extension cords
 

I read on fodors.com an old post about using extension cords.

However, I couldn't figure out whether the poster was talking about an American or English cord.

Will an American extension cord plugged into an adapter plugged into my hotel plug work?

I have three adapters but just realized I have chargers for a phone and my handheld pc, an alarm clock, in case I need it, the ubiquitous hair dryer, and a possible reading light! Also have read that plugs are not necessarily in the most convenient places.

If you must use an extension cord make sure you are using onethat is rated for 220V current..might be better to buy one in Europe.

Thank you. I had not considered that.

It really depends upon where you want to use the power converter.

converter in wall socket - 110v extension cord - appliance

or

220v extension cord in wall socket - power converter - appliance

I don't know as I'd have a preference. Other than with scenario 1 you can buy a regular 110v extension cord.

Is it more convenient to have the power converter hanging on the wall or at the end of an extension cord? I don't know.

Some days I'm happy I have very short, very thinning hair. :-)

BTW: purchase a battery powered alarm clock and keep the batteries fresh. Electrical power failures do happen and at the most inconvenient times.

Most hotel rooms will have several electric points, usually by a desk. You don't need all three/four plugged in at once.

As for reading lights, there are always bedside lights, either wall mounted or on the bedside table.

Why on earth you want an extension cord is beyond my comprehension.

If you plan on plugging everything in at once you may want to check with your hotel first. Some of the older, smaller hotels that have very few plugs available are doing it on purpose - because too many appliances at once are going to blow their (very limited) fuses.

(This happened to a friend of mine at a B&B in Ireland - her superpowered hair dryer was just too strong and blew fuses twice - til her hosts figured out what was causing it - and explained she couldn;t use it.)

I would also suggest you downsize some of these electrical requirements for travel. I have never needed an extension cord when traveling, but I don't carry phones and PCs with me when I travel.

As someone suggested, there are many alarm clocks on the market that are run by batteries, that is what you should have for traveling. I do carry a travel hair dryer many times, and have never needed an extension cord for it; there is always some plug in a hotel room in a visible space which has given me plenty of room to use it with only its own cord.

Thank you for the ideas. I haven't traveled abroad in 2 decades and the voices of experience are always great. I actually own a battery-powered small alarm clock and never thought about it.

I am probably overly reliant on my hand-held computer, but I can hook it up to my mobile phone and use it as a modem, as they are both Bluetooth, so I would like to be able to charge both to use to check in with family at home. My phone company did set my phone to work in London.

I take a ten-foot heavy-duty (grounded) extension cord, along with all appropriate adaptors, everywhere. Many is the hotel room where the only available power point is across the room or behind the TV, and in some countries the law prohibits having power points in the bathroom, thus if you want to dry your hair, or need medical appliances, you have to do the limbo absent the extension cord.

The appliances will only draw as much power as they need (Watts or kW); if your appliance can use 240v then both its own power cord and the extension will be able to function with the higher line voltage.

99%+ of North American mobile phones don't work in Europe - different technology. New GSM-technology phones are coming out in N. America, but prices are still very high.

My suggestion is to whittle that list down! A battery powered clock and small clip-on reading light or flashlight. Checking with the hotels first, as many do offer hairdryers in the bathroom. Depending where you are going, I have found internet cafes cheap and abundant for sending email and checking my email account. Not all of these might sound feasible for you, but as a person who travels with NO electronic gear, maybe some of these ideas can help lighten your load (so to speak)!

I am working on whittling.

I do have a GMS phone. AT&T had a special deal, and I jumped at it, as I had been looking for a Bluetooth phone.

One of my "musts" when I travel is an extension cord. I take the same one that I use here in Canada. Why do I bother?..Having long hair that needs a blow dryer I found that too often the only wall outlet was behind a desk or dresser and the wall mirror was way over on the other side of the room making it just a little difficult to see what I was doing. Just plug your appliance into the extension cord, attach the plug needed (adaptor) to the extension and into the wall. Never had a problem.

Check the manuals of appliances..my flatiron has a built in converter (110/220) as does the battery charger for the video cam. I saved a bundle by not listening to the salesperson who insisted I needed an expensive converter just for the video cam charger.

OK, the MOST you should be plugging in at once are a phone charger and a PC charger. Do that at night, obviously. If you need to blowdry your hair (I always ask the hotel I'm staying at if they provide one..), you can always bring along a small mirror, so you won't have to use an extension cord. Obviously, the voltage is much different, and many US appliances do tend to blow fuses overseas, as did my "travel" hairdryer, which my friend borrowed, and used for about 10 minutes straight!! Do think about bringing only necessities, and battery powered alarms & reading lights are the way to go.

I had no idea that people carried things like extension cords on vacation trips. I'm really scratching my head on this one. In 40 years of travel around the world, I can't remember one time when I needed an extension cord.

I'm w/ you Rufus. An extension cord?? An a/c current alarm clock? Plugging in 4 things at once? I have never once had take/do anything of the sort.

Now I can see how folks end up w/ 26 inch suitcases . . . . . . .

smoran - get a small travel alarm - the size of a tiny compact and no cords needed. The hotel will probably have a hair dryer, and you won't need to plug one in the same time as your battery chargers.

As for a handheld pc - I know they are convenient -- but using easyeverthing cafes for internet/e-mail is so simple and cheap I don't bother toting a laptop.

oops - that should be smroan -- sorry 'bout that . . . . . .

I'm one who believes in having along everything absolutely essential. All my appliances (hair dryer, curling brush, clothing steamer) are dual voltage, as are my "rechargers" for the cell phone, PDA, camera batteries, etc. I also travel with two adapter plugs (not to be confused with converters).

Though I always bring a ten-foot extension cord, it's not usually needed, but once in a while it's essential. Most, but not all, hotel rooms have outlets conveniently located, or you can just unplug one of the many lamps. An outlet must be more reachable for your hair appliances, but you can recharge your batteries, phone, PDA, anywhere along the wall.

I like to fall asleep reading. So, I almost always purchase a lower wattage light bulb for whichever lamp is near the bed shortly after arrival, so as not to have to drag my little reading lamp. Most hotel bedside or near the bed lamps are way too bright.

I, personally, have learned that it's ridiculous to worry so much about "lightening the load" or mimimizing your packing. Essentials are, well, essential.

All depending upon where you're going, for example, blow dryers may be provided. But, often they are not adequate, or are located right next to the shower, and I want to dry my hair while my husband is showering.

People should learn to adapt (no pun intended), having to bring an extension cord for different lighting schemes, and all their gadgets (how many of us can live without a PDA when on a leisure break?) seems utterly ridiculous when on holiday. If you want the same comforts you have at home, stay at home. I myself am a heavy packing, but with clothes - having a change of outfit for three different situations per day is far more essential than low watt lamps and PDAS.

<i>&quot;I myself am a heavy packing, but with clothes - having a change of outfit for three different situations per day is far more essential than low watt lamps and PDAS.&quot;</i>

And yet packing three changes of clothes per day seems ridiculouly excessive to many of us. To each his/her own. :)

Pompous pronouncements unhelpful as usual, what is essential to one person is excessive to another, and vice versa. Ditto the way we spend or save or money, or the way we eat, or how many times a day we feel the need to change our clothes. Too many judgments. Sheesh!

If I am staying in a budget hotel I have been known to take an extension cord for my own hair dryer if one is not provided by the hotel, for the inconvenient outlet/
furniture-moving reasons mentioned above. I don't have other appliances with me, I agree with the battery-operated clock, must admit I hadn't heard of someone traveling with a plug-in. If the reading light is insufficient, as it often is in budget places, I augment it as I did when I was six, with the small flashlight I have always had with me since 9/11.