🚀 go-pugleaf

"Whiskers" <catwheezel@operamail.com> wrote in message 
news:slrnghbb69.bnl.catwheezel@ID-107770.user.individual.net...
> On 2008-11-08, john downie2 <bluestar@mail.invalid> wrote:
>> my brother wishes wishes to take an Acer Aspire One mini-notebook to 
>> japan,
>> from London, u.k. .
>>
>> He already has in his house a lead with a japanese type mains plug on one
>> end and the normal type two pin femail type plug (the same as often goes
>> into radios, etc) that will go into the computer transformer.
>>
>> But we see that the Aspire One has an additional *third* hole alongside 
>> the
>> usual two hole plug that goes into the computer transformer. The three 
>> holes
>> forming a triangle shape.
>>
>> Is it alright to use our existing two hole Japanese type lead and then 
>> only
>> use *two* out of the three pins coming from the aspire transformer, 
>> please?
>
> No.  If the power 'brick' has three pins, it has been designed to require
> three connectors.
>
>> My guess is that the third hole is only an *earth* connection. although 
>> this
>> might be an additional safety feature, our main concern is whether it 
>> might
>> do any damage to use the two pin only lead?
>
> "Only" an earth?  Sheesh!
>
>> I have emailed the technical services department and the spares 
>> department,
>> but neither will answer the question, only want to sell me one of their
>> three hole leads. Thanks for your advice.
>
> Assuming that your existing power brick can accomodate Japanese mains
> voltage and frequency, you will need an earthed Japanese plug to fit the
> Japanese mains socket.  Which sounds like what the technical services
> department are trying to convince you of.
>
> I think Japan uses 100V mains at either 50 or 60 Hz depending on location.
>
> -- 
> -- ^^^^^^^^^^
> --  Whiskers
> -- ~~~~~~~~~~

If the "power brick" is a switch-mode converter (not an iron cored 
transformer) some types automatically adjust to anywhere between 100 - 240V, 
check the specification label as this information should be clearly marked.

Most PSUs of this type are double insulated and do not require an earth, 
they only have a 3-pin plug because the regulations in the country of use 
say that all wall sockets must be 3-pin (there wouldn't be much point in 
supplying items with a 2-pin plug that didn't fit anything). Carefully 
examine the mains lead, if its round then it contains 3 wires and must be 
earthed, if the mains lead is flat so you can tell the outer covering is 
over a pair of wires side by side then there is obviously no third wire for 
an earth.