Buying flat (US) to round (euro) plug adpapter retail source in the US?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Buying flat (US) to round (euro) plug adpapter retail source in the US?
Does anyone know where you can buy basic US to euro plug adapters retail in the US? Preferably <$5. I have run out of them. Radio Shack is back ordered indefinitely. I found some for $0.89 online but shipping of course is like $10. I suppose that I should buy a dozen of them...... but I really would like to go down to a bloody store and just buy one.
I don't want a pack with UK and OZ adapters and I don't want one of those cubes.
I have a bit habit losing these damn things, especially when I have to rush to the gate and yank the thing out of the socket.
In 2000 I left the damn thing in a plug FRA airport en route to Malmo. I spent hours running around downtown Malmo. I finally found a euro cord for my Thinkpad that was designed specifically for this adapter in a Swedish equivalent of Radio Shack. Unfortunately, this thinkpad had a grounded plug so had a special three lead connection to the AC/DC brick.
I don't want a pack with UK and OZ adapters and I don't want one of those cubes.
I have a bit habit losing these damn things, especially when I have to rush to the gate and yank the thing out of the socket.
In 2000 I left the damn thing in a plug FRA airport en route to Malmo. I spent hours running around downtown Malmo. I finally found a euro cord for my Thinkpad that was designed specifically for this adapter in a Swedish equivalent of Radio Shack. Unfortunately, this thinkpad had a grounded plug so had a special three lead connection to the AC/DC brick.
#2
#3
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Any of the luggage type stores, any airport shop, etc. Sometimes in department stores in the travel section, but you may have to buy the entire set.
Once you get to where you are going, they are everywhere.
Once you get to where you are going, they are everywhere.
#4
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Yup, true. Any electrical store here in Poland has them, but I noticed the prices are a tad high - lower than Radio Shack, but you can buy the same ones online for cheaper. As for pickup, you can go downtown nd see. I know in Chicago there are quite a few stores that sell them and I can pick em up, but when you add the time + gas shipping is about the same
#5
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They are one of those things you see everywhere you go, until you need one than you can't find it.
I had one short out on a trip this month so it's time to find one.
I had one short out on a trip this month so it's time to find one.
#6
#8
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sweden
Yes, I was told that adapters are "illegal" in Sweden. This was by several people in several stores, including a computer and a hardware store. They just can't sell them.
They are apparently afraid we 120v folks will kill ourselves on too much voltage.
At my hotel, however, they had a draw full of power cords. They would not give you an adapter, but they had the Euro cords in all sizes to use for your devices. They were happy to provide as many as I needed and I just returned them when I left.
If you are in a rush, just buy them at the airport at either end. Tie a string around it AND DON"T LOSE THIS ONE. Buying one is cheap, but if you keep losing it, that can get expensive.
They are apparently afraid we 120v folks will kill ourselves on too much voltage.
At my hotel, however, they had a draw full of power cords. They would not give you an adapter, but they had the Euro cords in all sizes to use for your devices. They were happy to provide as many as I needed and I just returned them when I left.
If you are in a rush, just buy them at the airport at either end. Tie a string around it AND DON"T LOSE THIS ONE. Buying one is cheap, but if you keep losing it, that can get expensive.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Aha that explains why I couldn't find them in Sweden.
A fundamental problem is that they fit better in the socket than the US plug into them. I actually have a large square one that is good for US grounded plugs, which I got on a SAS flight. But the plugs in Sweden are all recessed and designed for round plugs. So I double up with this square one and one of the small ones when I use my laptop. When I yank this out then the small plug adapter always remains and you have to pull it out separately.
I was sitting in the ARN lounge and my flight went instantly from "go to gate" to "gate closed", so I just yanked the thing and rushed to the damn gate and of course people had just started boarding (flight was 15 min delayed).
A fundamental problem is that they fit better in the socket than the US plug into them. I actually have a large square one that is good for US grounded plugs, which I got on a SAS flight. But the plugs in Sweden are all recessed and designed for round plugs. So I double up with this square one and one of the small ones when I use my laptop. When I yank this out then the small plug adapter always remains and you have to pull it out separately.
I was sitting in the ARN lounge and my flight went instantly from "go to gate" to "gate closed", so I just yanked the thing and rushed to the damn gate and of course people had just started boarding (flight was 15 min delayed).
#15
Join Date: Jun 2002
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I got my adapter at a luggage store. Also seen then at Targets, Wal-mart, etc. There are pretty ubiquitious ( I just finished watching a spelling bee contest on the TV ) All you have to make sure of is if your charger can handle the 220 that they have in Europe. Look on your chargers plug if it has something like 100-240V , 50/60 hz, you're good to go. If it doesn't have those numbers you'll need a convertor.