Wife called from France and she toated her curling iron, how to avoid with my iBook?

aplnub

My wife called this morning from France and told me she toasted her curling iron. She is ok but smells like burnt plastic.



Her curling iron stated that it required 100 - 240 volt and she used an inexpensive plug convertor (not voltage) on it. It is a round two prong convertor.



I am taking my iBook over and I want to be FREEKN' sure that I don't melt my new iBook. Am I safe with the 2 prong convertor. The plug-in charger (standard white box you plug into the wall) on the iBook says 100 - 240 volt, 50/60 Hz.



What happened with my wifes curling iron you think? Amps? Hz? I thought I checked everything out well enough before she left but I guess I was wrong.



Regards and many thanks,



Eric

aplnub

Thanks! You have set my mind at ease!



Eric

fawkes

The same thing happened to my mother in Germany--she didn't flip the switch on her curling iron and fried it. I brought several devices with auto-switching transformers (like Apple uses) and had no problems at all.



For any appliance, be sure to look at the specs and make sure it says 110-240V, 60/50Hz. If it does, and there's no manual switch, you'll be fine. I didn't bother with a voltage converter...just a plug converter.

kingofsomewherehot

If it helps to ease your mind, I've used my iBook (and now pBook) all over the world with no problems... just find the right plug adapter and away we go.

bergz

Same here on all counts--burnt iron with a manual switch



US ibook & powerbook with 60 cent round-prong adapters for half a decade. No prob. The only thing is now I'm in an old building without a ground, so I'm afraid of power surges (even though the brick has a surge protector).



--B

zo

i bought my current PB12inch in NYC last year and it works fine here with a simple plug change.

thereubster

Does anyone know if the Mac Mini has a switching power supply? I am asking a friend to buy me one in the US soon to bring back to NZ, where we have 240v. Will it work or fry?

zo

Quote:

Originally posted by Thereubster

Does anyone know if the Mac Mini has a switching power supply? I am asking a friend to buy me one in the US soon to bring back to NZ, where we have 240v. Will it work or fry?

http://www.apple.com/macmini/specs.html

Quote:

Electrical and environmental requirements



* Meets ENERGY STAR requirements

* Line voltage: 100-240V AC

* Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, single phase

* Maximum continuous power: 85W

* Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)

* Storage temperature: -40° to 116° F (-40° to 47° C)

* Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing

* Maximum altitude: 10,000 feet

shouldnt be a problem

thereubster

Thanks I should have done that!! I wonder if it is auto-switching though? Probably would be I guess.

mimac

I would recommend one of these...



Surge protector



...just in case.

zo

Quote:

Originally posted by Thereubster

Thanks I should have done that!! I wonder if it is auto-switching though? Probably would be I guess.

it is

jido

Quote:

Originally posted by Thereubster

Does anyone know if the Mac Mini has a switching power supply? I am asking a friend to buy me one in the US soon to bring back to NZ, where we have 240v. Will it work or fry?

I believe you'll be fine with the Mac mini. Have a look at the electrical specs on the power supply though, to make sure before you plug it in.

bwhaler

I travel the world with my Apple gear. Unless you do something stupid, you'll be fine in my opinion.



Just be sure you have the right plugs.

midwinter

Just go to radio shack and pick up one of those european adapter kits. That's all I take when I go to europe.

exhibit_13

all you need is a plug prong adapter thing. DO NOT plug it into a power converter, or it could fry the machine. there is a power coverter in the brick, so you just need the right-shaped prong; my friend hooked up his ibook in italy last year, worked fine. i would assume the same for the mini, but take some precautions anyways