I use a standard Continental adapter (two round prongs) for charging my electronic devices in Europe. Should I also take a grounded Continental adapter to Italy as well? None of my camera or iPod cables use a ground, but I occasionally read reports from travelers who had difficulty seating their standard adapter into an Italian grounded electrical outlet.
Posted by
The Hague, NL (AMS)
2207 posts
I have many US electrical pieces plugged in here at my apartment. I went to Home Depot before leaving the country and bought 5-6 of the $0.79 rubber 3-prong adapters to "convert" my ground plug to a two-prong plug. No issues whatsoever.
You may need to purchase the small adapter pieces that allow you to convert the US two-prong plug to the Italian "rounded" two-prong plug. I had a couple but bought more here for about 50 cents each at local markets...
The biggest "electrical" danger I face is from MULTIPLE sockets. Our apartment has two indiviual outlets in the LR. So we have 2 laptops, TV, DVD, Wii Game, Two Back Up hard Drives, 3 Lamps, our cell phone rechargers, Camera recharger, Vonage Modem (Gotta have that to call the US), Linksys wireless, etc... ALL INTO 2 outlets with multipe Italian power strips!!!!
I guess you could say I'm testing the Italian power grid!
Ciao,
Ron
Posted by
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
2 posts
Hi,
When looking for outlet adapters for Italy, I notice that some have 2 prongs and some have 3 prongs.
Does Italy have different type of openings? If so, do the 2 prong adapters work in the 3 prong outlets, or is that not advised? We are traveling to Italy in June for a short 8 days, and I don't want to buy multiple types of adapters if I don't have to.
Thanks!! (or should I say Grazie!!)
Diane
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
The two prong plugs should work in the three prong outlets. One thing I've noticed in Europe, is that a lot of newer hotels only have two pronged outlets, for some reason. Thus, the three prong adapters might be useless.
Posted by
Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
606 posts
I've traveled a lot in Europe and never needed anything but 2-prong adapters.
However, some of my 3-prong home equipment has required me to have a 3-to-2 prong US adapter between my 3-prong appliance and my 2-prong European adapter.
Posted by
OP
Corsicana, Texas, USA
354 posts
Thanks for the help. I asked the question after reading a few travel reports stating that adapter prongs did not always seat properly in Italian electrical outlets requiring a ground. This was supposedly the case in some older Italian buildings. Radio Shack sells a grounded Continental adapter with two prongs, plus a space where it seemingly receives a ground prong from the wall outlet. If the majority of travelers get by with just the standard adapter, though, I'll plan on doing the same.
Posted by
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
2 posts
Your responses have all been very helpful. Thanks!
Diane