Folks,

For years I have been mad at notebook manufacturers who insist on shipping notebooks with bulky three-prong cables and power supplies. Each time I buy a new laptop I've had to shell out for a "retro" two-prong cable and power supply. That's over now.

The good folks at Zip-Linq have come up with an adapter which will allow two-prong cables to be used in the standard three-prong "Mickey Mouse" power supply back. Part number is: ZIP-ADP-MM1.

Prices vary, but I just bought ten of them for $25 including shipping. Search around for the best deal.

This part is indispensible,IMHO, and I've been using/building computers for 30+ years.

(You'll also need a two-prong cable but they are about $4 each, available lots of places and much less bulky.)

Why not just spend $0.49 at Home Depot on a grounded to non-grounded adapter and be done with it? I don't understand the compelling nature of these adapters.

The problem is the bulk of the cord and plug. The two-prong cable and plug is much thinner and easier to store. For a guy who travels with $30K+ in camera/laptop gear in two bags, space and weight are critical considerations.

Congrats on having such expensive gear.

I just compared my Dell power supplies and the two and three-prong cables are a bit different but not enough that I can see it affecting my total load enough to buy these extra adapters. I do like the two-prong as it is more universally functional for plugs/adapters around the world.

My camera charges using a brick transformer so it wouldn't matter with this. I only see it affecting the laptop power supply. What are the 10 things that you're buying it for?

Did you ever consider that the manufacturer adds a ground wire for a reason?

To add weight and bulk, obviously.

or just bought a macbook

Ground wires.

Totally useless things.

Until you need one, then it could kill you not to have one.

Multiple laptops. Don't need 10 but the quantity discount was a better deal. In the past we'd buy a two-wire power supply for each new laptop but now it's $2.50 for the adapter and $4 for a two-wire cable...much cheaper than a new power supply.

BTW--two wire supplies are sold by most manufacturers as an option.

That's great for you, but why is it an "important read" for the rest of us?

You don't seem to fit in the typical traveler category, if you know what I mean.

-David

Dell seems to have migrated to two-prong power supplies.

I was never quite sure why they needed a ground wire for an AC/DC transformer.

Nope, but if it helps save someone space, weight and $$, it's useful information. If not, you are free to skip it.

They really don't in the vast majority of cases and that's why you can buy the two-wire bricks. The three-wires became more common in the Pentium 4 days but the power supplies on many laptops today are not as power hungry.

What's also handy is the ability to use the same type of cord for several purposes: laptop, battery charging, remote camera AC power, etc. Plus that means it's easier to have a backup in case one gets lost or malfunctions.

Good observation. The ground wire started appearing more frequently in the Pentium 4 era when laptop power supplies became more power hungry. Even then the need was very slight. Today's units are generally less power intense.

Dell has actually reintroduced the 3-prong grounded bricks for some laptops (and for a very good reason). The aluminium chassis on the xps m1x30 suffered from creeping ground currents (although completely harmless) which freaked alot of people out, as a result they now ship with grounded power bricks.