Do I need a power adapter in Brazil (from US)?

September 14, 2007 7:55 AM

Friend is going to Brazil for a month with a normal US laptop. Are there any power/ethernet issues we should be aware of? Special adapters we need to purchase so the laptop can charge and connect to the Internet?
posted by jmd82 to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

You'll need an adapter for the power plug because your US power plug won't fit the wall-jacks in Brazil. If you google for "international power adapter brazil" you'll see examples. You can pick up a set of adapters at an electronics store like Best Buy or CompUSA for 20 bucks or so.

I haven't had any problems with internet access on foreign travel, I've used both wi-fi and ethernet cables.
posted by BigVACub at 8:44 AM on September 14, 2007

Depends on the city, but all it should take is a plug adaptor (the round kind, which can also be easily found here). Most chargers accommodate both 110 and 220 so your friend should be okay. I have used a couple of different American laptops down here and have never had any wifi issues. The only problem I've had with laptops (and this is probably related to living in a hot part of Brazil) is with overheating, especially when recharging. The easiest fix is an external fan but if your friend is going to be anywhere in the south it may not be a problem.
posted by wallaby at 9:04 AM on September 14, 2007

Many Brazilians, at least in the Northeast, where power brownouts and current variations aren't terribly unusual, use 'estabilizadores' or 'no-breaks.' These boxes not only do the 220/110 conversion (which the computers' ac adapter probably already does) but are also surge protectors. The 'no-break' adds a backup battery as well. I'm not sure really how necessary these things are, but they are common. If he or she feels they need one, they should buy it once they arrive.
posted by umbú at 10:48 AM on September 14, 2007