GMC in Europe 2008

How do you plug anything from home into those vaguely exotic electrical outlets in Austria and the Czech Republic?

Disclaimer: I’m not an expert, but I have a vested interest in making sure my camera and laptop work while we’re on tour. I’d hate to run out of battery power halfway through our stay in Salzburg and end up with no photos! So, I’ve done some basic research, and I invite those who have been there or lived there to add to it in the comments. 

For those of you bringing digital cameras, laptops, or other battery-operated devices, this may not pose much of a problem. Modern gadgets tend to have what’s called a “switching power supply,” which means that the power transformer brick can adjust to the different voltages and frequencies of European current. For reference, that’s 230 Volts at 50 Hz (or “cycles per second” for us old-timers!) for both Austria and the Czech Republic.Look in your owner’s manual, or at all that fine print on the adapter itself. You may see a statement like “120~240V, 50~60 Hz”. That’s an indicator that your adapter can handle different voltages. An even better indicator is to consult the manufacturer’s Web site for advice.

The Connection

The plug is a different matter. We have grown up with the flat-blade plug and outlet, and North Americans tend to look with suspicion even at the big, strangely-angled blades on a domestic electric appliance.It turns out that you can add a simple plug adapter to your battery charger.

• In Austria and Germany, it’s called a “Schukostecker” or “Schuko” plug; it has two round pins. Here is an illustration.
• In Prague, you’ll find a different round-pin plug. If there is a third grounding pin, it will protrude from the outlet rather than the plug. Here is an illustration.

What about my hair dryer?

That’s a different story entirely. Unless you have a special dual-voltage hair dryer, you must not plug it into the local electrical system without a special transformer. Our electrical current in North America is rated at 120 volts, 60 Hz. Plugging the hair dryer into a 230 volt outlet with a simple plug adapter, then switching it on, will have you singing “Bye, Bye, Blow Dry!” (I’ve also heard that, as a bonus for your neighbors, it will blow fuses and circuit breakers.)The same goes for any other appliances designed to run on North American household current.I’m looking for sources for good plug adapters. How about it, seasoned world travelers? Where do you get your “chameleon gear” for your battery-operated accessories? Post comments below!

This entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2008 at 8:48 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.