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Power Adapter shape

efdoucette

efdoucette

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2011 Camino Frances
Since 2011 - too many to list
This 2 pin adapter is what I will need for Portugal but the shape of it has me a little mystified. I know having been to Switzerland that this fits nicely into their outlets but not sure it will fit into the outlets in Portugal and Spain. Any confirmation would be appreciated. Thanks

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efdoucette said:
still not sure it will fit in the round outlet
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trecile said:
It will fit.
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Agree. It was designed to be universal to Europe. I've read that with a little hanky-panky and a total disregard for safety you can even plug them into British and Irish outlets. Look for coroner reports for the details.
 
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efdoucette said:
This 2 pin adapter is what I will need for Portugal but the shape of it has me a little mystified. I know having been to Switzerland that this fits nicely into their outlets but not sure it will fit into the outlets in Portugal and Spain. Any confirmation would be appreciated. Thanks

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The adapter is OK but it is missing the safety ground/Earth. This should not affect normal operation but you may get an Afro style hairdo in the case of an electrical fault.
 
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efdoucette said:
This 2 pin adapter is what I will need for Portugal but the shape of it has me a little mystified. I know having been to Switzerland that this fits nicely into their outlets but not sure it will fit into the outlets in Portugal and Spain. Any confirmation would be appreciated. Thanks

View attachment 122873
Click to expand...
I have a European plug with two usb sockets. Weighs very little and charges my phone, camera etc. I have the double usb type so I can share. Some places have very few sockets.
 
Marcus-UK said:
The adapter is OK but it is missing the safety ground/Earth.
Click to expand...
I have very limited knowledge about electrical things. But I realize that various plugs have different grounding mechanisms. A phone charger typically has only 2 pins in the first place, so surely you will only need a 2-pin adaptor. My laptop power plug has 3-pins, so using a 2-pin adaptor on it might be a slight safety concern.

Most of the adaptors I've seen for charging phones are only 2 pins. That is what I use.
 
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C clearly said:
I have very limited knowledge about electrical things. But I realize that various plugs have different grounding mechanisms. A phone charger typically has only 2 pins in the first place, so surely you will only need a 2-pin adaptor. My laptop power plug has 3-pins, so using a 2-pin adaptor on it might be a slight safety concern.

Most of the adaptors I've seen for charging phones are only 2 pins. That is what I use.
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Only two pins (live and Neutral, Hot and Return) are required for the majority of travel equipment, Phone chargers, Tablet Chargers, Laptops, Electric shavers etc. The third pin is a safety ground or earth. Electrical items like hair driers, curling tongues are a safety hazard if not earthed or doubly insulated. Different countries have different safety standards and the level of protection against electrical shock hazards. The general rule should be don't take mains electrical equipment into the bathroom and you should be OK with two pin adapters.
 
Concerning electrical safety:

Adapters:

European plugs and outlets are designed to make it difficult (maybe close to impossible) to touch a live AC prong. The problem is when you insert a North American plug into an adapter that is already plugged into an outlet you might touch a live blade.* Don't do that. You know this already because it is the equivalent of pushing a two bladed plug into the wall. One way not touch the blade is to tape the North American plug to the adapter so you insert and remove both from the outlet at the same time. This also keeps you from accidentally leaving the adapter behind.

(* The early North American electrical system was not designed with as much safety as later in other countries.)

Chargers:

As mentioned above, European plugs and outlets are designed to make it difficult (maybe close to impossible) to touch a live AC prong. At the other end of a charger the output is 5 volts DC. That's not going to hurt. Inside the adapter things are sealed and surrounded by the insulating plastic so you aren't going to make any connection with a loose wire that makes you part of the circuit between the electrical generation plant and ground/earth.

Circuitry in a charger is designed so either prong could be connected to either hole in the outlet, either the live one or the neutral return.
 
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JZA said:
I have a European plug with two usb sockets. Weighs very little and charges my phone, camera etc. I have the double usb type so I can share. Some places have very few sockets.
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Sharing outlets with a multiple outlet adapter (or tap) in albergues is ALWAYS appreciated and may make you new friends for life.

You can find inexpensive replacements for a couple € in any China Store / Oriental Bazar along the way, or in any ferreteria (hardware store). They DO tend to get misplaced or forgotten.

Hope this helps.

Tom
 
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t2andreo said:
You can find inexpensive replacements for a couple € in any China Store / Oriental Bazar along the way, or in any ferreteria (hardware store). They DO tend to get misplaced or forgotten.
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Sorry, T2, I agree with half of that recommendation (go to a ferretería) but strongly disagree with the other half. I have been advised by numerous Spanish friends that one should never buy anything remotely connected to phones or electronics in a China Store. It is sad to condemn all with one generalizing stroke, but they tell me that these stores throughout Spain are all on a unitary supply chain and they very frequently sell fake electronic equipment, with the required EU marking of course!
 
Laurie, I cannot refute what you say. So I will modify my statement. Please try to obtain replacement as needed at the nearest ferreteria (hardware store).

You might also check electronics or mobile phone shops, or department stores.

Refer to the other option (China store / Oriental Bazar) in extremis.

I have had good experiences at these shops. But, you are correct about the unitary supply chain. Ownership also happens to be centralized. The families running individual shops appear to be employees of the central owner.

Laurie is correct. They seem to sell mostly the identical things, suggesting they are told what to sell.

Hope this helps clarify.

Tom
 
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