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I'm looking for a power adapter than I can use in Poland (coming from India). I can't seem to find anything on how I'm supposed to handle grounded electronics (such as my laptop). Would I need to purchase a European charger (or perhaps just the cable from the power brick to plug)?

Update: I'd like to clarify that this is not a discussion on whether laptops need grounded pins. There are other appliances that use 3-pin leads, like clothing irons.

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    Try looking for the phrase "earthed" as well. The cable to brick solution also works well though.
    – CMaster
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 14:54
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    You don't need a new charger as the voltage adapter is independent of country variations, just make sure you get a three prong wall plug that supports ground
    – blackbird
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 15:01
  • @CMaster I did try to. Although, most travel adapters I found do support plugging in your grounded device, but don't actually have a ground pin.
    – Shreyas
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 15:19
  • for irons it might be cheaper to buy there instead of bringing your own if you intended to have a long stay
    – phuclv
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 9:56

3 Answers 3

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It's relatively easy to find country specific grounded adapters (search for Schuko grounded adapter http://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Universal-Schuko-Adapter-Germany/dp/B004SY5O5K ) but as far as I am aware there is only one universal (rebranded by Tumi) the Skross World Adapter PRO+ .

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Your laptop is unlikely to require electrical ground. For one, it would make it difficult to operate when on batteries. Various people are disagreeing with me here, very well, the main content of my answer remains unchanged below:

Poland uses type E Euro sockets: http://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/poland/ The ground "pin" is actually part of the socket infrastructure, not on the plug. A high quality adaptor should accommodate the optional ground connection.

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    I'm not sure it's a good idea to give advice like "unlikely to require an electrical earth". Many laptops do. Only those whose "brick" is marked with the double-insulated square are unlikely, but even those may come with an earthed lead and three-pin plug.
    – Andrew Leach
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 15:29
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    @AndrewLeach Many countries don't supply ground to ordinary sockets, and in others it is an optional connection you do with a spare wire that comes out the cable to a grounding post on the socket. Yet no one makes specialized adapters per country any more, they just change the plug. If this is some 20 year old bulky brick for some special audio recording purpose that really requires ground [as a reference independent of neutral], then that is a different matter. But for the average traveller buying a commercial laptop, I'm pretty sure the advice is sound.
    – Calchas
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 15:37
  • @Calchas you will get people who possess certain aluminium bodied notebooks electrocuted . Grab an ohm meter, the body is directly connected to the ground and it is necessary to be so.
    – user4188
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 15:48
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    It's not sound at all advice at all. Both my 4yo Dell laptops require an earth because they are not double-insulated, and the OP is asking about his which obviously has a three-pin plug as standard. It's not safe to assume that a ground connection is not needed.
    – Andrew Leach
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 15:49
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    I doubt you will find a socket with a ground pin (type E) in modern buildings in Poland except for sockets reserved for home appliances. Hotels or conference facilities will most likely provide type C as elsewhere in Europe.
    – macraf
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 18:10
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I purchased an earthed adapter in England. I haven't found it online, but I did find some that look like it. Some of these state they are not earthed and some don't say:

http://www.go-distribution.co.uk/travel-adapters-and-usb-chargers.html

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  • It's been impossible to find a good one online. I'll probably have to go look the old fashioned way.
    – Shreyas
    Commented Sep 23, 2015 at 18:16

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