JAMH

I feel your pain with 12 devices. My husband I need 7 -- 2 work lap tops, 2 work phones, 2 personal phones and 1 personal laptop and that is before we bring devices like cameras or our teenagers' devices. I have not read the entire thread so I do not know if anyone recommended this: http://www.magellans.com/dualvoltage-power-strip. You can charge four devices (3 that use outlest and 1 with a USB port) with it and it has not caused any electrical problems for us. Plug it into an adapter and off you go. The good things about Magellan is that it is a travel company and you can call them and tell them your issue and see if they have a suggestion. I was afraid to use a US power strip plugged into an adapter but I thought that a dual voltage power strip should work and it did. Also, we did not use it things like blow dryers or curling irons, etc. with the power strip because I heard that they cause a lot of problems. Perhaps, we were just lucky to not have started an electrical fire or ruined our devices.

janisj

>>There is a simple answer (I gave it above) . . . This thread should be dead by now. Asked and answered.<<

Still winning friends and influencing people I see.

kerouac

I hope that you realize that not every device has to be recharged simultaneously. Whenever I am lacking outlets, I charge one item and then charge the next one. This is not exactly rocket science once you have retired to your hotel room or apartment for the night.

sparkchaser

I use one of these for charging my USB devices: http://www.amazon.com/Lenmar-ACUSB4-.../dp/B001BWLA8W

It might not work on iPads though. But it does work on my Android phone, iPod, Kindle, and Nook Color.

xyz123

I ca't find the thread but this came up a few years ago. An electrician or at least somebody claiming to be an electrician said that there is no problem using a power strip that the 220v will not burn out the wire (the hair dryer problem was not the extension cord apparently). I use a three plug adapter (3 to 1) and of course plug the 1 into eithr a continental plug adapter or in the UK and Ireland the UK adapter. Have never had a problem.

Gardyloo

<i>Gardyloo, how does your extension cord answer the question asked of how to charge 10-12 devices simultaneously?</i>

Bring three or four extension cords. Note reference in the first post to "family of four."

I don't know about your electronic equipment, but when I try to charge my iPhone using a USB port on my computer, I will grow old(er) and die before it's done. Ditto my Kindle. Maybe your USB ports are more macho.

Mtrafficante

Again, thank you all. I'm new to Fodor's - is it my responsiblity to end the thread?

Gardyloo

<i>Again, thank you all. I'm new to Fodor's - is it my responsiblity to end the thread?</i>

Threads on Fodors are eternal, unless the moderators decide to snuff them for some violation of the rules. Your words will live on...

janisj

>>Again, thank you all. I'm new to Fodor's - is it my responsiblity to end the thread?<<

Nah - (and it isn't improvisor's either -- he just thinks it is )

sf7307

I have a couple of the magellan power strips - plug it into a UK adapter, then you can plug in three devices plus one USB charging device (so 4 altogether). I carry two strips with me, so we can theoretically charge 8 items at a time (for us its two phones, two ipads and one camera)

StuDudley

>>the hair dryer problem was not the extension cord apparently<<

My wife & I have used the same style hair driver perhaps 2,000 times in Europe with no extension cord & we never had a problem. About 8 year ago, we took over a short US extension cord, and the in-line circuit breaker tripped. We waited about 10 mins or so, removed the extension cord, plugged in the dryer to the wall socket, turned the dryer on & the breaker did not trip. We tried the extension cord again the next day - same results. So I concluded that the extension cord must have caused the problem.

I also recall the past post where the electrical "expert" claimed that the minimum "drain" from and recharger(s) would not be a problem for a power strip. Just don't plug the hair dryer into the power strip.

Stu Dudley

jaja

Gardyloo is correct regarding the speed of charging using one's computer and a USB connection.

Son-in-law who is pretty knowledgeable about these things says it is just a trickle charge and only useful if you have a long time to wait.

sparkchaser

Aye. It's even worse with a notebook. If you need a fast charge, get a dedicated charger.

Hooameye

"Just be careful - the voltage is not the only issue - the Frequency has to be correct as well. That's why so many people "fry" dual voltage hair dryers, because they don't have dual 50/60 frequency."

Hair dryers or any other equipment with a heating element in it usually fry because the converter that it's plugged into can't handle the wattage (mainly a problem with cheaper converters). The 50/60hz frequency thing usually only affects things like electric clocks which will run fractionally slower.

sparkchaser

The 50/60Hz difference affects motors as well. Most of the time this isn't really an issue, but cheaply made AC motors will not behave well when they get a different frequency than they were designed for. And for that matter, neither will multi-million dollar motors either but then again we're talking about hundreds of amps -- something that your Fodorites will not be encountering in a hotel or cafe.

Elizabeth_S

"Hair dryers or any other equipment with a heating element in it usually fry because the converter that it's plugged into can't handle the wattage (mainly a problem with cheaper converters). The 50/60hz frequency thing usually only affects things like electric clocks which will run fractionally slower."

____________________________________

I was referring to dual voltage appliances.....single voltage appliances plugged into converters. Indeed the frequency/cycle issue is important.

Re what the 50/60 cycle affects - from an electrical site:

"Converters and transformers only change the voltage and not the frequency. The result is that a motor in a 50Hz appliance will operate slightly faster on 60Hz electricity. Likewise, a clock made for 60Hz will run slower in a country using the 50Hz frequency."

Improviser

LOL, janisj, you posted at 2.09 to insult me and then again at 3.27 to insult me yet again. Some might begin to think you are becoming obsessed.

A click on your name and a look at your recent comments on threads would probably reinforce that thought. Groupies are such a bore.

A dual voltage power bar such as Sharona linked would work but I would prefer the compact little USB hub Sparkchaser linked if I had a need for such a thing. The idea of carrying multiple extension cords holds no appeal at all Gardyloo, a bit impractical.

As for how long it takes an iPad to charge, I've heard that complaint before. The answer is to plug it in overnight.