Using an extension lead in Europe

[diyyyyyyyy]

I'll be stopping in a hotel in Slovakia over the bank holiday and will be taking a european adaptor with me to charge my camera and tablet. Is it okay to use a two gang extension lead with one european adaptor please? Don't want to take any chances so thought it would be best to ask here.

Many Thanks

 

[mattylad]

Its something that others have recommended to me, one adapter to power the lead then all your UK plugs go into that.

Not an iron though....

 

[diyyyyyyyy]

Perfect. Thanks very much!!!

 

[Astra99]

You would be far better off using a 2/4/6 way trailing socket with a Schuko (European) plug on the end of the flying lead. If you search for "Schuko Plug" on e-bay, there are any number of suppliers to choose from. These Euro adapters you can buy for 50p or so more or less anywhere are not, in my opinion, suitable for anything which requires earthing, or which draws any significant current.

 

[plugwash]

Agreed, the continental travel adaptor that is widely sold here is a horrible thing. It will fit in most sockets in europe but it will only get an earth when used in a german or french socket, will be a loose fit in many sockets due to thin pins (used so it can fit in more types of socket) and relies on only one of the two clips for earthing when used in a german socket.

 

[winston1]

Don't buy a Schuko plug at ebays inflated prices. Get one in a local shop at your destination.

 

[plugwash]

Or if you want to buy it before you go then CPC seem to sell them cheaper than the ebay sellers do http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/ecs001-sch/european-schuko-plug-top-entry/dp/PL07001

 

[winston1]

Just noticed you are going to Slovakia. They don't use the standard German Schuko plug, but the French variant with the earth pin in the socket. German and French plugs do not fit in each others socket, though there is available a plug that fits both known as CEE7/7.

 

[plugwash]

Afaict the vast majority of such plugs sold today are the hybrid variant. If you follow the further information link on the one I linked it claims that it is the hybrid version.

 

[Astra99]

I agree that the prices on e-bay are higher than one would pay on the Continent. CPC may be cheaper, but for orders under £45 their carriage charges are not exactly cheap. When we bought our home in Spain, I bought Schukos from CPC, along with in-line RCDs, 6-way fused trailers etc, only to find that the local Chinese shops in Spain had the Schukos for €1 each and all the other bits, apart from the 6-way trailers! To be honest, I have never seen a Schuko plug without the hole for the earth pin à la française.

 

[plugwash]

I agree that the prices on e-bay are higher than one would pay on the Continent. CPC may be cheaper, but for orders under £45 their carriage charges are not exactly cheap.

That changed recently, they now offer free delivery on all orders placed online regardless of size.

To be honest, I have never seen a Schuko plug without the hole for the earth pin à la française.

I've seen pictures of them but never seen one in person.

 

[Astra99]

I agree that the prices on e-bay are higher than one would pay on the Continent. CPC may be cheaper, but for orders under £45 their carriage charges are not exactly cheap.

That changed recently, they now offer free delivery on all orders placed online regardless of size.

To be honest, I have never seen a Schuko plug without the hole for the earth pin à la française.

I've seen pictures of them but never seen one in person.

Thanks for the info. regarding free delivery on web orders. It's a site I stopped using due to the delivery costs.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You would be far better off using a 2/4/6 way trailing socket with a Schuko (European) plug on the end of the flying lead.

Even better, put an IEC 60320-C14 plug on the end, then you can adapt it for use anywhere in the world, by attaching a [local plug]-----[IEC 60320-C13] cord to it. If you're travelling light you might find one on the kettle or TV in your room, or you might be able to borrow one from the hotel office. If you're on business, there isn't an office in the world that doesn't have spare ones knocking about.