[modestninja]

Hey, I'm planning on travelling and working around New Zealand for 6-12 months in the near future and I was wondering what the best kind of power converter would be for the following electronics so that I can recharge them in New Zealand:

1. Cannon s70 Li battery charger
2. Laptop
3. Gameboy Advance Sp
4. Zen Xtra
5. i-HP20

Am I going to just need a plug adaptor since all of the AC adaptors for these things accept 100-240V 50/60 hz? From what I've read they have 230V 50hz power and a 3 pin plug (which is different from the North American Plug from what I gather). Is it better/safer for electronics to convert the power before the AC adaptor or should I be fine?

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by modestninja Is it better/safer for electronics to convert the power before the AC adaptor or should I be fine?

Yes, because American voltage is obviously better and safer for your equiptment than New Zealand voltage.

Seriously, if all the AC adapters you're using can accept 230V, 50hz you just need a plug adapter, that's all.

 

[Stephonovich]

No. You'll also need a power conditioner. Electricity is inherently evil, after all, and non-American can only be worse.

 

[seiko_citizen]

Most importantly you will need a power transformer, if you must run it of AC. Most laptop power supplys usually use 100-240v international voltage, making it suitable for international travel.

Quote:

Is it better/safer for electronics to convert the power before the AC adaptor or should I be fine?

There is IMO no such thing as to which is better however YMMV. Most important is to convert where necessary.

Have you thought of buying a couple of adapters in NZ?? It might work out cheaper

 

[KYTGuy]

...don't the electrons spin the other way there? Might need a spin converter...

 

[Stephonovich]

If it hasn't become painfully obvious yet, most of this thread is tongue-in-cheek...

 

[modestninja]

i know,

I was just making sure. I figured that there would be a few jokes but I was told in grade school that there's no such thing as a stupid question... especially if it can be entertainment for others!

as for plug adaptors I would assume that they're are pretty much the same since all they do is change the plug type... so for those devices i could just us a power strip with one adaptor and be able to recharge multiple devices at once.

BTW: That comic is pretty damn funny... I always laugh when people get one of those monster power surge protectors... That company must make so much money for how overpriced their stuff is. I can get it for 60% off and they still make a decent amount of money off of it...

 

[Jeff Guidry]

New Zealand has electricity? What's next, phones?

 

[rickcr42]

Hampster powered by a bunch of edwoods spinning on hampster wheels hooked up to electricity generators :

http://www.a2brentals.co.nz/new-zeal...ectricity.html

OK,maybe not exactly the same but almost

 

[Stephonovich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Guidry New Zealand has electricity? What's next, phones?

It's LOTR that did it, I tell you. When they came in, NZ was forced to update. I heard they even shipped in a few computers.

 

[stevesurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Guidry New Zealand has electricity? What's next, phones?

Ahhh New Zealand 5 Million people; 15 Million sheep. What to do with all those sheep.

 

[myself, aka me]

Yeah, the sheep thing is true, just got back from the farm. Oh boy.

Telephones? We only just got the hot/cold water thing sorted for our showers.

Electricity? Only if it's fine. It's usually not. Bring candles and a wind powered generator.

We have three pins.
/...\
..|

It looks like that because everyone makes fun of us because some stupid hobbits and the friggen south island.

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevesurf Ahhh New Zealand 5 Million people; 15 Million sheep. What to do with all those sheep.

Seems quite a good ratio for the population in order not to run out of wool socks, pullovers et cetera... But apart from that, you could always ask Woody Allen and Gene Wilder for ideas on what to do with those sheep...

Grinnings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Lisa]

ignore. sorry

 

[modestninja]

I don't suppose anyone know where to pick up a decent plug adaptor. I did a quick search and found a lot of kits with adaptors for everywhere but a bunch of them looked like they didn't have the ground, although the one that did have the ground looked the like the drawing up the page. Do UK and NZ use the same type of plug?