Help - how to Re-charge it all?

Oh thank you that was easy!
Margaret

Part of the problem is that we "think" we "have to have" unnecessary items like MP3 players and phones. A camera and a camcorder, yeah, but I used my camera for two weeks last October and only charged the battery once, after a week, and it wasn't dead at that time either. I took over 250 pictures. To extend the camera battery life, turn it off when not in use and only take pictures at as high a resolution as you really need. Saving a large pixel picture takes more battery power than a small pixel picture.

As for charging multiple items, as Michael pointed out, you probably don't need a converter. I use one of those American 3in1 outlet adapters, the little ones with three sets of slots and a pair of blades, and plug it into my Euro plug adapter. I could charge three things at a time that way. BTW, tape the 3in1 adapter to the plug adapter, so you don't leave the plug adapter in the wall (I did that once).

Hi,
I would leave all the electronic stuff behind and enjoy your vacation. It might be fun to disconnect for a few days. Just a thought.
Dean

Well, I do travel with these items and they are not useless to me. The phone helps me book my hotels and check on tickets. Also, it means that my elderly parents can reach me any time. Also, I did want my iPod charged for those times when I wanted to listen to music and watch the scenery or people go by. And, I love my camera and was charging it every night. To each his own, I say.

That off my chest, I would suggest that while you likely won't need a converter for each item--thank goodness--you will need the charging devices. You will need adapters so that they can plug into the various electrical sockets. Also, usually there are fewer fixtures than you find in a typical US hotel room, so you'll want to use both plugs, so look for chargers that don't take up a lot of space. I've thought about buying a power strip over there, but don't have any idea of the price. I was having trouble one time and the front desk charged my phone for me.

Have fun!

Chances are you won't need a converter. Most all electronics these days will handle all worldwide voltages. You can confirm this by checking the specs for each device. If it says something like AC input 110v-240v no converter is needed; you just need an adapter plug. They are sold at the travel store section of this website.

Thanks for all your feedback. I appreciate it. Yes, I know it may be easier to leave all those things at home but we plan on using our mp3 players for the rick steves guided tours he offers and as for a vacation of a lifetime without a camera and camcorder - no thanks. Those memories with my kids will be worth any extra hassle it takes. Besides I wouldn't have anything to scrapbook upon my return! Perhaps when I retire and it's just hubby & I we'll travel gadget free but for this trip it's all coming with us.
Thanks for the tips.

Be REALLY sure your chargers, etc. say 100-240 voltage on them. I just discovered (using a magnifying glass) that my charger for rechargeable batteries isn't going to work. My older iPod wall charger won't work either, but the newer more compact one is ok. If you're in doubt, call the cell phone company, etc.

Will a power strip with a plug adaptor from the U.S. work to plug everything into?

As long as the power strip is rated for European voltage, yes, it would work. You would still need a plug adapter.

Connie....power strips can work anywhere. It's limited by the amperage it can handle coming out of the outlet itself, which is usually 10 amps in most common outlets. You will still need a converter at the plug-in end to convert the voltage from 110 to 220 (you won't find a power bar that will do this, unless you purchase an expensive one designed specifically for that task) and a plug adapter, also at the plug end. But you then risk the chance of plugging too many things into the power bar itself, blowing the outlet.

Leaving all "unnecessary" electronic devices home sound great in theory. In practice, that is much more difficult.

Me and my kids are meeting up with my husband who will be in Europe ahead of us on business. He must to have his blackberry along and it's good that he's reachable for us. We also meet up with my brother a few days later who also will join us directly from a business trip not knowing yet whether that will be coming from Essex or Sweden. So it's good that he's got his cell phone along as well so we can stay in touch.

Taking a teenaged daughter along with her own iPod will make life A LOT easier for her as well as for anybody around her.

We'll probably have 5 digital cameras among the 6 of us. Teenaged daughter will use hers for school homework related to Italian Renaissance (gr 8 curriculum and part of her permission to leave school during the school year).

We could do without but I don't want to, especially on a special trip like this one.

Its a few extra bucks, but you can charge up to 6 different devices from one outlet.

http://www.callpod.com/products/chargepod

Margaret - I share your "electronic" pain! Living here in Rome I have "plugged in", just in the living room area, a SamSung TV, DVD player, Wii Game, Lexmark printer, 2 cell phone recharges, GPS charger, battery charger, 2 laptop computers, 2 back up hard drives, Linksys router, Vonage router, Local telephone, Vonage telephone, two MP3 players, and the assorted lamps, etc.

First, on the up side, know that many of your electronics ARE rated 110-240 so you can plug them without a converter - Almost ALL the items listed above are being used with NO converter! CHECK your "plugs" or info on your electrical items. You will have to have a plug adapter to fit the European plugs!

I do have a cheap US power strip ($4) for some items and it is plugged into an Radio Shack converter. Not all US power strips work though. I had two VERY expensive powers strips I was going to use for my laptops, TV, etc. to protect them. Both were "fried" within 10 minutes of plugging them in... Now I am using the "old, beat-up, threw it in the suitcase at the last minute" power strip! it works great!

Now the downside... all those items are plugged into 3 outlets! Yep, I have Italian power strips everywhere - it's like a daisy-chain of eletrical imbalance! My Italians friends come over and marvel at my "electronic" needs!

So know that when you go to a hotel/apt/hostel, etc. you will probably have VERY FEW outlets to plug items into. So either bring that cheap, NO FUSE, US power strip - or simply stop in a local store and buy the European version. I did, my first day here!

As of yet, almost a year, not one single piece of equipment I have has been damaged (knock on wood). Do know that my laptops, both 110-240 volts, RUN BETTER and get less "hot" WITHOUT a US power converter... My first few days here they hummed and flashed until I unhooked them from the converters I thought would "protect" them!

Hope that helps and good luck on your trip!

Ciao,
Ron

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. We did indeed discover that almost all our electronic toys are 110-220V so all we need are plug adapters, and we’ll probably get a cheap power strip once we get there in case there aren’t enough outlets.

I love traveling with my electronics and I've found that lots of europeans LOVE their cell phones. I'm talking LOVE LOVE LOVE - lol! So most phones & laptops (which I never travel without and yes it's a pain sometimes but it's like my grown-up "blankie") have converters already on them. I use my laptop also to charge my phone, camera and iPod through the usb ports. Well, not my phone anymore because I bought a Samsung Blackjack and it won't charge through my computer, only by being plugged into an outlet.

The one problem I did run into in both Amsterdam and Sweden is the electrical plugs are not flat like they are here. I brought a converter that was like a small box shape and the "tongs" (or whatever they're called" weren't long enough to reach the holes to plug them into. Luckily, I had an adaptor too and just sort of doubled up to make it work. Now I just just use my dear Lappie to charge everything that I can.

Some of your devices (i.e your MP3 players, your your phones, maybe your camera) can probably be recharged by plugging into a USB port, correct? If so, you could buy a 4-port "USB hub" with an AC adaptor for about $20. That would allow you to charge 4 items at once using only one wall outlet.

Lee's suggestion about using a 3in1 has worked well for us, too. Consider switching your AA or AAA items to lithium batteries. It is amazing how long they last compared to alkaline. Turn off your camera's flash.
Make sure that the outlet you choose works. And that it isn't tied into one of the light switches. Our son lost a whole night of charging since, when we turned out the light, the nearby outlet de-energized also.

BEa, Five cameras for six people, wow, I can't believe it,, my family of five managed on two. One was ours ( grown ups) and our oldest teenage son had one ( which had been a Christmas gift).
Maybe your daughter could just use yours, buy lots of memory cards instead of packing so many cameras may be?

As for everyones cell phone justfications they are pretty funny. You don't need a cell phone, 15- 20 yrs ago almost no one had one and people travelled all the time back in the olden days too. LOL

IPods ok. music and they are useful for the tours., as is a camera, but really people go nuts nowadays bringing lap tops ( you do not need a lap top, unless it is a business trip) .

I have a question , anyone heard of the solar rechargers for some electronic devises, my duaghter seems to think there is one for her hand held video game

I know you can get solar powered battery chargers, but i dont know if you can get them for specific appliances...

you probably can though :)

I would also double check and see what devices can share wall warts. So If you have 4 ipods just bring 1 wall wart and set up a recharging schedual. Same with the cameras are they the same brand cane you use the same wall wart on multible cameras? I could be test of your families sharing power but i may cut dowm on the bulk.

I agree that cells phones are almost a must. Especially if you are meeting up with people on the way. 5 years ago I was in Italy without one and vowed never to do that again. We were staying in a rental apartment with no phone so no Taxi would agree to set up an appointment to pick us out at 5am on a Sunday to get us to the airport since we didn't have a phone number to confirm with . To find a pay phone to even find that out it took over a hour to find a pay phone that was not in use or broken.