Not being the brightest of travelers, <BR>I used a converter last week at the <BR>AMS Schiphol Hilton on my travel fan, <BR>which revolved at a blinding speed for <BR>about three seconds and then literally <BR>went up in smoke. What I didn't realize <BR>at the time was that a converter simply <BR>converts the plug, not the electricity. <BR>If you wish to convert the electricity, <BR>you need a transformer. I post this as <BR>a precaution to those few travelers who <BR>might purchase a converter thinking that <BR>will do the trick. (They're appearing on <BR>racks everywhere, it seems, especially in <BR>hotel shops, and the implication from the <BR>packaging is that the converter does it all. <BR>It ain't so.) <BR> <BR>Happy travels, <BR> <BR>Gerry K <BR> <BR>PS: Anyone else do what I did?

I just bought a converter (I think) at the Travel Store and thought I was home free. Tell me more about it. What does it look like? And how does one prevent <BR>this from happening. I am bringing a hair dryer. steamer and travel iron.

Gerry and Sandi, I have a foreign voltage adaptor from RCA. It is a dual wattage converter for 50W for Radios, Walkman, CD Planyers, Battery chargers etc and 1600W for hirdrayers, curing irons, irons, other heat producing applicnaces. You plug your normal plug into it and it has adapters for Europe, Australia, S America and Caribean, Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Great Britain, Hong Kong and Africa. If I remember correctly, I paid about $16.00 for it. It comes in a container with the 5 adapters each in their own slot and labeled with signs. It says made in china on the bottom. I believe that I bought it at Wal-Mart. I use it for recharging my razor, Video cameria etc. Have had no problems. <BR>Regards <BR>Art <BR>

My first trip to the UK, traveling with my sister: She thought she set the Forum Hotel on fire when she plugged her curling iron in using only the converter--no adaptor! Luckily the table she had set it on was glass! <BR>In Rome, our converter/adaptor didn't work in one hotel after it had worked in another. The bellman insisted that different parts of Rome used different converters.(huh?) We went out and bought a curling iron with their voltage. <BR>Now I don't take a hair dryer anywhere (because all the hotels have them) and I bought curling irons when last in the UK, France and Italy so I take what I need. A very inexpensive alternative to screwing around with converters!

<BR>On our most recent trip, I bought the least-expensive electric razor in an Amsterdam dept. store. for $50 instead of fooling with converters & possible killing my US razor. It has what the salesman called a Euro-plug which worked in Ireland, France, Italy and Switzerland but not in Scotland. It automatically takes both 110 & 220 volts. <BR> <BR>I figure I'll be able to use it again someday...

Sandi, et. al, <BR> <BR>I just dug out my own "converter," <BR>which I had forgotten to take with <BR>me to AMS, and sure enough it is <BR>called a "converter," not a "transformer." (It's a Franze, <BR>which I purchased from LLBean.) <BR> <BR>But in Holland the item I used said <BR>"converter," when it was really just <BR>a plug "adaptor." <BR> <BR>In short then, the item you purchase <BR>or borrow should state that it converts <BR>the ELECTRICITY or WATTAGE. Not just <BR>the plug. (Unless, of course, all you <BR>want to do is convert the plug.) <BR> <BR> <BR>Cheers, <BR> <BR>Gerry K <BR>

Okay, fellow adaptor/converter users. Do not do what I did. I put my adaptors in the outside zipped compartment of my suitcase. Manhandling by the baggage people led to me arriving in Prague with the prongs broken off.

I think the problem here is the words we are all using, converter,transformer, adapter. <BR>If you have a regulation U S hairdryer, curling iron,,whatever, it has a cord coming out of the end of it. You can buy litte things that you plug it into and then plug into the outlet. You are NOT converting the current! All you are doing is plugging it into the electricity supply. You will have a fire or blow all the fuses!! You need another applicance , call it what you will a converter or transformer. it is a square cube, into which you plug your appliance, then it has a wire coming out the other side , you put your plug adapter on that and plug it into the outlet. Could not be easier,if you don't let the words get in the way. easier still is to buy dual voltage appliances, use them here or with the PLUG adapter use them anywhere. Check to see what kind of plug adapter you need for each country. UK uses 3 prongs, france , round prongs,etc. . You can buy them in sets and be set for whereever you are going. I've never had to use my hairdryer in UK, all hotels and B&Bs have had them. curling iron s you will need your own so get a dual voltage. I have the one I use at home and a small one for travel that I keep set for EU current( I can never remeber which is which, 110 or 220) . Just set it and leave it !

It's the terminology being used that confuses most US tourists.US voltage is different from Europe's and so too are the plugs on their electrical appliances.So you need to do 2 things in order to use your American appliance,first you need to plug into the converter(which will convert the voltage)then you need to plug the converter into a suitable adaptor( most of Europe uses a round 2 prong but Great Britain wants to be different and so they use a huge 3 prong).Now you are ready to turn on the appliance of choice! <BR> If you are lucky enough to have bought a US dual voltage appliance then you can skip the converter step by turning the voltage to 110/120,I use a dime.All you need to use is the correct adaptor and turn on the power!Remember to turn the voltage back when you return to USA to 220/240. <BR> I finally simplified my travels and bought the appliances I travel with in Europe! <BR>Hope my explanation helped........

JOdy and I were on the same wave length!One of the mysteries of how these messages get posted-She hadn't posted when I answered but then her reply appeared when mine did!!!!!!!111

My point, Folks, is that some <BR>companies that are selling these <BR>products are leading people to <BR>believe that plug adaptors can <BR>actually convert electrical wattage. <BR>They mislead you by calling their <BR>products "converters", when in fact <BR>they are not. Buyer beware. <BR> <BR>Gerry K <BR> <BR>

If you have a convertor/adaptor and you're not clear what it really does, look at the text printed on the appliance itself. <BR>If it actually converts the voltage it will have an input voltage (voltage of foreign supply you connect to) and an output voltage (voltage you send to your appliance) printed or embossed on it. <BR>If it doesn't have this, it just allows you to use a different shaped plug. <BR>My shaver takes from 12volts DC to 250volts AC so that's all I need wherever I go - as long as I can make the plug fit the socket I'm OK. <BR> <BR>The power needs for your appliance will be printed on it , probably beside the power in.

Forgot to mention - if actually converting the voltage you should check the power rating of the appliance (watts or amps or KVA) Vs the max power supplied by the convertor. <BR>If you try to plug an electric fire into your convertor/adaptor, it will fuse (or go on fire). <BR>If unsure, don't leave it running unattended, or check it for overheating after running it for a while. <BR>This doesn't matter with things that just change the plug shape. <BR>Sorry for being pedantic, but hotel fires are no joke.

I've never seen plug adaptors called converters, but I'm sure any language can happen but this is really pretty simple -- an adaptor plug is a very small item, just a plastic casing to hold the different prong configuration on the plug, there isn't any way it could possibly hold an appliance that would convert electricity. The size alone should make it obvious, I would think. I have never needed a converter as I don't travel with major electrical appliances (my hair dryer has a dual voltage switch; in the old days I used to carry a travel iron, actually, and it had dual voltage also) -- however, I have wondered what the difference was in a converter and a transformer as I've seen both terms. Maybe they are the same thing.

The first time we traveled to England, I told my kids about using the converters/adaptors. One of the girls plugged her curling iron into a converter w/out using the adaptor. She over-heated her curling iron, but not paying attention, still used it to curl her bangs. When she unclamped the iron's arm, her bangs came off with the iron! I had just settled in my room when I heard a blood-curdling scream and ran to her room. What's worse to a 13yo than losing her bangs?? How about 2 wks of pictures of her w/ her hand covering her forehead? Actually, it is a classic story now and even she laughs at it although it is a good warning each year to remind everyone to use the proper equipment!

Let me add my 2-cents: I've just looked at the converter/adapter set I purchased at the Samsonite store and it contains a warning that it should not be used with "power tools or electronic circuitry (i.e. computers, fax machines, TVs,...battery rechargers, etc.)" The message here is that adaptors adapt the plug to local input; converters change the voltage--but the simple travel kind of converter may not work on all appliances. As was mentioned by another party, computers and other electronic devices (other than simple hairdryers etc.) may require something else. A "Transformer?"

I reiterate: It seems that many <BR>"adaptors" are being sold as <BR>"converters", when in fact they <BR>are not.

Jim, converters and transformers come in various "sizes" (number of watts they provide). Some appliances require more wattage than others. For instance, you can run a small radio on a very low voltage converter (perhaps 200 watts). But a hair dryer will take much more wattage, 1600 watts or more. A 200 watt converter (or transformer) will burn out with a hair dryer. You must make sure your converter/transformer has adequate capacity to run the appliance you plug into it. Also, it is my experience that inexpensive converters do not have the electronic stability to run fine electronic devices. That may be what your converter meant. <BR>Sandi, you may be home free. Just check your appliance (hair dryer?) to find out its wattage. If you don't know it (wattage may be indicated as part of the name, like Braun 1600), it should be printed in small letters somewhere on the appliance. Now, check your converter. Is the number of watts on the converter at least as large (and larger is better) as the number of watts your dryer uses? If as big or bigger, no problem. If the converter number is smaller, you need to try again. <BR>Sue, are you sure she didn't plug it into the adapter, without the converter, instead of the way you put it? If she plugged it into the converter without the adapter, she couldn't plug it into the wall. The small two-flat-pronged plug would not go into those three-round-big-pronged plugs you find in the UK? <BR>I know, it's confusing. But the first time you burn something up or blow a fuse, you'll figure it out really quickly. <BR>

Linda, you're absolutely right...I always confuse the two!

Sue, I think that's the point at the center of this entire posting, isn't it? Everybody confuses them, at least at first!