OK, so I bought a “all in one adapater plug with surge protector” for Europe at walmart and when I opened it up it stated “This product does not convert electrical current”. Therefore I’m now wondering if I need something else so I can charge up my digital camera and cell phone and shaver? If anyone knows anything about this please let me know ASAP as I leave later on today. Thanks!
you need to look and see if your appliances are ok with 220v. eg a shaver may have printed on its plug 110-240v. If they are not ok with 220v you will need to get a transformer as well to convert the voltage (current).
Thank you Sarah! I checked and my camera and phone should be just fine but my shaver doesn’t have anything on it so it might be good. If not, I’ll just have to try and borrow one from someone, hope it lasts all unicon or grow a beard. See ya in a few days…
I am taking one that you are welcome to use, but you will probably have to come over to my dorm to use it.
BTW, you mentioned your phone. Do you have an international phone?
just a plug adapter…
What you bought was just a plug adapter. Some power adapters will work on 220v, 50hz with no problem, so the plug adapter will be all you need.
I am looking at a power brick for a laptop, and on the side it says :
Input : AC 100-240V 50-60 Hz
Output : 24.5V 2.65A
I could use this with JUST your plug adapter, because it will accept the higher voltage and different AC frequency (in Hz)
I also have a Nokia phone charger. On the side it says :
Input : 120V AC/60Hz/4.8va
Output : 3.7V-DC/340 ma
For this, in addition to the plug adapter, I would also need a device that converts from 220V, 50 Hz to 120V, 60Hz. It is likely the same for your digital camera adapter. Read the side of the adapter to be sure.
Many shavers are switchable between 120 and 240. Check the manual.
As for the phone, if you have a car charger, you should be able to find a place to plug it in.
If you post what kind of phone you have, somebody at Unicon may have an adapter that will work with your phone.
Good Luck,
–Tom
phones in europe
These are sometimes called “world phones” as they operate on US and Europe GSM frequencies. My Nokia 3650 is a world phone.
If your phone is not a GSM phone, it probably won’t work. Cingular an T-Mobile are the most common GSM carriers in this country. Roaming charges would be expensive anyway.
If you need to have a phone, I would bring an unlocked GSM phone and buy a prepaid SIM card when you get there, or perhaps you can borrow a European GSM phone from someone there and then buy the prepaid SIM card.
–Tom
I want to see Jamey with a beard!
Okay, not really.
But if you want to cover all your bases, go to your local Brookstone and get their Universal Voltage and Outlet Adaptor. I’m not sure of the price, but it has adaptors that will work in nearly any country on Earth, as well as converting the voltage.
My worry is the number of stupid chargers and things I’ll need to plug in every night. Two different camera battery chargers, possibly two Sidekicks if we bring both of them, a charger for my photo-downloading hard drive thingy, and recharging the iPods. I also bought a simple plug adaptor for $4 at the local hardware store, that should be handy for the ones that don’t need their voltage converted.
Well if you actually have a transformer/power convertor you can just plug an American surge protector into it and plug everything into that. But most of your chargers and things will probably work fine with just an outlet adapter.
The above was a useful suggestion. And if anyone’s still around to need this information, I just checked all my chargers & plug-ins, and they all appear to be able to handle up to 240V (Switzerland is 220). Easy! Just look on the back of the device, they usually have input/output info listed.
Cool. Will those recharge my camera batteries? 
Nope. But they will give you a closer shave for that touchably soft skin that all the ladies love.
Well, I’m still bringing my electric. But it doesn’t need to be charged, it goes for about a month on a full charge! Just a Casio charger, Canon charger, Sidekick charger, iPod charger, Epson charger and maybe Jacquie’s hair dryer (insert photo of her sticking her head out car window to save electricity).