Italy even in the grocery store sometimes.
I have no knowledge of Switzerland.
Edgar,
What you describe sounds like a Schuko plug, listed as "type F" in this website: http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/
This will not fit into a Swiss socket because:
(a) Newer Swiss sockets are recessed, so Schuko plugs do not fit.
(b) The pins are too thick. German 3-pin (Schuko) conductor pins are wider than Swiss conductor pins. You may be able to force it in, but that will damage the socket.
(c) Using a 3-pin (earthed) device without connecting the earth is a safety risk. The earth pin is there for a reason.
An "EU plug" is a misnomer. a "Euro plug" is a 2-pin plug which works in most of Europe (apart from UK/Ireland). This what I have on my phone charger etc (type C on above-mentioned website). A 3-pin plug could be a UK plug (type G), a "Schuko" (the most common, type F), a French plug (type E), a Swiss (type J) or an Italian (type L)
