laptop and plug adapter question

It will as long as your computer input accepts 120/220v

Well I travel with an older model laptop with the standard two prong (one larger than the other like a lamp) plug. Never had a problem using a continental plug adapter and have never needed an electric current adapter. Even my old buggy can handle US/EURO/UK current. Even my cell phone charger is adaptable to US/EURO/UK current. Just need the right plug adaptor. IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP. I secure my adaptor plug to my plug with a thin strip of electrical or duct tape. This way I don't leave it behind. Another tactic I've used successfully is to tape a note to the plug (Remember the adaptor). May seem silly until you unplug your computer and leave the plug adaptor in your B&B or hotel.

Are you saying your plug adapter has two prongs or only takes a two-pronged (non-grounded) U.S. plug?

You should make sure that your adapter takes a grounded (3-pronged) U.S. plug. You can buy an adapter which does this.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the prongs are slightly smaller in southern Europe (Italy) versus northern Europe. Some adapters will handle either.

Kimberly,
your question is puzzling to me. You have a cord with a "three-prong plug". I assume that is a grounded plug with two flat blades and a round grounding pin. And you have a continental adapter with two holes and you want to know if these will fit together? Have you tried them?

I have traveled on the continent (Germany) seven times in the last eight years with a laptop (actually four different ones). The latest one has a "three prong plug" and the adapter is thin enough that the round grounding pin fits up next to it, and it works fine in the German receptacles.

One hint, tape the adapter to the three prong plug. European receptacles grip the two pin adapter tightly, and there is a chance to pull the cord out of the wall and leave the adapter (I did this once).

But, make sure your laptop has a dual voltage (120-240 VAC) power supply.

Thanks for the help, everyone. I think I'll go ahead and buy another adapter with a three hole input. Rick doesn't sell these, but someone else will.

Good tips about taping the plug to the adapter!

Kimberly, you still haven't answered the question, "does the adapter you already have fit on the 3-pronged plug with the round, grounding pin next to the adapter?" If so, that is ALL you need. If not, there are non-grounding, two pin adapters available that will fit.

I spent two weeks the first of this month traveling with a sub-notebook (Acer Aspire One), which has the 3-pronged plug, and I used a two-pin Europlug adapter. It worked fine.

If you try to use an adapter that accepts the 3-pronged plug, be aware, there are several styles of grounding plugs on the Europen continent. In Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany, the plug is a modified Shucko design, two pins with grounding clips (for Neth. and Germany) on the side and will accept the grounding pin in a Belgian or French receptacle. However, this design doesn't work in Switzerland or Italy, both of which have unique designs for their grounding plugs. So, unless you are limiting your travel to just one of these area, or want to carry multiple adapters, use the Europlug.

BTW, the two pin Europlug is limited to 5 amp (460W) usage. Technically, people should not be using them with hair dryer, curling irons, etc.

I have the same question. So if the laptop cord is grounded (3 pins), and I use a non-grounded European adapter plug (once I insert the laptop cord onto the European adapter, the US ground round pin is exposed), that is fine? The guy at the electronic store said that would be fine. I rather not buy a grounded European adapter if I can just use my non-grounded one.

Another thing that would be cheaper to do is buy a US grounded adapter to convert it to US 2 pin and then use my 2 pin European adapter?

Thanks in advance.

Hi,
I'm bumping this thread because I would also like confirmation that I can use a standard 2-prong round pin adapter (for France) with a three-prong (grounded) computer plug from North America. I am going to France for 2 weeks in June and just bought an HP Mini 1000 netbook and would like to know if I can use my standard adapters (not worried about voltage as it is dual-voltage like most modern computers) or if I have to buy a special 3-prong to 2-prong adapter. Is it safe to have the grounding pin exposed?

Thanks!
D-

Hi Darrell, that are really three questions ;-): 1) Is the exposed grounding pin dangerous to the touch? 2) Is it dangerous that the netbook isn't grounded? 3) Is it dangerous to use this netbook on with a ungrounded, i.e. lower graded, adapter/socket?

1) No. It's the grounding pin -- if it's connected to anything in your netbook at all, it would be connected to sufaces you'll touch. 2) Well, has your netbook conducting surfaces that would need grounding in case of a malfunction? Most computer equipment hasn't. 3) Europlugs are only rated for 2.5A, at max 250V that's a wattage of 625W. How much does your netbook draw? If it's under that (and as far as I know for a laptop something around 100W would be more typical) you`re safe.

Hi Mark,
thanks so much for your reply! From your response, it looks like this solution should work perfectly for me then (ie. using a 2-prong adapter and ignoring the grounding prong) as my computer is very small, mostly plastic (so no real shock risk) and is very low-powered being a 2lb netbook. So rather than spending any more money on an adapter I will almost never use, I'll just stick to my existing kit.

Thanks again!
D-