(Los Angeles Times) -- Seven-thirty Monday morning. In preparation for
a business meeting, the guest in room 206 at Milan's Four Seasons
Hotel sits down at the desk in his room to review notes and statistics
stored in his computer. He plugs the laptop's adapter into a transformer, connects the
transformer to the wall outlet, opens the laptop and turns it on.
There's a crackling sound and burning smell, and instantly the adapter
is fried and useless. In a panic, he calls the concierge, who locates a substitute
transformer in the hotel's business center and delivers it to the
room. "It happens frequently when guests are in a hurry or tired from jet
lag or preoccupied," says Danilo Malvenuti, chief engineer at the
Milan Four Seasons. "This gentleman doesn't travel often to Italy and
is unfamiliar with our electricity. His transformer is the wrong type.
We've also had hair dryer blow-outs and, more seriously, problems with
medical devices." Fortunately for guests, the hotel can provide substitute adapters and
transformers on a limited basis, as well as hair dryers and other
small appliances, and its electricians will even try to make small
repairs. But many hotels cannot offer the same level of service. Learn about electric systems To be on the safe side, travelers who plan to use electrical devices
from home while they are traveling should learn about the electric
systems -- plug configurations, voltage and alternating cycles -- in
the countries they're visiting. Easiest to deal with is plug configuration. The standard two-prong
plug used in the United States is common throughout Canada, Mexico,
most of the Caribbean, some of South America and Asia (especially
Japan, Korea and Taiwan). However, in some places, wall outlets don't have a third round hole
required by two-prong plugs with a third round "grounding" prong.
You'll need an adapter, or add-on plug, with openings that fit your
appliance plug on one side and prongs to fit the outlet on the other.
These are available at most hardware stores for a dollar or less. You'll need an adapter for most of Continental Europe, where most
outlets require plugs with two round prongs. You'll need a different
adapter for Great Britain, Ireland, Singapore and present or former
British colonies, where outlets require plugs with three flat prongs;
and still another for Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and China, where
sockets also require plugs with three flat prongs - but in a different
configuration. Not all hotels provide adapters, but you can be prepared for all
socket types if you stow a set of different adapter plugs in your
suitcase. Consider the voltage The second consideration is voltage, or the pressure under which
current flows through an electrical system. While most U.S. appliances
work at 110 volts, many foreign power companies generate electricity
at 220 volts. Some appliances have a toggle switch that allows them to
work with both voltages, but for non-dual voltage appliances, you'll
need a converter to "step down" the 220 electric current to 110 so
your appliances won't burn out. There are two different types of converters -- one to run heating
appliances (such as hair dryers, curling irons or clothes steamers)
that use a lot of power, and another for motorized and electronic
appliances (such as razors, laptop computers, radios and recharging
camcorders) that run on less power. Power consumption, measured in watts, as indicated on the appliance or
its AC adapter unit. Appliances using more than 50 watts require
high-power heating converters. Those using 50 watts or less require
transformer converters. If you travel with both types of appliances, you can carry two
converters -- or one converter with a toggle switch. However, when
using the toggle-type converter, make sure the switch is on the
appropriate setting; otherwise your appliance -- or its AC adapter
unit -- will probably burn out. Many converters (including most toggle types) are not designed for
continuous use. If you're plugging in a laptop, recharging a camcorder
or some other device that must be plugged in for a long time, be sure
to buy a heavy-duty transformer designed for that purpose. The third system difference is the number of times an electrical
current changes directions each second, or its alternating cycle. In
the States, the alternating cycle is 60, but in Europe and other parts
of the world, it's 50. This disparity doesn't affect heating gadgets
like clothes steamers; but computers, video equipment and other items
designed to work with an alternating cycle of 60 may overheat and be
damaged if used with an alternating cycle of 50. Carry a transformer To guard against damage, carry a transformer that allows 60-cycle
electronic items to work with a 50-cycle system. Ask the appliance's
manufacturer whether you'll need to do this. Adapter plugs, converters and transformers are available at luggage
shops and travel boutiques. And Magellan's, a Santa Barbara,
California-based catalog of travel essentials, has a department to
help you find products that suit your particular needs. Several pages
of Magellan's catalog are dedicated to electrical and telephone
conversion devices that will facilitate use of and protect your
equipment. "Before selling converters or other electrical products, we ask where
clients are traveling, what appliances they're taking, how many watts
the appliances use and how long they will be using the appliances at
one time," says Magellan's electric current expert, Lynn Staneff.
"That way we can provide them with exactly what they need to use all
of their equipment effectively. We also recommend surge protectors for
travelers who wish to use their computers abroad and, for computer
users, detection devices to let them know whether the electrical
currents used in foreign telephone lines will be compatible with their
modems." There is no extra charge for Magellan's advice. To obtain a catalog,
order or ask about converters and other equipment, call 800-962-4943. (c) 1998, Jennifer Merin. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate
a business meeting, the guest in room 206 at Milan's Four Seasons
Hotel sits down at the desk in his room to review notes and statistics
stored in his computer. He plugs the laptop's adapter into a transformer, connects the
transformer to the wall outlet, opens the laptop and turns it on.
There's a crackling sound and burning smell, and instantly the adapter
is fried and useless. In a panic, he calls the concierge, who locates a substitute
transformer in the hotel's business center and delivers it to the
room. "It happens frequently when guests are in a hurry or tired from jet
lag or preoccupied," says Danilo Malvenuti, chief engineer at the
Milan Four Seasons. "This gentleman doesn't travel often to Italy and
is unfamiliar with our electricity. His transformer is the wrong type.
We've also had hair dryer blow-outs and, more seriously, problems with
medical devices." Fortunately for guests, the hotel can provide substitute adapters and
transformers on a limited basis, as well as hair dryers and other
small appliances, and its electricians will even try to make small
repairs. But many hotels cannot offer the same level of service. Learn about electric systems To be on the safe side, travelers who plan to use electrical devices
from home while they are traveling should learn about the electric
systems -- plug configurations, voltage and alternating cycles -- in
the countries they're visiting. Easiest to deal with is plug configuration. The standard two-prong
plug used in the United States is common throughout Canada, Mexico,
most of the Caribbean, some of South America and Asia (especially
Japan, Korea and Taiwan). However, in some places, wall outlets don't have a third round hole
required by two-prong plugs with a third round "grounding" prong.
You'll need an adapter, or add-on plug, with openings that fit your
appliance plug on one side and prongs to fit the outlet on the other.
These are available at most hardware stores for a dollar or less. You'll need an adapter for most of Continental Europe, where most
outlets require plugs with two round prongs. You'll need a different
adapter for Great Britain, Ireland, Singapore and present or former
British colonies, where outlets require plugs with three flat prongs;
and still another for Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and China, where
sockets also require plugs with three flat prongs - but in a different
configuration. Not all hotels provide adapters, but you can be prepared for all
socket types if you stow a set of different adapter plugs in your
suitcase. Consider the voltage The second consideration is voltage, or the pressure under which
current flows through an electrical system. While most U.S. appliances
work at 110 volts, many foreign power companies generate electricity
at 220 volts. Some appliances have a toggle switch that allows them to
work with both voltages, but for non-dual voltage appliances, you'll
need a converter to "step down" the 220 electric current to 110 so
your appliances won't burn out. There are two different types of converters -- one to run heating
appliances (such as hair dryers, curling irons or clothes steamers)
that use a lot of power, and another for motorized and electronic
appliances (such as razors, laptop computers, radios and recharging
camcorders) that run on less power. Power consumption, measured in watts, as indicated on the appliance or
its AC adapter unit. Appliances using more than 50 watts require
high-power heating converters. Those using 50 watts or less require
transformer converters. If you travel with both types of appliances, you can carry two
converters -- or one converter with a toggle switch. However, when
using the toggle-type converter, make sure the switch is on the
appropriate setting; otherwise your appliance -- or its AC adapter
unit -- will probably burn out. Many converters (including most toggle types) are not designed for
continuous use. If you're plugging in a laptop, recharging a camcorder
or some other device that must be plugged in for a long time, be sure
to buy a heavy-duty transformer designed for that purpose. The third system difference is the number of times an electrical
current changes directions each second, or its alternating cycle. In
the States, the alternating cycle is 60, but in Europe and other parts
of the world, it's 50. This disparity doesn't affect heating gadgets
like clothes steamers; but computers, video equipment and other items
designed to work with an alternating cycle of 60 may overheat and be
damaged if used with an alternating cycle of 50. Carry a transformer To guard against damage, carry a transformer that allows 60-cycle
electronic items to work with a 50-cycle system. Ask the appliance's
manufacturer whether you'll need to do this. Adapter plugs, converters and transformers are available at luggage
shops and travel boutiques. And Magellan's, a Santa Barbara,
California-based catalog of travel essentials, has a department to
help you find products that suit your particular needs. Several pages
of Magellan's catalog are dedicated to electrical and telephone
conversion devices that will facilitate use of and protect your
equipment. "Before selling converters or other electrical products, we ask where
clients are traveling, what appliances they're taking, how many watts
the appliances use and how long they will be using the appliances at
one time," says Magellan's electric current expert, Lynn Staneff.
"That way we can provide them with exactly what they need to use all
of their equipment effectively. We also recommend surge protectors for
travelers who wish to use their computers abroad and, for computer
users, detection devices to let them know whether the electrical
currents used in foreign telephone lines will be compatible with their
modems." There is no extra charge for Magellan's advice. To obtain a catalog,
order or ask about converters and other equipment, call 800-962-4943. (c) 1998, Jennifer Merin. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate
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