1

The most common plugs are the 2-prong round.

However, it depends on what you are using it for. The 3rd prong is an earth connection. So if your device needs to have an earth, bring a 3-prong adapter.

If you are powering up computers; camera chargers; etc. you only require the 2-prong adapter.

I would also strongly recommend that you get a surge protector given power fluctuations can fry your sensitive equipment.

2

And the adaptor that costs you 7 bucks here will cost you 1/2 buck in India.

3

How easy is it to find an adaptor for US to India plug in India? We'll be arriving to Delhi. I've picked up a surge protector and a couple of 3-prong plug adaptors, but might need some 2-prongers.

4

I would have thought shops at US International Airports would be selling Adaptors for different countries.

They certainly do here in Aust, look for a shop that sells souveniers.

5

Bear in mind that the prongs of US and European plastic/metal 2 pin plugs are thinner than the regular Indian equivalent, they wobble around in the socket and don't always connect.

6

Buy your adapter here in India.You will know what exactly you need and not have to take the advice of some high school kid at Radio Shack... :)

7

"How easy is it to find an adaptor for US to India plug in India? We'll be arriving to Delhi. I've picked up a surge protector and a couple of 3-prong plug adaptors, but might need some 2-prongers. "

It's very easy to get an adapter for US plugs to go into Indian sockets, in any electrical shop in India. They cost under 1$ here and work better than ones you might pay ten times for and bring from home.

8

#7,we all agree!.Well put.

9

Not all the Indian adaptors work, get them checked out before you buy, or get an international adaptor close to where you live.

10

Thank you everyone for your replies - very helpful. I will take my European plug adaptor and buy a surge protector when I get to Delhi then.

11

I'm still a bit confused ... First, what would an "earth connection" be? Like if I wanted to plug in the surge protector that I'd buy in India or more like if I wanted to run a power drill (Indian one)? Second, do I need an adaptor AND a converter? If yes, what goes into the electrical socket first and then where does the surge protector go? This sounds like an awful lot of items to be schlepping around from place to place. I will only need to charge the battery of my camera. Would it be better to acquire a second battery for the Cannon camera I will take with me? Thanks for the clarification.

12

The adaptor goes into the socket, then the surge protector into the adaptor, the camera battery recharger into the Surge protector.

And yes IF you have or can obtain the second battery then do so.

13

Forgive me if I'm explaining unnecessarily. But mrstheo, it sounds like you're confused about this. I get that - earth connection had me thrown also. Turns out it's just the "ground" prong, like what we have in North America - that third prong on some (but not all) plugs.

So you're coming from the US. Your appliances, battery chargers, etc. are made for US current, which is 110-120. India current, as well as Europe, is 250-ish. So you have to make sure that whatever you're plugging in is ok at that higher voltage, first of all. That information will usually be on a sticker somewhere on the thing - it will say something like 110-250 input. Ok, so if it's ok at that voltage you DON'T need a converter, you just need a plug adaptor which is the thing that makes your US plugs (the two flat parallel blades, plus a ground sometimes) into the Indian plug (two or 3 round prongs). These are small and you just plug your US plug into one of the adaptors and then plug it into the socket.

If your charger ISN'T ok with the 250 India voltage, you'll need a converter which reduces the current so that you don't fry your charger. I once fried a phone charger because I didn't realize it wasn't ok for dual voltage. I just stuck on the adaptor and plugged it in and bZZZT. Gone. You may not want to lug around a converter for just a battery charger - just find a battery charger that is ok for the higher current, if that's the only electrical thing you'll be plugging in.

Finally the surge protector. This wasn't something I ever thought about before. A North American surge protector can't handle 250 voltage. Duh, I mean obviously. But I hadn't thought of it. So I just bought one online that I'll be bringing to India. It's good to 250 volts so you have to hunt around for that. Actually, that might be easier to find in India than it was to find in North America - so you might wait to get that. If you buy it in India, it won't need an adaptor because it will already have the right plug configuration. But if you buy it in North America, like I did, you'll have to plug the surge protector first into the plug adaptor - to get the right prong configuration - and then into the wall outlet.

Clear as mud now, right?

14

Another thing to watch out for is that depending on which hotel /guesthouse / homestay etc. you are staying at, be aware that there maybe NO earthing / grounding and the big third hole in the wall socket is just for show or for poking bits of wood in so you can release the neutral / live covers before you stick bare wires in.