I am leaving in the morning. I need to take a travel converter as we will be in Europe for a week. I have a Lewis N. Clark Travel Accessories Model CN1600 1600 Watts Travel Converter. It says it converts 220/240VAC to 110/120VAC. HOWEVER, it says:

WARNING: Converter should not be used for electronic circuitry, i.e., computers, tv's, vcr's, etc.

What I need it for is my computer and for recharging my camera battery. I think this is the same converter we used in London which is where I think I fried my camera dock for my old Kodak camera.

Can someone tell me if this warning should be taken seriously? If so, what do I need to properly connect my computer and battery charger? I should be able to buy a replacement in Boston this week if need be. Other option is to hope the hotels (two hiltons and one NH) have a proper converter.

thanks,

Marc - check on your computer recharger equipment. Mine has a transformer box (for lack of a better word) that sits between the electric plug and the cord that fits into the computer. The transformer box indicates I can run either 110/120 or 220/240 v. If you have the same kind of recharger, you should have no problem with any converter.

I did the same thing- fried my rechargeable camera battery dock on the PG - used a converter without the piece that transforms the current. Lesson learned. I bought a very cheap recharger that (a) was a whole lot quicker than my old recharger and (b) does the electrical transformation within the charger itself. I've had no trouble recharging using a simple converter with that equipment.

The other good part, of course, is the equipment usually recharges a lot faster on the 220/240 volt juice. :D

Here's a link - see the "dual volt" chargers:
http://www.megabatteries.com/

Happy shopping!

Cheers, Anne

Anne, thanks. My "transformer" on computer power cord does say 100-240. Should I just plug it straight in or still use the "converter" to switch to 110?

As for camera battery charger, I doubt that it will work with 240 as it is Japanese. I might have to buy a spare battery instead.

thanks,

Marc, you won't need the converter for your computer since it can take up to 240 volts. But you would need an adapter so you can plug it in to the local power outlet.

Check your camera battery charger too. I think most of those can take 240 as well.

A converter or transformer takes the voltage down from 220/240 to 110/120. A converter is necessary if whatever you're plugging in is only the US standard of 110/120 volts. An adapter is something you use so that your US type plug can fit into a foreign power outlet. Tom.

Does this mean that I will need to buy converters for my laptop and my camera battery chargers to use on the PG?
Can't just plug them right into the PG outlets?

Like others have said, a lot of the electronic equipment can be plugged into 220-240V outlets w/o a converter. They are equipped to deal with the higher voltage. You would just need an adapter to plug into the European outlets. We learned this a couple of yeras ago when researching if my son needed a converter to recharge his IPOD in Europe. He didn't. Actually, he would have damaged it if he had used a converter!

Gil,

You shouldn't need a converter or adapter for the PG.

I am all set, I researched my battery charger and it is also good 100-240V. I have European adapters. Thanks for all the information.

Maria, thanks for the tip about the ipod; I would have been guilty of making the error of trying to use the power converter. I will stick with just the adapter.

No, Gil - As they say, this was 100% pilot error. I was just stupid & plugged it into the 220 volt outlet.

Cheers, Anne

I agree that using a converter could fry your computer. I do have a bit of advice. Instead of using an adaptor or dealing with a US cord, where I have at times had an issue, I found the best solution was to buy a European cord for my computer. This way the hertz is the same. You can damage your computer (or other mechanical devices), not with the voltage, but the hertz. I had that happen with coffee makers, vacuums, irons..both coming and going from EU.

When I travel to Europe, I now bring along my EU cord instead of my US cord.(I use adaptor heads for Switzerland three prong or England.)

So...for the PG I won't need a converter.
Will I need an adapter? If so which one??
Also, what will I need at the hotels in Papette and Bora Bora??
You guys are great!!

I am still hoping someone will answer the question about which adapter we will need for the PG and for the hotels in Papette and BB?
Thank you to anyone who can supply this info.

No you do not need any converter or adapter - you can use your US appliances on the PG. But that said there is only one plug so what I usually bring is a surge strip so I can use my makeup mirror, cellphone charger, Camera Battery charger and hair dryer. An extension cord might also be helpful.

Crew Tea, I can't remember what I used at the hotels in Tahiti but here is an article that shows you which kind of adapters you will need.


French Polynesia adapters

Thanks Karen S. :bv:

Your welcome! Do you have one of those adapter kits that have one of every plug in them for all countries? I think I got mine at Radio Shack and I always keep it in my carry on.

There are both US and EU plugs on the PG

Thank you all for your replies.
Packing will be easier with your help.
:cool: