Power Conversion
 

Yep another power thread :)

Before I start I have done a bit of research and I've found alot of good info, just nothing that's pointed me to a good product yet.

Basically here is what's up, I'm going to be living in Germany for the next 5 months and I'll be taking a FEW electronics with me. My wife and I's laptops, a battery charger for my Eneloop rechargeable batteries, the charger for my backup P&S camera, and the chargers for our Nintendo DS's.

Now the laptops and the Battery charger for the P&S are both 100-240@50/60.

BUT my eneloop charger and the charger for the DS are both 100-120v@50/60.

I don't know what product I should buy to convert those two devices. They both put out about 500mA max. I have been shown a few things but they have mostly been several hundred dollar power convertors and while I could go without our Nintendo DS I really need to take the eneloop charger (else I'll have to buy a new charger from amazon.de)

What should I get for those two products that will ALSO be good and converting the laptops/charger physical plugs.

You simply need plug converters for the laptops. You can get those from SamStores as well as the step-down transformer you need for the Eneloop and Nintendo DS. Very inexpensive.

I assume the 100watt should be plenty for anything I need?

And any recommendations on where I could get something like this locally? I don't know if I'll have enough time to ship it in by the time I get my next paycheck it will be very close to time I'm to leave.

Locally I have most chain department stores and radioshacks.

Radio Shack should have in stock.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2062422

You can probably find something in the travel section at Target or KMart too.

That is PERFECT thanks, I'll head to the radioshacks tomorrow and see what I can find.

If Rat Shack doesn't have it, Magellans.com can get things out in a HUGE hurry. I've used them before for overnight emergency needs and they've always come through.

<Edit: Deleted all that was here about surge protection>

This is my new solution, let me know how this sounds. I am going to purchase a standard surge protector for the US. (One you can get for your laptops). Then purchase a set of standard conversion tips.

Plug the laptop into the surge protector, plug the surge protector into a tip, tip into the outlet. Is this grounded or should I spring for the grounded tips on Magellan? (What percantage of grounded outlets will I come across/is the surge protector enough to protect me without being grounded)

Then for my other devices I'm just going to borrow someone elses from my program :P I'm going to be living in Germany for 5 months with other international students from all over the world (including 40 other students from my home university) SOMEONE will have the proper conversion :P

It might well be cheaper and easier to buy a replacement European DS power adapter and battery charger once in Germany, rather than buying power adapters in the States and bringing the whole lot over? Do the Eneloops need their own chargers or will any kind do?

I have not used a surge protector for years and have had zero burnouts. The last time I had a surge problem (other than on OMNI *cough cough*) an electrical spike came over the telephone line to my 1200 baud telephone modem and burned it up along with my nice DirecTV modem. Most portable electronics today are very well insulated and do not provide or need a ground. They "float" the electrical potentials. You are safe and so is your equipment.

MisterNice

So groundless conversion it is.

As for the Eneloops I don't THINK they need their own charger. they are a different kind of rechargable battery than your standard style (these don't lose their charge nearly as fast as normal ones, I think they said in reviews it can take up to a year of no use for the battery to fully drain). so I don't exactly know, I use the charger that came with the batteries to be on the safe side, and it won't kill me to get another charger and another set of 4 batteries from amazon once I get over there. And the same for the DS charger I can look that up to see how much it would cost but you're right it's probably cheaper than getting all those sets.

Now to pick up just a set of groundless converters that won't interfere with the grounding plug :)

Not sure WHAT I was thinking:

For the DS, get a USB charger as you're going to have your notebook along anyway. Less to carry and worry about. I've seen cheapo combo iPod/DS/DSLite/PSP chargers for $5 out there. I got one from dealextreme.com, you can have them ship to Germany as well if you already know the address where you'll be. They take about 12 days.

For the Eneloops, another charger will work fine. I bought a 120/240v 4 hour charger and 4 2700mAh NiMH AAs at Fry's for $15. I have two Eneloops and haven't killed 'em in 6 months of middlin' usage. As long as Amazon.de is relatively inexpensive for something like that, wait 'till you get there. With the €/$ conversion rate though, you're likely better off getting it here.

Good call on the DS charger, I didn't know such a thing existed. I will look into a 120/240 charger, I just wasn't sure if the eneloops took anything specific or not. I'd eventually like a smart charger but a cheapy will do for now :)

O_O 2$ !
http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3152

Order two of whatever from DealExtreme. They're cheap enough that you can do this and if one is broken you toss it and roll on. They have USB battery chargers as well. I just got one and it really works nicely.

Check out this guy: http://www.europlugs.com/, especially the universal power bars.

I've ended up purchasing a APC travel set, it's pretty small and looks like it will work well for me. I still need another set for my other laptop (we're taking 2) and that set will probably come from apple. But thanks for all the information everyone.