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I'm about to take my CPAP machine outside USA for the first time (to Spain and Italy). Here is the power brick's label.

CPAP power brick

How much do I need to do? Attach an adapter to the wall plug? Replace the wall cord? Replace the whole brick?

The last time I had a similar problem was when I took an electric typewriter to Switzerland in 1976, before t.se existed!

Update: today I bought a thing marked “southern Europe / Middle East / Africa / Asia / Caribbean”. Thanks all.

2 Answers 2

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The label gives input 100-240, V 50-60Hz, which covers the European countries as well as the USA.

As such you only need a plug adapter, which only changes the shape of the plug but does not do anything to the power going through it.
If you have a wall cord that fits the brick and is the European kind, you can use that.
But I would just buy a plug adapter.

From that picture I can not work out whether it has a two pin plug or a three pin one.
If a three pin, one with grounding, you have to be careful to get a grounded adapter plug, one that fits Italy and one that fits Spain, (which might be the same or might be a different one.)
If it is a two pin, so without grounding, any two pin 'Euro plug' adapter plug will do, it are the three pin ones that are different for different countries that all use the same two pin Euro plug.

There are several kinds of plug adapter, you can use the smaller kind that is lighter and easier to transport.

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    This is a switching power supply, which can ingest a very wide range of input voltages. They sized it to be able to use any mains power in the world. It will also work on 12 volts DC but would require a fairly large battery to run all night. Aug 13, 2017 at 20:48
  • Specialised CPAP batteries exist, that can power a device overnight they often require the propriety power converting leads provided by the device manufacturer such as ResMed or Respironics. The clinic that provides my device offers a service where such batteries can be hired for trips for a small fee.
    – Sarriesfan
    Aug 14, 2017 at 6:05
  • @Harper the battery would also need a suitable regulator. Typical 12V battery packs are over 13V fully charged Aug 14, 2017 at 8:37
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    "any two pin adaptor plug will do" - that's not true. A UK shaver socket adaptor will not fit in either Type F sockets (Spain and sometime Italy) or Type L (Italy). What he will need is a Euro plug adaptor Aug 14, 2017 at 9:55
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    I would recommend buying a specific Euro-to-US adapter rather than an all-in-one adapter. The latter often fit poorly and the plug may fall out. Aug 14, 2017 at 12:31
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From the label this power supply does not have an earth, it is Class 2 double-insulated (the symbol of one square inside another, just above where it says "Class II").

This is described in and article on the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel_pre_2011/electricityworld/mainselectricityrev4.shtml

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