electrical adaptor plugs
 

Hi all

Have just done a quick Google, and it seems as though I will need separate adaptors for UK, France, Switzerland and Italy.

Can anyone confirm?

Coming from Australia.

Thank you!

One for the UK and a different one for the other countries. Or - there are universal adapters that have all the various patterns.

<i>electrical adaptor plugs
Posted by: smm_18 on May 9, 13 at 5:35pm
Have just done a quick Google, and it seems as though I will need separate adaptors for UK, France, Switzerland and Italy.
Can anyone confirm?</i>

Yup, each of those countries has its own style of outlet. Each country operates on 220 volts and 50 Hz.

"Yup, <B>each</B> of those countries <B>has its own style</B> of outlet."

WRONG!!! As Janisj has pointed out correctly: Of the countries mentioned, only the UK has a different configuration. The others all use the so-called "continental" plug with two round pins.

Hi S,

You need a UK adapter for the UK.

The other countries use a Continental adapter.

((I))

You should be able to pick up what you need at any major travel store. If you're using an Apple computer, iPad, iPod or iPhone, you can purchase a kit online or at one of their stores.

Thanks everyone.

I'm SORT of clearer.

ONE adaptor for UK.
ONE 'continental' adaptor for use in France, Switz., Italy.

Need them for an iPad and an Android phone. So I plug my (Oz) plug (attached to iPad/phone) into an adaptor, which goes into the hotel socket. Yes?

Just read someone on another thread talking about meltdowns. What's that all about?

She had a curling iron that couldn't handle 240V.

Stu Dudley

I used to think all continental plugs were the same. But the recent trip to Italy made me realize that the some Italian plugs require just slightly smaller diameter prongs.

One type I carry is this type: http://www.amazon.com/OREI-Grounded-...ef=pd_sim_hi_1. It worked well in Austria, Germany, and Netherlands, but not all outlets in Italy.

The other kind I carry is this type: http://www.amazon.com/Lewis-N-Clark-...adapter+europe. It worked in every country in continent I have been so far.

I examined the larger one carefully at one hotel I had a problem in Italy. The prong diameter was slightly too big to fit into the outlet holes. I thought it was more of the kind of outlets the hotel installed in rooms. None of my travel companions had problem using any of the continental plugs in other Italian hotels, but at this particular hotel, only some of the adapters worked.

Thanks, guys. Stu she also said something about internal electronics i.e. computers, etc. Or was that for a converter not an adaptor. What's the diff?

Sheesh.

Greg, I'm not sure if I could use those because I'm from Australia so the adaptor has to first suit Australian plugs.

Maybe follow Robert's advice and go to a travel store, except where I live there are no 'major' ones, just small travel stands in a couple of department stores. Not big on knowledge.

<i>Dukey1 on May 9, 13 at 6:18pm
"Yup, each of those countries has its own style of outlet."
WRONG!!! As Janisj has pointed out correctly: Of the countries mentioned, only the UK has a different configuration. The others all use the so-called "continental" plug with two round pins.</i>

The "so-called 'continental' plug" is a myth. Four different plug adapters will be needed, one for each country. See http://tinyurl.com/2y9zvv.
The UK/Irish plug is obviously different.
The grounded "Shucko" plug has 4.8 mm prongs. It won't fit in Italy or Switzerland.
The "Euro" plug looks somewhat the same as the "Shucko" but has 4.0 mm prongs. It is not grounded and could work in older establishments in Italy. It is too loose for France and may spark.
The grounded Italian plug has three prongs in line.
The grounded Swiss plug has three prongs in a triangle.

Thanks for the link, spaarne - have had a read and am happy that my phone and iPad chargers fit the specifications and that all I need is adaptors.

Also it does appear that I will need different ones for each country, which is not great news, since I was considering bringing an adaptor with two or three entry points (also have a camera, so charging all three devices at once would be better). That's a lot of extra hardware to be toting round!

Before our trip to Scandinavia in 2011, we bought a European power strip like this one on Amazon: http://preview.tinyurl.com/bot469c . It worked great, charged all our various electronics and kept them all in the same area (don't want to be leaving a charger behind a curtain.

I recommend shopping around before you leave Australia, as adapters for your plugs aren't as easy to find as those from the US and Europe. If you have an iPhone and an iPad, you can use the iPad charger for both.

There is an adapter on the market that fits European and UK plugs. I know because I have one. Bought it in the US.

For high-voltage items, need a converter. But most people don't need that.

<i>There is an adapter on the market that fits European and UK plugs. I know because I have one. Bought it in the US.</i>

You bought an adapter for Australian plugs in the US? http://stockarch.com/images/technolo...d-sockets-2336

Helm: Where did I say I bought an adapter for AUS plugs?

I have never seen an Australian to European adapter on sale in Italy - not to say that they are not on sale soewhere. I would suggest that you buy an Aus to Uk and an Aus to two pin European adapter before you leave Aus.

You do not need any sort of voltage converter for Australian appliances in UK or continental Europe.

<i>Where did I say I bought an adapter for AUS plugs?</i>

Umm... if you look back at the original post you will see that smm_18 is coming from Australia, and needs an adapter for Australian plugs. That is the subject of this thread. :-))

<i>There are multi-adapters.</i>

Please, vincenzo32951, educate us and give us a link so that we may better visualize these devices. I have never seen a single prong adapter that will fit into any and all receptacles used by all of the countries mentioned above.

I have seen receptacles which will accept almost any prong configuration but never a single prong adapter that will fit any receptacle thus eliminating the need for separate adapters.