<p>I’d like to know whether there will be a problem with my son using his laptop in Italy.</p>
<p>He’ll be studying abroad there this spring. The information he received from his program says that the students can only use computers with “internal converters.”</p>
<p>This is what they say:</p>
<p>"Laptops, digital cameras, video cameras and iPods can be used as long as they have internal converters and are used with adapters.</p>
<p>Adapters adapt the plug prongs from the American version (flat prongs) to the Italian standard (round prongs) in order to get the plug into the outlet. They do not convert electricity. Adapters are used on appliances with internal converters.</p>
<p>Usage of converters of electricity is forbidden because they will blow fuses."</p>
<p>My son has an HP Elitebook that we bought in 2009. He says, “None of the other students who are going seem concerned about this, mom!”</p>
<p>So, what’s the deal? Should we just regard it as a given that his laptop and the other students’ laptops have internal converters, and not worry? Or…? </p>
<p>(I also posted this in the Study Abroad forum, but I didn’t get much of a response.)</p>
<p>you best bet is to call HP Tech Support and give them the serial number of your son’s laptop. they can tell you exactly how it is configured, and whether it it Euro-ready.</p>
<p>the electric current coversion is at the adapter not in the laptop. most of the adapters come with a laptop are 110v/240v inter-changeable, so take it to Europe is not a problem. You need to buy a converter kit to covert US socket configuration to European configuration and that is around $10 at target.</p>
<p>you should read the lable on the adapter to make sure.</p>
<p>I’ve not heard of any recent vintage laptop power supply that isn’t universal voltage. I would be shocked if a recent HP didn’t have a universal power supply.</p>
<p>It’s easy enough to check. Just look at the power supply that plugs into the wall. It will have a label. As long as the label says “110v - 240v” or something like that, you are fine and all you need is plug adaptor. A power supply that wouldn’t work would just say “110v-120v”. THe actual current that goes into the computer from the wall adaptor had already been converted to DC.</p>
<p>iPod chargers, at least everything I’ve ever seen, are all universal chargers that will work fine anywhere in the world. Most, but not all, NiMH battery chargers use universal power supplies now.</p>
<p>This really is the standard now. Remember, all these products are sold world-wide. It’s much cheaper to design them with universal power supplies. Plus, without getting too technical, it’s very cheap to build universal switching PWM power supplies. It’s not like the old days.</p>
<p>See Page 3. The “INPUT” is listed as “100 to 240 VAC” for all of them. So you are good to go. Feel free to check the label on yours to confirm, but all your son needs is the little plastic plug adapter to convert the US plug to the Euro styles. These are available at Radio Shack or from any number of online sites (which have detail info on what adaptor you need for each country).</p>
<p>I went thru this with my daughter who was spending a month each in Argentina, China, and India on her study abroad and had to take several adaptors.</p>
They’re referring to a transformer which is a larger, heavier, device (think of some heavy metal core with wires wound around it) that converts from one AC voltage to another - like 240vac to 110 vac. At one time these were needed to plug in most things from the USA (110vac) into an outlet in Europe (240vac) but that’s changed in the last 15 years or so where almost all electronic devices with an adapter that plugs between the wall and the device does the conversion itself. These devices typically include laptops, camera battery chargers, phones, etc. and all these devices need is the plug adapter which changes the format of the prongs that plug into the wall. </p>
<p>What’s NOT included in this and would still need the bulky heavy voltage converter are things like hair dryers, curling irons, toasters, and other things with heating elements although you can usually find a ‘travel version’ of some of these (okay, maybe not a travel toaster) that can be switched between the voltages.</p>
<p>It’s easy to tell - just look at the piece that plugs into the wall and you should see where it indicates something like “Input 100-240vac” which means it’ll work everywhere. If it said something like “Input 117vac” then it’d only work here and not there.</p>
<p>I’ve plugged things like this into the wall in Italy with no problem. The prong adapter should cost $5 or so unless you get it at an expensive place like radio shack where it might be double that.</p>
<p>Look at the power source for the laptop (the box type device with a cord going to the wall and one to the laptop). Most of them will tell you. It will say input 100-220 v. If so, then it’s okay to use in Europe. I’ve traveled to Europe for over 20 years and have never had an issue with voltage for my laptops (printers, yes, but not laptops). I would check carefully for other devices.</p>