I am in Japan where the power sockets have no third hole for the grounding prong. What can I do? I have stayed at this hotel before and I do not recall it being a problem. Any suggestions? (I have a 50hz converter, but that will not help. Also, you should note that my plug is a standard, three prong polarized plug from USA.) Please help!
what is this i don’t even
May be the hotel might have an adapter, or direct you someplace to get one. Around here in Italy you can buy adapters in grocery stores or electronc stores. Any around you?
Take a tester, disassemble the plug, and remove the grounding prong.
And fix your typewriter.
Most any self-respecting electronics store will sell all-in-one multiadapters with detachable adapters. (Like this one - amazon link - but usually with detachable parts.)
The front desk will likely have one. If not, you are in Japan: the country is what you might call tech friendly and you’ll be able to find an adaptor probably on the same block as your hotel.
Retyped OP and title to make it legible. (Note to those that didn’t read it first - there was a double spacing between all letters.)
- Gukumatz
Moderator
As you can tell, I’ve run into this problem before.
Easiest thing is to go to the nearest 100 yen shop and pick up a short 2-wire extension cord. The outlet end can often fit a US three-prong plug with no problem, with the ground pin sitting outside the end. I’ve heard some people have had to file the edge of the outlet end but I didn’t. When I say short, I mean 3 inches! You may want to pick up a few spares. They’re great for plugging largish power bricks into power strips at home. You know, those ones that cover up one or two plugs because they’re so big? Fuggeddaboutit with this little gem.
Another ossible solution is to go to a big electronics superstore like Yamada Denki/Tecc Land or K’s Denki with your power brick and see if they have a replacement Japanese power cord for it. I don’t recall seeing any in that kind of store but you never know. It might be behind the replacement parts counter. I’d imagine it’d be expensive but it’ll meet the electrical codes.
And yet one more solution would be to get an adapter that would let your 3-wire power brick connect to a standard 2-wire cord. This page illustrates the concept, and being written in Japanese, you could print it for shopping. This is for the Mickey Mouse plug to standard 2-wire cord, officially known as YL-3114. There are a couple advantages to doing this. First, as a traveler, space is limited in your luggage. 2-wire cords are smaller and more flexible than 3-wire and thus are easier to pack. Another advantage is that if you forget your power cord, you may be able to use the cord for your DSLR’s battery charger or be able to borrow or buy a replacement cable locally fairly easily. I pack a spare cord with my clothes for just such an event. And finally, if you go to Europe, Italy, or Australia and need a wall plug adapter, 2-wire plug adapters are cheaper and smaller than 3-wire adapters.
If all else fails, head over to Akihabara. There’s a little shop that carries power cables. Only power cables. He’ll have one to fit the power outlet and your power brick. I wish I had the name or address but all I can remember is that when you exit the train station, you cross the street and pass through that warren of tiny booths selling electronic components. It’s dark, cramped, and smells musty inside. When you get to the road on the other side, between that exit and the nearest corner is this guy. I got one for my HP laptop with the Mickey Mouse jack on the power supply. I bought this before I discovered the 100-yen solution. If you choose to get the YL-3114 adapter, you can find very short 2-wire cords at that shop. I use a 3-inch cord with my camera’s battery charger.
Sometimes I think I travel too much.