Laptops/battery chargers overseas
 

Binoette No 1 is off again in a couple of days, this time to New York. She wants to buy my laptop (Acer Travelmate) off me to take with her. I'm vaguely aware of the fact that the US runs on 110 Volt mains vs Australia's 240V AC.

What does this mean in practicalities? 1. For the laptop, I assume it a simple matter of buying a different power cord? 2. What about the battery charger? Is its cord changeable or does it mean buying a whole new charger, remembering that she is on a minimal budget? If the family she is staying with has a laptop, is it likely their battery charger will fit her computer or do they all have different...err, thingies?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Hi Binoculars,

It should simply require the purchase of a simple travel adaptor. Most computer power supplies are auto sensing switch mode power supplies, which will work on 100 - 250V AC at 50 / 60Hz.

The lead and connecter between the power supply and the laptop does indeed change according to model.

So no probs.

Check on the power supply to make sure its 100 - 250V or thereabouts, but it should be.

Cheers,

F - Wyg

Binos,

Are your battery charger and power cord to the computer two separate items?

ie, when you run your laptop on mains power do you run a power cord from wall to 'puter with no power "brick" in between?, which is what I read in your post. And then have a separate battery charger? Seems unusual, which is why I ask.

OTOH a more usual setup is when you run the laptop on mains power, you do it through the brick, which charges the battery in the process.

The charger for my Medion laptop (brand originates in Germany, but the hardware is made in Taiwan and is prolly common to other brands) is labelled with an input voltage RANGE of 100-240V, 50-60Hz mains freq, so it's pretty much one size fits all. The output cord to the computer is permanently fixed to the "brick". The cord between the wall socket and the brick is removable, presumably so that one can buy cords with varying plugs to suit the country you're in. At the brick end it's a standard "figure 8 on its side" two-pin arrangement.

My guess is all but the oldest of laptops would be like that. Maybe yours is too? In which case you'd only need to buy a wall to brick power cord with the correct Yankee plug at the end. Or get an adapter, as F WSYWIG says. Any labels or stickers on 'puter or brick that you can read re allowable voltage and frequency ranges?

The output voltages vary from brand to brand, so unless her hosts had the same computer Binoette probably couldn't use their brick. But then again, if they were the same and the connectors the same polarity, she could.

Cheers from the chilly south

AA

Thanks guys. AA, I should probably have looked at the laptop before posting, but it's in Binoette's bedroom (funny how that seems to happen :rolleyes: ) and she's asleep.

But you're right, the mains power attachment does charge the battery when connected, so the iimportant thing is whether the cord from the wall socket to the "brick" ( I like it) is removable. Sounds from your post as though it is. I'll have to check it in the morning, but sounds good. Thanks.

Weather wise, about 18 at midnight, minimum of maybe 16 then up to 23 tomorrow (today) for golf. Life's tough.

;)

Binoculars,

If the cord is not removable, then just pick up a worldwide travel adaptor from the airport. They're really cheap and extremely useful for all sorts of gadgets when travelling. :ok:

F - Wyg

Ta again, wysiwyg. ;)