Pierre ZFP wrote:The other essential item is a power cleaner, preferably one that will protect the phone line too. The best 30 euro investment you can make as far as computers are concerned.
Some questions (Pierre or Ernie):
* What is the French for power cleaner?
* Presumably as most of my plugs are British (I have a British laptop and printer but a French modem), I should buy a British power cleaner?
* Can I buy one online to be delivered to France? (I could get my husband to buy one and post it, I suppose.)
You don't need to get one from the UK Cathy, for about €8 or €9 Mr Bricolage sell a simple device which plugs into a French socket and has a line in/line out socket and also a pass through to plug another plug into so protects both the power supply and the phone line. Do make sure that the socket you plug into is earthed though otherwise it (and any other surge suppressors) are completely ineffective.
I don't know what it is called in French but to give you the idea HERE is one from Maplin.
Honestly why people insist on clinging on to UK 13a plugs escapes me I'm afraid. Fair enough, you have little choice for things like phone chargers etc. which come with an integral 13a plug, but for anything else just cut it off and fit a French one, it will be far safer than a christmas tree of adapters !
Note, most of the travel adapters you buy BTW do NOT connect the earth pin on a 13a plug !!!!!!!!!!!
and here is a French one on eBay.fr
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