The Midnight Hour

As soon as we started this pilgrimage to the desert the search was on for electricity. At the very first place we were billeted for the night, Camp Victory, Kuwait, Marines were breaking out laptops, PSPs, DVD players, and all other sorts of personal entertainment devices. This is when the learning curve began.

There were plugs along the inside wall of the huge tent we were put up in. They looked to be electrical outlets, but lacked the familiar configuration I’m accustomed to. They certainly didn’t accept the standard plug of American 110 volt electrical devices. Later on I discovered that adapters to fit an American device to these outlets were available at the PX. It wasn’t long until the PX was sold out and these adapters had popped up all over our tent. I watched as Marines powered their laptops, iPods, and many other devices from the outlets. A contractor deploying with us lent me an adapter he was not using. One evening of our glorious stay in Camp Victory I decided I would watch a movie on my Xbox that I had brought along. Now, this isn’t a normal Xbox. Not only have I configured it to be my all-in-one media center for movies, games, music, pictures, and home videos, but I added a 5-inch LCD screen to allow me to use it anywhere, independent of a TV. You can view details of how I did this at (insert link). Because of all the work I put into it, one would think I would take great care in what kind of power I plug into it. Apparently not.

You see, it turns out that most laptop and iPod power supplies can accept anywhere from 110 to 240 volts. Since I have begun actively looking I have been surprised how many devices conform to this standard. Unfortunately, the Xbox only accepts 110-volt power. Attempting to plug your Xbox into 220 volts, which is apparently the standard power output in Kuwait/Iraq, will result in a loud pop as you blow the fuse on your Xbox’s internal power supply. Ask me how I know.

This resulted in two key developments: an angry Marine and a 12-pound paperweight. I could only be angry with myself, as I knew I should have researched the power issue more thoroughly before attaching my pride-and-joy to a flow of strange and unknown Kuwaiti electrons. Thankfully, I had an extra Xbox at home that could donate a working power supply. As soon as I hit the ground in Fallujah I had the wife working the issue. Not candy, not underwear, not perfume-laced letters from home…my first care package was an Xbox power supply, and I couldn’t have been happier. By the way, if this story exemplifies anything it should be the resolve of the Marine wife. Who else would dive headlong into major surgery on an unknown electronic device just to send a part to their husband?

As of a few days ago the old girl is back in action (the Xbox, not the wife). A transformer now ensures I only plug my American devices into nice, clean 110-volt power. The power issue is a reoccurring theme, however. Many electronics you can buy over here run on 220 volts. My recent purchase of a coffeemaker at the PX gave me just such a conundrum. With a limited number of outlets in my room it has to share the outlet that is otherwise occupied by the lamp on my nightstand. The power issue isn’t an insurmountable problem by any means. With a little thinking and a lot of attention to detail it can certainly be overcome. However, it wasn’t something I was expecting, and failure to take it into account can really ruin your weekend (as if we have weekends).