Julie_Hurst

Going to Italy. Bought a converter & an adapter. Will use the adapter to charge the camcorder - know it works OK; did that last year - camcorder does not need a converter.

This year, we are staying 3 weeks. So bought a converter for (1) an illuminated nitestand clock (couldn't find a non-electic travel clock with the time lit); (2) to charge the camera AA batteries; (3) for a travel iron.

My question is this - can an extension cord be used on the converter & use 2 items at once? Or can only 1 item be used at one time?

We plan to use the clock & the camera battery charger at nite while we sleep = 2 items. Hate to spend $30 for another converter if not necessary. Besides, the places we are staying may not have that many wall plugs available (1 adapter & 2 converters, plus their elec. items).

We've called the converter company, but so far, no call back (got voice mail).

Thanks, Julie

Dukey

I find it hard to believe that the camera battery charger is not dual voltage.

Yes, you can use an extension cord. i do it all the time to charge my camera battery and my cell phone simultaneously and so far, no hotels have been set ablaze.

Michel_Paris

I believe someone here talked about using a hair dryer and blowing the convertor. Check the rating (Amps) of the convertor, then check the amperage for the high current item (Iron).

Julie_Hurst

Thanks for the responses. My husband called the "converter company" - go figure! My first instinct was to run to Fodors!

As you figured Dukey, the battery charger is dual voltage - so don't need the converter for it. Also nice to know that you have successfully used more than 1 item at a time - the converter company said "no" - but then they don't want the liability!

Michel, thanks for that headsup. From reading the converter instructions, it appears that hair dryers & curling irons are the problem. I'm not taking either - hair dryer already in each apartment. Converter company says no curling irons over 25 watts. Mine is way over that - bought it from the beauty supply house; so won't take it either - darn it - I'll use hair curlers at night - yeek!

Decided not to take the travel iron either. After 1 week in Venice, the Rome apartment has an iron. I emailed the Venice place; haven't received a response yet; but not taking it anyway.

That just leaves the clock - it needs the converter - still taking it. However, will need to reset it each am - we were told the U.S. & European cycles are different, so it will lose some time during the nite! Once we are there, we'll figure out how much lost each nite & adjust accordingly - don't want to miss our necropolis tour!

Thanks again, Julie

Dukey

DO NOT take that clock! Get a battery-operated travel clock. www.magellans.com has a battery-operated clock with a big LED display (and there are lots of others)...absolutely no problems with differing current cycles, etc.

Heimdall

Re your clock - a 60Hz clock will lose 10 minutes every hour when operated on 50Hz eletricity. I use a travel clock (from LL Bean) that lights up when a button is pressed. It seems to me that a clock telling correct time would be better than one that illuminates the wrong time all night.

J62

Since the advent of cell phones I have stopped carrying a clock at all. My cell phone has a built in alarm clock. When travelling to Europe I disable the phone feature so it doesn't burn up battery looking for a signal it won't find, and I just use it as an alarm.

A side story.
A friend of mine scoffed once when I told them I carry my useless cell phone to Europe. "Why don't you just leave it in the car?" Short answer - the best use of a cell phone is when you are at the airport, still in the US before your flight has departed when there are disruptions - cancelled or delayed flight. I've called the airline 800# from inside a plane parked on a tarmac to rebook on the next flight. It's a lot nicer talking to a calm, unharried agent on the phone from Podunk, Iowa than it is waiting in line behind 200 other disturbed passengers at the aiport.

Heimdall

Good idea about the phone. I take my GSM triband when travelling, and sometimes use its alarm function. I also have a digital shortwave radio with a clock that I carry when travelling abroad, which can pick up BBC World Service just about anywhere. Great for keeping up with the news in non-English speaking countries.

Christina

I was just trying to buy an electric clock and searched about a half dozen stores where I live and couldn't even find one. They don't really make them anymore. I wanted one because when the electricity goes out where I live, I like to be able to estimate about how long the power has been out for food items. I realized I threw away my last electric alarm clock some years ago, and all my clocks are battery-run. I couldn't find one anywhere and had to buy one over the internet, which is actually a nice clock I like a lot and kind of retro styling. Actually, you can buy a few models of electric alarm clocks in discount stores, etc., but they are all digital now, and they aren't any good for telling the time for when it's been out of power.

There are ten million battery operated clocks for sale from only a couple dollars on up, and lots of nice travel-size ones. I would definitely get one because you have the same issue with power, only when traveling, it is a lot more important not to miss your wakeup call. I just bought the smallest one I'd seen at Bed Bath and Beyond a couple weeks ago for about $10 maybe. It uses a watch-type battery and is really slim, not much bigger than a credit card case, so I carry it around in my purse. It has a flip lid, and is Sharp brand. I don't carry a cell phone around with me, and the one I have doesn't have an alarm and I wouldn't want to keep it on all that time, anyway. I'm not a big cell phone user, but doesn't that use up battery a lot to have it on so much?