Electrical outlets in Gran Canaria. Electricity Information
Traveling to the Canary Islands requires certain preparations. A particularly important issue is charging your smartphone and using powered equipment, such as a hair dryer. Will you need a special adapter for this on the islands? Below you can read important practical information on just electronic devices in Gran Canaria.
What kind of outlets are there in Gran Canaria?
Gran Canaria is part of the archipelago of the Canary Islands. It is an ideal place for relaxation, full of various attractions and, of course, picturesque beaches. Gran Canaria is an island belonging to Spain and therefore also to the European Union, so standard European electrical outlets that meet EU requirements are installed in hotels and private accommodations. The most common sockets are for a type C plug, that is, with two round, parallel pins, without a grounding pin. This is the most common model of plug in Europe, with the exception of countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus – travelers from these countries may need an additional adapter to plug in their devices.
Check: wher is Gran Canaria?
Type F and E sockets are also common in Gran Canaria. An E-type outlet has two holes for round pins and one pin between them – this type of outlet is common in Poland, France, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Slovakia, among other countries. The F-type socket (also called schuko socket) resembles the C-type, but with the difference that instead of a pin it has clips that act as grounding. Type F is a very popular standard in Germany, Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Spain, Iceland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Moldova, Turkey, Croatia, Portugal.
The mains voltage in Gran Canaria, as in Tenerife or Lanzarote, is 220 volts, and the frequency of the mains voltage is 50 Hz.Some hotels in Gran Canaria are prepared for their guests to have equipment with other plugs, so they have the appropriate adapters, and there is no extra charge for renting them.
When will you need an adapter?
What to bring to Gran Canaria to use your own electrical devices without problems? Tourists from most European countries do not need to pack an additional adapter, as their equipment will be compatible with the outlets on site. However, this does not apply to everyone, as other standards are also encountered in Europe, making it necessary to use a special travel adapter.
A device with a British plug cannot be plugged into an outlet in the Canary Islands – in the UK there are G-type outlets, with three rectangular holes. In Switzerland there is the J standard, in Denmark the K type. In Italy, in addition to the F type sockets, there are also L type sockets, with three parallel pins. For all of these plugs, a travel adapter is necessary, because without it it is impossible to plug in the device.
You will also need an adapter for owners of electronics purchased in the US and other American countries, where type A and B sockets are used – the A plug is for two flat pins of different widths, while the type B socket has an additional hole for a grounding pin.
Where to buy a travel adapter?
Travel adapters are not expensive, they can be purchased for about EUR 5-20, depending on the model.They are allowed to be carried in tourist luggage.If necessary, is it possible to get such an adapter locally? When it comes to electronics, prices in Gran Canaria are similar to those in mainland Spain, and you can easily get the adapter you need in the capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, at the airport or at a local electronics/appliance store.
Look also: currency in Gran Canaria
The adapter you need in Gran Canaria will also work well in African countries popular with tourists: Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, where type C and F sockets are mandatory.For those who travel a lot, the best choice will be a universal adapter, designed to fit different types of inputs, not just two.
Importantly, the adapter does not convert voltage, but only allows you to change the type of plug of a particular electronic device. In other words, the plug can be inserted into an outlet, but the device nevertheless cannot be started or will be damaged, so in some cases a converter will still be necessary. Nowadays, most consumer electronics are designed to operate in the range of 100-240 V, that is, they do not require a converter – there is an “input: 100-240 V” marking on such equipment. If there is only “input: 100 V”, it is still necessary to use a voltage converter in addition to the adapter.