Might be a dumb question......... But I have to ask!
 

I am heading to Italy on Tuesday(from NYC)! I am very excited to be going, although I have a possibly stupid question.........

I have an IPOD and want to use it on the long 8 hour plane ride there which should be no problem, as I will have it charged and ready before I leave....... BUT, I am going to Milan for 2 days and then to Rome which will be a 5hr journey on the Eurostar, so can I charge my IPOD using a converter? My sister is currently in Urbino and she doesnt think it would be a good idea to try to charge it up, plus I would like it for the 9 hour plane ride back home to NYC. If anyone has tried to use theirs or has any additional advice that would be great! Thanks in advance!!!!

if the small print on the plug a/c unit says 50-60hz and 100-240v (or thereabouts) then you are fine if not, don't.

Hi, not sure if you mean the plug for the IPOD? and also not sure what a/c means?? Thanks!

a/c = Adapter/Charger

If it's rated for 120-140V, all you need to recharge your iPOS is an adapter that allows you to fit an American plug into an Italian wall socket.

Ok, thanks so much for the info!!! On the charger it says : INPUT AC 100-240V.......... I am assuming this would then be ok!! Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it! :)

My guess is that a/c on electrical equipment means alternating current, the kind we have in the USA and most of Europe. US electrical current is 60 cycle current.

If you expect to plug your IPOD into a wall socket while traveling around Europe, you will need a compatible plug.

For use with my equipment, I have a little converter set with several styles of European plugs and a transformer that converts most European electrical current to American style current. .

But I am not familiar enough with IPOD connections to hazard a guess about what you have. If you can plug it into a standard US wall socket, then a low wattage converter kit should do the job.

Mine has two settings: 50 watts and 1,500 watts. The higher setting is useful for a hair dryer. The low setting is the one I use to recharge batteries. It converts European voltages and cycles to 50-60 cycles at 120 volts.

You don't need an adapter for an IPOD or computer for that matter, they make it so it changes internally. All you need is a converter.

Terminology alert!

Converter - changes <i>voltage</i> from 240 to 120. Modern computers don't need them.

Adapter - changes <i>plug</i> from American to European (or UKean). All American appliances need them.

cjacob has it backwards. You <b>DO</b> need an adaptor (it adapts the plug to fit European wall sockets). You <b>DO NOT</b> need a converter (converts US to European voltage)

Since you've determined that your IPOD has &quot;dual-voltage&quot; capability, all you need is a plug end adapter, from the two flat prongs used in the U.S.A. to the two round prongs used in Europe. You put the plug end into the appropriate adapter then you can plug the adapter into the wall in Italy. This you can purchase at AAA, a Travel Store or at Walmart as part of a set, or perhaps locally once you're in Italy.

Thanks for all the info everyone, as you can figure out, I have not yet been out of the country except for Canada and the islands where it was the same. I do have a converter which I am planning on bringing. I am only concerned because I do not want to blow out the electricity in my hotel or ruin my IPOD. Thanks for the info!!! :)

My son took his IPOD on our trip to Iceland, London, Paris, Belgium and the Netherlands. All he needed to charge the battery was a plug adaptor. He did comment that it did not charge as fast as it did at home so take that into consideration. Also, today I was at a local Bed, Bath and Beyond and I found mini speakers that work for the IPOD so that you can set it up in your hotel room and everyone can enjoy the music. The brand is Innovative Technology and it is called &quot;Tune Traveler&quot; Portable Speaker System. It cost $29.95. Since I just bought it today and my son has his IPOD with him, I don't know how well it will work, I have my fingers crossed. It looks pretty cool and folds up for compact storage and has a travel pouch included.

princesslisa. What are you calling a converter??? You do not need a converter (and should not use one w/ your iPod).

By &quot;converter&quot; are you actually talking about just an adapter plug? It is really important to use the right terminology . . . . .

I take my iPOD everywhere, have charged it all over Europe and it seems to be no worse for it. Have a great trip.

Ok, I have a converter which I am told I need for my hairdryer. For the IPOD all I have is the normal standard plug I plug into the wall here, I at first assumed I needed the converter for it, but now after reading all these posts, I see I must just need the adapter, right?

I only use an adaptor and have had no problems. I never bring a converter as I only need to plug in my iPod and cell phone, but if you are bringing it anyway, why not..

Just came back from France, Belgium and Netherlands. I just used an adaptor and re-charged my IPod in every country. It was no problem at all. My hairdryer, curling iron &amp; cell phone are also dual voltage, so only needed the adaptor. No problem with any of them.

Princesslisa, yes, you just need the adapter for the iPOD.

But you mention using the <i>converter</i> for a hair dryer. Typical hair dryers draw 1,500 Watts or more of power, which is too much for most converters. A hair dryer is apt to burn out your voltage converter. Check the converter to see how much power it can handle (that's its rating in <i>watts</i>), and check the power rating of the hair dryer. The power rating of the converter must be equal to or greater than the power rating of whatever is plugged into it.

With hair dryers, usually it's best to buy a dual-voltage hair dryer, and plug it in using the same adapter you will use for your iPOD. But a dual voltage hair dryer will not handle both voltages automatically like the iPOD. It will have a switch on it, for 110 or 220 volts, and you will have to switch it to the correct voltage. Travel hair dryers are also usually more compact than home hair dryers.

On the other hand, I usually just ask the hotels I'll be staying in if they have a hair dryer in the room, and the answer is usually &quot;yes&quot;.

- Larry

Help,please..

I'm going to Portugal from the US for a fairly long term stay, and won't have central heat, so I'm bringing an electric blanket with me (go ahead and laugh). However, the blanket tag says it needs 180 Watts and 120 Volt, AC only.

A quick search told me that the electricity in Portugal is 230 Volts, alternating at 50 cycles per second.

What must I do to use the blanket there? Thanks in advance for your advice.

First - you topped a 3 year old thread about iPods/etc in italy. It might be better to start your own current (pun intended :) ) thread.

But I would personally never EVER take a 120v electric blanket overseas. It would need a converter - and what happens when it overheats and catches fire or melts in the middle of the night???

If you simply MUST have an electric blanket - buy one over there. But they do have duvets, blankets and such - you won't freeze.