Is it true that there is only one type of adapter for Continental Europe with two round pins? My set includes one labeled "northern Europe" and one labeled "southern Europe". The pins are a different thickness.

"What about Switzerland?" and what happend to K.I.S.S.????

Hmmmm..well it seems you have to figure out the following:

switching supplies...

mismatch from differential switching frequencies

and please don't forget dissipation


Oh, what was your question again?

Sorry, Robes...but sometimes your obvious (and I say this with respect and sincerity) superior knowledge tends to get in the way of simpler answers.

We KNOW you are smart..help us believe it.

Sizes of the northern and southern European ungrounded plugs do in fact differ. Therefore, the Euro-Plug was invented and used all over Europe (except for a few exotic islands). If you look at the layout, you'll see that the pins aren't parallel. This makes the plug fit into both type of sockets. The adapters you bought are designed specifically for an area, that's why you have two. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild:Europlug-scheme.png

http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm

Here are some nice plug pictures.

Sorry I don't live up to your expectations, Dukey. You'll have to get used to that.

In fact, my original post <u>did</u> everything a traveler needs to know: the terminology, when to use a transformer and when a converter, and where to look for plug pinouts.

I suggest you add anything that you think will illuminate the issue, and leave the personalities out of it.

Connections can be either two pins or three pins. Preference now is for three pins to permit a ground connection. New installations demand three pin connections.

&quot;It is misleading, and potentially dangerous, to generalize. Your statement about MOST appliances being dual-voltage is not useful for keeping ALL people from avoiding calamity&quot;

Robespierre, I speak from experience, I work in receptive tourism, bringing Americans into a French territory, and among the hundreds of plug adaptors we have provided to guests, I can count very few appliances that required a transformer.

Curling tongs generally do, some hairdryers, one phone ever, and never a laptop.

Of course, it is common sense to check the appliance. I thought that went without saying.

bookmarking

Waring, I posted yesterday that my phone is 120V only. It's not that uncommon with phones. Almost every camera and computer made in the last five years can handle both, though.

I speak from experience, too. When dealing with electricity and the average person, I have found that NOTHING goes without saying.

This is important stuff, and ambiguity (&quot;well, he <u>did</u> say 'most,' so I guess I'm probably safe&quot;) can kill people.

European electricity makes you slim and sexy. FACT!

I use batteries. I bring a lot.

I've been told! I shall get back in my box and shut up.

Out of interest fnarf999, what make is your phone?

LG (the largest maker of phones, though many or most of them have some other company's name on them). With Verizon. I'd tell you the model except I dont' know where it is -- cell phones and me don't get along very well. I've used approximately 20 minutes total in the past two years.

kybourbon - I haven't seen your converter, but if it's like some I've seen, the case actually contains a transformer for low-power devices, a converter for high-power ones, and a range switch that engages one or the other.

The product is an attempt to sidestep the complexities of voltage conversion by building something that will work correctly at low or high power - so the consumer doesn't have to know which is appropriate. All one does is to set the power switch to high or low and the correct stepdown technology is activated.

Robespierre - You referenced Franzus in your OP and the converter I'm talking about is what they sell. I don't think the old ones that can't switch to low are made anymore. They do still have the manual switch available, but the newer one is automatic. Your list of uses is not the same as theirs(see my link in previous post). See pictures of manual/auto converters and low/high watt transformers in this link. If you click on each one you will get the explanation for each and what to use them with.
http://www.franzus.com/page/FOS/CTGY/ELEC-CONV

They also sell low watt transformers (50-85 watt) for use with low watt appliances. Their high watt (300-500w)transformers are sold for use with electronics (fax machines,etc.). Both high watt tranformers are very heavy (5-8 lbs.)and really not needed for what most people on this board are asking about. The converters weigh about 1 - 1 1/4 lbs.

I have owned and used all three converter models over the years. The old model would not operate some appliances (curling iron, hot rollers)because they were low watt. The newer ones have no problem with the very same appliances.

I guess I need someone to explain how a tiny switch on a hair dryer (that doesn't weigh anymore than a regular hair dryer) can convert by a flick of the switch ,but a converter made for the purpose can't? Perhaps you could explain how dual voltage appliances work unless you think this is getting to off track from your OP.

Hair appliances (and toasters and irons, for that matter) get hot because they contain <i>resistance</i> elements - similar to the filament in a light bulb.

The amount of heat generated by an element depends on the voltage being fed into its ends and its electrical resistance. Increasing the voltage or decreasing the resistance raises the amount of heat it generates. So if you plug a 110V curling iron into a 220V socket, the heat increases to the point where the element melts, and you have a mess.

The switch on a simple heating appliance adds more resistance, bringing the heat back down to a safe and usable range. It doesn't really convert the higher voltage to 110V, it rewires the appliance so it has the right resistance for 220V.

(There: not a single equals sign.);)

This is why I recommend to buy the damn hairdryer in Europe, or from House of 220.

We only will need to charge our cell phone in London. So what should we buy? (Simple answer - please!) Thanks.