Need Laptop Power

  Need Laptop Power 
  Originally uploaded by Irish Typepad

I BURN OUT power converters all the time. Because I tend to plug them into industrial strength mains outlets--like the power outlets used aboard Irish Rail--a typical power block for one of my laptops lasts no more than a year. So now I need a Dell PA-12 family adapter and I'm out scavenging for one. The one I killed was made in China and at the end of its life, it could light a match on its black plastic housing after being in use for a few hours. I was replacing its 5 amp fuse every day and on several days, I used a 10 amp fuse but they blew too. Maybe it's good it's finally died. One of the benefits of posting my wishlist on my blog is that Google serves me suggestions below the blog post, so I'm counting on finding places that will sell the PA-12 family of power adapters online for less than €30. I think that's a fair price for mains power connections and I'll probably get two, one for the office and one for home.