technical difficulties

[kaydeefalls]

Back in internet cafe. Out of sheer boredom. Okay, so I bought two plug adaptor things so that I could, say, plug in my laptop and clock and things. So. Trying to plug my clock in first, I realize that my clock plug is weird and doesn't fit into the adaptor. But aha! I say, I have a surge protector for my laptop which I never use! So I plug the clock into the surge protector and the surge protector into the adaptor and the adaptor into the wall. And then (because Ireland is weird), I turn on the electricity for that plug.

ZAP! says the electricity. HISS! says the smoke trickling out of the surge protector. OH MY SWEET FUCKING JESUS! says Kaydee, as she jumps the hell away from the electric outlet.

IT BURNT OUT MY FREAKING SURGE PROTECTOR AND POSSIBLY MY CLOCK TOO.

Okay, see, I thought the point of these adaptor thingys is that they MAKE IT OKAY to plug a foreign object into the strange high-voltage Irish outlets. SO WTF.

Later, I tentatively tried plugging my laptop into the wall, because according to the fine print, the thing what connects my Dell laptop into the wall is a sort of adaptor itself, and can supposedly handle ridiculously high voltages already. So, plug that into the adaptor just to get the correctly-shaped plug, and theoretically my laptop battery thing can handle the voltage. Move all possibly flammable objects away from outlet, just in case. And, cringing, I turned on the electricity.

Nothing.

By which I really mean NOTHING. The electricity does not go on. Neither does it function for any of the other outlets in my room. So. There are two possible conclusions to be drawn here: 1. My surge protector was faulty and went fizz just because. 2. I BURNT OUT ALL THE ELECTRICITY IN MY DORM ROOM EVER.

No tech support in the dorm yet. Heck, have yet to see signs that any responsible adult-type people have anything whatsoever to do with my dorm, as have only seen other international students here so far.

FIE ON YOU, STUPID IRELAND ELECTRICITY.

Comments

[annaalamode.livejournal.com]

We miss you! And I'm sorry that you managed to short-circuit the dorm's electricity. :sigh: That sucks.

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

For my entire floor, I might add. *facepalm* At least it's just the outlets and not, like, lights and stuff.

[annaalamode.livejournal.com]

Your ENTIRE floor? Wow, I am seriously impressed by your abilities. I hope that the rest of Ireland isn't so easy to break. ;)

[gabbyhope.livejournal.com]

Um, yeah, I kind of did that to my hairdryer within my first week abroad, as well. See, it all has to do with voltage -- the adapter things hold a certain amount (or something) and whatever you plug into it has its own amount -- or, uh, that's how they explained it to me. American surge protectors in GB? So not a good idea. You most probably just killed it because of the voltage doodad thingy thing. It's all very complicated if you're such a tech noob like me (obviously), but what might be easier, since you'll be over there for an extended period of time? For little things like a clock or a hair dryer or what have you, just go to the local store and buy new ones. I bought a battery powered clock that is STILL going strong, and an awesome hairdryer at Boots for only seven quid. Adaptors do come in handy for laptops and, say, iPod chargers, of course, but you have to read the small print on the back AS WELL as what is printed on whatever you want to hook up. Also, sometimes the plugs are weird and they won't fit correctly, so you may need to get, say, a European outlet adaptor, like is what I did for my iPod charger since those things are shaped so freaky; though I still had to hold that little fucker together with a rubber-band. Bah!

So no worries! You'll get the hang of it all. :)

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

Apparently, the man at the electronics store, when showing me what to buy to plug in my American appliances, failed to mention that it was only a plug adaptor, and not a voltage converter. GAH.

[ldmoonflower.livejournal.com]

Do you have a transformer in addition to your adapter? All the adapter does is make the plug fit into the outlet, but it doesn't convert the voltage or anything. So you need to plug your appliance into a transformer first (kind of a clunky, box-looking thing with prongs; THAT'S what makes it okay to plug your American appliance into the ridiculous European voltage), and plug the transformer into the plug adapter, and then plug that whole lot into the outlet. So that's why your American surge protector went boom.

As for your laptop, my guess is that you blew out your plug adapter. Try it on somebody else's plug adapter first to see if I'm right.

[kaydeefalls.livejournal.com]

NO I DO NOT have a tranformer. I figured that out belatedly. I THOUGHT it was one, because my parents kept calling what I needed an adaptor (including the actual voltage converter they sent with me, which didn't work for other reasons), so when I went to the electronics store, I told the clerk that I needed an adaptor for my American appliances. And he didn't point out that I would, in fact, need a bit more than just a plug adaptor. FEH.

[ldmoonflower.livejournal.com]

Sorry. Are other things going well?