use Laptop in SE Asia

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi all
I am an American and intend to travel/work for an extended period of time
in SE Asia

How do I confirm if my laptop power supply will work on the power ratings of
other countries ?

I will not be travelling with a UPS so I am worried about electrical damage
to the laptop.
Can a laptop be damaged by a power surge when it is turned off but the
battery is charging ?

TIA
Dave

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

In case you are traveling to Japan, it's alright to use a 110V power,
and if you wanna goto China, a 220V power is needed.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

You do not need a UPS, but you can get a surge protector oriented towards
notebooks.

A few weeks ago, I was investigating such things.

At that time, only APC was selling a surge protector for notebooks that
included an ethernet port, as well as a phone port.
The critters are very small and designed for travel.

--
http/www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"news.verizon.net" <david.dot@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:k6cBd.16834$fe5.1020@trndny06...
> Hi all
> I am an American and intend to travel/work for an extended period of time
> in SE Asia
>
> How do I confirm if my laptop power supply will work on the power ratings
of
> other countries ?
>
> I will not be travelling with a UPS so I am worried about electrical
damage
> to the laptop.
> Can a laptop be damaged by a power surge when it is turned off but the
> battery is charging ?
>
> TIA
> Dave
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 08:03:12 -0500, news.verizon.net wrote
(in article <k6cBd.16834$fe5.1020@trndny06>):

> Hi all
> I am an American and intend to travel/work for an extended period of time
> in SE Asia
>
> How do I confirm if my laptop power supply will work on the power ratings of
> other countries ?
>
> I will not be travelling with a UPS so I am worried about electrical damage
> to the laptop.
> Can a laptop be damaged by a power surge when it is turned off but the
> battery is charging ?
>
> TIA
> Dave
>
>

My Dell I8200 worked fine in Thailand (220/50). The only thing I needed was
a plug adapter. (They have these two pronged plugs not similar to our two
blade/1 prong plugs). Otherwise no problem.

I had some strange charging issues in the Singapore airport (230/50). I'm
not sure if it had to do with Singapore's power, my power adapter or if it
was simply a fluke that had to do with the airport lounge that I was plugging
into to.

I hope this helps.

 

[woody]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Read the power ratings on your charger. Just about all laptop power supplies
today will work internationally with only a plug adapter. The value of a
surge protector is up to your own interpretation.....


"news.verizon.net" <david.dot@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:k6cBd.16834$fe5.1020@trndny06...
> Hi all
> I am an American and intend to travel/work for an extended period of time
> in SE Asia
>
> How do I confirm if my laptop power supply will work on the power ratings
> of
> other countries ?
>
> I will not be travelling with a UPS so I am worried about electrical
> damage
> to the laptop.
> Can a laptop be damaged by a power surge when it is turned off but the
> battery is charging ?
>
> TIA
> Dave
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I agree. I don't think any countries in SE Asia use anything other than
110/220. Most laptop power supplies have a switch or are rated for up to
240. If yours can use 220, all you HAVE to get is a set of plug
adaptors--they could be different in each country. Good hotels will usually
have one to loan you, but you're better off with your own. Many of these
kits also come with a voltage converter, which would be usefull for other
electrical appliances that you take along, that don't switch from 220 to
110. As for the surge protector, that's a great idea, because the
electricity in many of these countries is very dirty (a small UPS is not a
bad idea if you can afford the weight). If you're going to Indonesia, I'd
recommend a UPS--the power there is fairly unreliable, lots of brown-outs
and black-outs.

What I do is plug a heavy duty voltage converter into the wall, using my one
adaptor for that country, and then plug a 6 outlet surge protector into
that. Then I can plug everything into the surge protector. Otherwise you
have to buy muliple plug adaptors (if you have printers, external devices,
pda chargers, phone chargers, shavers, etc.). Note however, that most of
the voltage converters that come in the travel kits can't handle anything
major--don't have 3 or 4 things working at once or try to use a hair dryer
or something like that.




"Woody" <TheDuck@pond.net> wrote in message
news:qKcBd.8882$by5.5413@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
> Read the power ratings on your charger. Just about all laptop power
> supplies today will work internationally with only a plug adapter. The
> value of a surge protector is up to your own interpretation.....
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Every mobile device should work just fine in any country.
It is called a universal supply. It determines line voltage
and adjusts automatically. It should work in voltages as low
as 90 VAC and as high as 265 VAC. However you are responsible
for all failures. Every device has a label that says voltage
limits. You must read that label. No one can do that reading
for you.

All minimally acceptable laptops only require a plug
change. Plugs for every country can be identified at:
http/www.interpower.com/ic/guide.htm
http/kropla.com/electric2.htm
Technical facts:
http/www.interpower.com/ic/p65info.asp
Additional information on phones:
http/kropla.com/phones2.htm
http/kropla.com/phones.htm

Those promoting a UPS for surge protection typically don't
even know what the UPS does. UPS can even output as much as
270 volt spikes (as this one does) and 200 volt square waves.
This is called a 120 volt modified square wave. Not
destrutive to computers because computers already contain
effective protection. But this UPS output is why
manufacturers quitely recommend no surge protectors on UPS
output (or voltage converter).

A relay inside that UPS takes milliseconds to respond. A
destrutive surge completes in microseconds. Where is
protection in that heavy UPS? Mythical. Yes it claims a
surge protector circuit. Then forgets to mention no protetion
provided from the type of surge that would damage a laptop.
They did not lie. They just promoted a half-truth so that
myth purveyors would recommend that UPS for protection. Myth
purveyors assume protection from one type of surge is
protection from all types of surges.

Effective protection is already inside the laptop. Those
silly $0.10 parts inside the plug-in protectors do not provide
anything additional (other than enrich the manufacturer). If
those $0.10 components were so effective, then they would
alrady be inside the computer.

Effective protection must be provided by the building and
make a less than 3 meter connection to earth ground. Surge
protector must connect short to something different - surge
protection.

Yes, a laptop is connected to surges whether powered on or
off. Laptop already has effective internal protecton.
Protection that can be overwhelmed by one unique type of
surge. Will that silly little protector stop what miles of
sky could not? Of course not. Again, the myth purveyors
would have you think so because they are promoting a myth:
surge protector = surge protection. To promote their
ineffetive products, the surge protector manufacturer must
avoid all mention of surge protection - earth ground.

Get adapting power plugs for your countries. Don't waste
money and weight on silly UPS or surge protector
recommendations. Unplug your laptop when done OR have it only
connected to one external connection. For example, the
destructive surge can enter on AC electric and leave on phone
line. Disconnect the phone line. Now the electricity called
a surge has no incoming and outgoing path; therefore no surge
damage.

To be damaged, the laptop must complete a path from cloud to
earth ground. Remove that path - one method of protection.
If laptop connects only to AC electric and not to phone line,
then where is the necessary incoming and outgoing path? In
the meantime, anything a UPS is going to accomplish is already
in the UPS inside a laptop.

"news.verizon.net" wrote:
> Hi all
> I am an American and intend to travel/work for an extended period
> of time in SE Asia
>
> How do I confirm if my laptop power supply will work on the power
> ratings of other countries ?
>
> I will not be travelling with a UPS so I am worried about
> electrical damage to the laptop. Can a laptop be damaged by a power
> surge when it is turned off but the battery is charging ?
>
> TIA
> Dave

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Anything that can protect the computer at the computer is
already inside the computer. Even worse, the voltage
converter may actually degrade that surge protector into
ineffectiveness. If you are asssuming the light on a
protector will tell you when it is "worn out", then you are
again being deceived by 'lies based upon half-truths'. The
light only reports where the protector was so grossly
undersized as to operate well beyond manufacuturer design
limits - a human created failure. Also assumed is that 'surge
protector = surge protection'. That assumption is not based
upon how surge protectors work AND what surge protection is.
Notice they are separate devices.

Joe Davis wrote:
> I agree. I don't think any countries in SE Asia use anything other
> than 110/220. Most laptop power supplies have a switch or are rated
> for up to 240. If yours can use 220, all you HAVE to get is a set
> of plug adaptors--they could be different in each country. Good
> hotels will usually have one to loan you, but you're better off with
> your own. Many of these kits also come with a voltage converter,
> which would be usefull for other electrical appliances that you take
> along, that don't switch from 220 to 110. As for the surge
> protector, that's a great idea, because the electricity in many of
> these countries is very dirty (a small UPS is not a bad idea if you
> can afford the weight). If you're going to Indonesia, I'd
> recommend a UPS--the power there is fairly unreliable, lots of
> brown-outs and black-outs.
>
> What I do is plug a heavy duty voltage converter into the wall, using
> my one adaptor for that country, and then plug a 6 outlet surge
> protector into that. Then I can plug everything into the surge
> protector. Otherwise you have to buy muliple plug adaptors (if you
> have printers, external devices, pda chargers, phone chargers,
> shavers, etc.). Note however, that most of the voltage converters
> that come in the travel kits can't handle anything major--don't have
> 3 or 4 things working at once or try to use a hair dryer or
> something like that.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I think you missed my points. When traveling to a lot of different
countries and with a lot of different electrical accessories, it is easier
to plug one 6-outlet device into the wall with an adaptor and then plug
everything into that rather than buy 6 adaptors for 6 different countries.
Not everything you take along on an extended overseas trip is "mobile gear".
A lot of standard household stuff can't run on 220.

Furthermore, you were talking about surges. When I recommended the UPS for
Indonesia, I was talking about brown-outs and black-outs that last for
minutes, sometimes hours. Your laptop battery can get through that, but
printers and other devices frequently can't.



"w_tom" <w_tom1@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:41D6A14C.AA200306@hotmail.com...
> Anything that can protect the computer at the computer is
> already inside the computer. Even worse, the voltage
> converter may actually degrade that surge protector into
> ineffectiveness. If you are asssuming the light on a
> protector will tell you when it is "worn out", then you are
> again being deceived by 'lies based upon half-truths'. The
> light only reports where the protector was so grossly
> undersized as to operate well beyond manufacuturer design
> limits - a human created failure. Also assumed is that 'surge
> protector = surge protection'. That assumption is not based
> upon how surge protectors work AND what surge protection is.
> Notice they are separate devices.
>
> Joe Davis wrote:
>> I agree. I don't think any countries in SE Asia use anything other
>> than 110/220. Most laptop power supplies have a switch or are rated
>> for up to 240. If yours can use 220, all you HAVE to get is a set
>> of plug adaptors--they could be different in each country. Good
>> hotels will usually have one to loan you, but you're better off with
>> your own. Many of these kits also come with a voltage converter,
>> which would be usefull for other electrical appliances that you take
>> along, that don't switch from 220 to 110. As for the surge
>> protector, that's a great idea, because the electricity in many of
>> these countries is very dirty (a small UPS is not a bad idea if you
>> can afford the weight). If you're going to Indonesia, I'd
>> recommend a UPS--the power there is fairly unreliable, lots of
>> brown-outs and black-outs.
>>
>> What I do is plug a heavy duty voltage converter into the wall, using
>> my one adaptor for that country, and then plug a 6 outlet surge
>> protector into that. Then I can plug everything into the surge
>> protector. Otherwise you have to buy muliple plug adaptors (if you
>> have printers, external devices, pda chargers, phone chargers,
>> shavers, etc.). Note however, that most of the voltage converters
>> that come in the travel kits can't handle anything major--don't have
>> 3 or 4 things working at once or try to use a hair dryer or
>> something like that.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Electronic hardware is not damaged by blackouts and
brownouts. Brownouts can be destructive to things less
resilient such as small electric motors. But the UPS is not a
solution to motors being as the UPS would need be too big and
heavy. The reason for a UPS is data protection. Data is not
lost if printer loses power.

If using multiple interconnected devices (ie laptop and
printer), important that all share a common safety ground -
for electrical reasons beyond the scope of this discussion.

Power converter may be necessary for other non-mobile
devices. But a power converter is not desirable for computer,
portable printer, etc that should be a universal power supply
- work OK directly from either 120 or 230 volt systems.
Again, always check the label for each appliance. Verify
voltage numbers on that label before connecting to AC mains.

Joe Davis wrote:
> I think you missed my points. When traveling to a lot of different
> countries and with a lot of different electrical accessories, it is
> easier to plug one 6-outlet device into the wall with an adaptor
> and then plug everything into that rather than buy 6 adaptors for
> 6 different countries. Not everything you take along on an extended
> overseas trip is "mobile gear". A lot of standard household stuff
> can't run on 220.
>
> Furthermore, you were talking about surges. When I recommended the
> UPS for Indonesia, I was talking about brown-outs and black-outs
> that last for minutes, sometimes hours. Your laptop battery can
> get through that, but printers and other devices frequently can't.