US power sockets

Monique · Oct 12, 2013

Coming week I'm visiting Boston for a meeting, so I bought a power adaptor. I just realised it's an earthed one, so it has three pins. Will I be able to use that on all the power plugs, or should I get a two-pinned adaptor?

Evo · Oct 12, 2013

Monique said: ↑

Coming week I'm visiting Boston for a meeting, so I bought a power adaptor. I just realised it's an earthed one, so it has three pins. Will I be able to use that on all the power plugs, or should I get a two-pinned adaptor?

Newer outlets will have three plugs (we call it grounded in the US), older outlets won't, so a two prong would give you more options.

dlgoff · Oct 12, 2013

Just get one of these to plug your adapter into when needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheater_plug

Evo · Oct 12, 2013

dlgoff said: ↑

Just get one of these to plug your adapter into when needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheater_plug

Excellent idea dl! Monique, these are just pennies at any hardware store here, is there someone in Boston you can ask to get you one?

Mark44 · Oct 13, 2013

Monique, I'm not sure where you're staying in Boston - hotel or with friends - but any place with reasonably to-code receptacles have the sockets that take three pins. You should also recognize that power receptacles throughout the US are 120V, which is different from the 200V in many European countries.

Student100 · Oct 13, 2013

Also 60 Hz, don't you guys use 50 over there? Although I think for most electronic devices the cycle shouldn't matter.

Monique · Oct 13, 2013

Hmmm, now I'm doubting. At least I'm staying at an expensive hotel (it was the only option), so maybe I should take the risk. On the other hand, the adaptor is useful world-wide and I don't want to get stuck with unground sockets (which did happen before).

The voltage is not a problem, I'll only be using a computer and my phone and they have transformers that can take 100-220V.

Evo said: ↑

Newer outlets will have three plugs (we call it grounded in the US), older outlets won't, so a two prong would give you more options.

The adaptor must be British then, it says Earthed When I was in London the other week the hotel check-in person corrected me when I asked for the elevator, "we call that a lift over here"

I like Serena · Oct 13, 2013

Monique said: ↑

The adaptor must be British then, it says Earthed When I was in London the other week the hotel check-in person corrected me when I asked for the elevator, "we call that a lift over here"

You should have asked for the stairs.

Vanadium 50 · Oct 13, 2013

If you're at an expensive hotel, the front desk will have EU-US converters.

russ_watters · Oct 13, 2013

The wording here matters: a converter changes voltage but an adapter doesn't. You probably need a converter.

Stephen Tashi · Oct 13, 2013

Mark44 said: ↑

Monique, I'm not sure where you're staying in Boston - hotel or with friends - but any place with reasonably to-code receptacles have the sockets that take three pins. .

That's true, but sometimes you find that receptacles are in hard to reach places and that what is offered you is the end of an extension cord that has only a two prong receptacle. That sort of thing might happen if you stay in a private residence or small bed-and-breakfast.

Monique · Oct 13, 2013

russ_watters said: ↑

The wording here matters: a converter changes voltage but an adapter doesn't. You probably need a converter.

No, I need an adapter so that the power cord will fit the socket. The converter that's attached to computer/telephone power cords is already designed to take 100-220V 50/60Hz.

Somewhere in the house I should have a cheap unground adapter, so I'll keep the grounded one. If it won't fit I'll be able to use someone else's adapter or visit a shop.

hah, I almost forgot to activate my debit card for North America, almost got stuck without money Strange, it almost feels like I'm going home.

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US power sockets

Monique

Evo

Staff: Mentor

dlgoff

Evo

Staff: Mentor

Mark44

Staff: Mentor

Student100

Monique

I like Serena

Vanadium 50

russ_watters

Staff: Mentor

Stephen Tashi

Monique