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Taking Laptop From UK to Canada - Power Adapter Question
Morning all,
I'm going to take my laptop on holiday with me for the first time, I have a quick question regarding power.
Will the laptop still operate fine from mains / charge battery if I plug my current UK 3 pin plug into an adaper to fit power outlets in Canada? Or is it more tricky than that due to voltages?
Cheers,
Craig
MrKev
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September 29th, 2008 00:00
Craig,
You SHOULD NOT have any issues with your power supply IF you verify that the power adapter is designed for 100-240VAC input. Most laptop power supplies nowadays have been made to be "world voltage compliant" and accept different voltages range AND frequencies. Canada and the U.S. use the same power plugs and sockets. Here is a quickie reference guide.... http://www.kropla.com/electric.htm
The only thing you may need to purchase either before or after you arrive is a power mains cord that has the two prong blade style plug for the power adapter. Most electronics stores carry replacement ones. Your connector on the laptop power adapter itself is probably a "figure eight", unpolarized ( 8 ) looking socket, one side may be a squared off end to it to make it polarized ( DO ) , or a triangle figure. Either way, you can find them at nearly any good electronics shop. Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_connector
One suggestion, if you are a nerd, you may want to find a local electronics surplus store as the main electronics giants will charge an arm and a leg for something so simple and inexpensive. Yes, finding a US one in the UK may be difficult but I have found Europe and AND UK ones here locally.
And if you are a REAL nerd like me who does travel into Europe frequently (I DO NOT recommend the following, just posted to give ideas) you can make your own special power strip that has the cord of the region you are traveling to that has your native sockets on it...but remember this would be ONLY for multi-voltage/frequency devices as it DOES NOT convert voltages for devices not designed to take the voltage difference.
Have a good trip!
-K