Where to get a power adapter from Swedish to American outlet?

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Oleg Volk

I have a Swedish visitor here and she needs to plug in her laptop. All my web searches turn out the reverse (US–>Sweden) of what I need. Suggestions, please?

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15 Responses to Where to get a power adapter from Swedish to American outlet?

  1. HSR47 says:
    October 13, 2014 at 7:29 pm

    In most cases, modern electronics are designed to gracefully/automatically handle a wide range of AC voltages common around the world. Pretty much every single power supply I currently own states that it will handle an input voltage of 100-240 VAC.

    What this means to you, assuming that the same is true of your guest’s foreign power adapter, is that you likely only need a socket adapter like this one.

    If you haven’t been able to find one at the local electronics/general stores (Best buy, Fry’s, Microcenter, Walmart, Target, etc.), you might try local travel-oriented stores (travel agents, AAA, etc.).

  2. Sevesteen says:
    October 13, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    The power brick should tell the input voltage and frequency that it can take, lots are a range of something like 100-240v, 50-60hz. If it will handle 110v 60hz (likely), I’d see if you can find a US cord that matches the socket on the brick, probably cheaper and easier to find than a plug adapter.

  3. JFT says:
    October 13, 2014 at 7:55 pm

    Worst case scenario, you could get a 110V power adapter for the laptop, mostly universal ones are available all over. Here’s one example. There are others, I’ve seen them cheaper.

  4. Hugh Davis says:
    October 13, 2014 at 11:12 pm

    You need a step down or up in this case transformer not an adaptor.

    http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Star-SF500-Automatic-Transformer/dp/B001TPZ294/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0

    • HSR47 says:
      October 15, 2014 at 7:47 pm

      You only need to change the voltage if the power supply isn’t capable of handling the input voltage. Most electronic devices that have been made in the last decade or so are built to handle a fairly wide range of input voltages/frequencies. Thus, as long as the local power grid power is at a voltage and frequency the device supports, all you need is a socket adapter.

  5. Arizona Rifleman says:
    October 13, 2014 at 11:20 pm

    Sweden uses the same socket as Germany. You should be able to find German-US adapters reasonably easily.

    I assume this is for an auto-switching power adapter like one for a laptop. In that case, if it has the “figure 8”, “Mickey Mouse”, or standard IEC connector on the adapter itself you should be able to get the correct US cable from another device you already have around or you can get one at RadioShack.

  6. Kevin says:
    October 14, 2014 at 1:01 am

    If you pull the top off a Skross universal adapter (the part that a US 110 v connector plugs into) the internal connector is a Schuko connector that her power cord can probably plug into and the Skross has a NEMA 15 connector to plug into a US outlet.

  7. Torpex says:
    October 14, 2014 at 4:21 am

    In Africa they would just cut the end off and shove the wires into the outlet, seen it done, works. Hope this helps. 🙂

  8. larry weeks says:
    October 14, 2014 at 7:38 am

    How about using the USB port? That’s how I’ve been running my computer, charging my phone, etc. when in Australia.

  9. Douglas2 says:
    October 14, 2014 at 8:38 am

    Radio-shack or the section of Target/Walmart/Meijer where the suitcases are for a universal power adapter.
    This sort of two-prong think is all you really need, although it will look ungainly. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3932596.

    If the cord from the brick is detachable, it is much more elegant and secure to use a US version of that cord.

    I’ve not met a laptop in this century that cared about the difference between 120v 60Hz US and 230V 50Hz EU, so you don’t need to worry about any voltage difference in this case, just making the plug fit.

  10. Kristophr says:
    October 14, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    Get the US version of the power cord that plugs into the brick. Damned near all rechargers auto switch between 110 and 220 volts these days.

    Determine if the cord you need is polarizing or non-poloraizing ( the polorizing cord has a round side and an angled side ), and get the correct one:

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=IEC%20C7

  11. Paul Koning says:
    October 14, 2014 at 1:04 pm

    You need a transformer ONLY if the equipment is incapable of dealing with 110 volts. Nowadays, that’s extremely unlikely. If’ it’s 20 years old it might have a switch; if it’s less than that, it’s almost certainly universal. The label on the laptop supply will clearly show the voltage range. Most likely it will show 100-250, or 90-265 volts, meaning it’s universal.
    US adapters for European plugs are probably easier to find in Europe than in the US, but the adapter Douglas2 shows is correct and will do the job. If the existing cord has a ground, the plug will be a fat round thing with the ground connection on the outer rim (at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions). But with a laptop brick those connections are not particularly important.
    And yes, simply swapping out the cord from the brick is a clean solution. Modern power bricks come with “IEC” connectors. There are a couple of types but anything fit for a laptop should be easy to find in any computer store or Radio Shack. See Wikipedia, article “IEC 60320”. I’d expect the cord to have a C5, C7, or C13 connection.

  12. Douglas2 says:
    October 14, 2014 at 7:13 pm

    And further to Paul’s response (just in case this isn’t solved yet), many of the electronic devices in my house use the C7 plug, such as printers and stereo equipment.

    If the need is immediate, order a replacement Schuko Sweedish F cord to be delivered in a few days to send back home with your guest, and replace the end of the guest’s current cord with an american plug from the nearest hardware store. The Green-with-yellow wire is ground/earth pin (“green is ground the world around…”), and the blue and the brown wires go to the other two pins respectively. In good practice the Brown goes to the “line” live side (USA Black) and the blue to the Neutral (USA White).

    • HSR47 says:
      October 15, 2014 at 7:51 pm

      Green as ground is an AC thing…

      In desktop PC power supplies (output/DC side) ground is typically black.

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