Wiring a European appliance to a UK plug

[Troll]

I have always (Seriously) done that. I stopped earlier this year when I read that a bloke had been killed doing it

I think it may be the cause of the Brain damage

I hope you're joking...

[Tarquin Farquhar]

Probably best to use a proper adaptor.


Has the UK got the best electricity (nice high voltage) and plugs (tough, polarised, fused and an earth wire) in the entire world?

How come we are allowed unearthed two pronged euro style ones in wet environments like bathrooms though

We only have fused plugs because we developed ring mains, to save copper in rebuilding after the war. If you have proper wiring and the right value of fuse or trip for each spur, you don't need individual fuses.

You don't need polarised wiring unless you are economising by having only single-pole switches on your appliances. The Germans deliberately designed their whole system to be polarity-independent (I should say phase-independent), which removes one other thing that can go wrong.

You don't need earthing if you have proper insulation, which is better.

And the 2-prong sockets in bathrooms are specifically designed to trip if you plug in anything more than a shaver or toothbrush charger.

BTW I still have, as a souvenir, a plug that you would wire up yourself, then plug into a LIGHT BULB SOCKET. Don't tell me our electrics are the best!

BTW Wurzel, you have indeed been given potentially fatal "advice" here. I don't think that's funny, myself. Search elsewhere, or PM me if you like (not that you should trust me either).

[HairyArsedBloke]

BTW I still have, as a souvenir, a plug that you would wire up yourself, then plug into a LIGHT BULB SOCKET.

My grandmother had her iron wired to one and she had an adaptor in her light that allowed for a light bulb and for one of these plugs too.

Even in those days, the 60's, young HAB thought that it was a dangerous thing to do.

[NickFitz]

Connect all to the Live pin and then another wire from the Live to the Neutral pin. DON'T Connect anything to the Earth pin. That should sort you out.

I'll go with this one then. Just a bit perturbed by the smiley! Thanks.

Oh dear...

Last Activity: Today 12:28

This doesn't seem to be playing out too well

[wurzel]

Why don't you just buy a European to UK adaptor and plug the European plug into it?

That's what I've done with my Oz and European acquired stuff. Just avoid buying them in airports or Boots as they are a rip off.

I did, but I knackered it because the one I had couldn't handle the wattage.

[wurzel]

Connect all to the Live pin and then another wire from the Live to the Neutral pin. DON'T Connect anything to the Earth pin. That should sort you out.

Cheers HAB, my house has just burned down.

[Cliphead]

Cheers HAB, my house has just burned down.

No in-laws at Christmas

[HairyArsedBloke]

Cheers HAB, my house has just burned down.

No in-laws at Christmas

No probs. Happy to help.

[Diver]

I hope you're joking...

Nope!

And I check if the mains wire is still live by flicking it quickly with my middle finger (Very Quickly) you only get a little jolt like that

[Paddy]

Nope!

And I check if the mains wire is still live by flicking it quickly with my middle finger (Very Quickly) you only get a little jolt like that

Silly things I did as a kid. My bedside light cable snapped in two so I regularly twisted the wires together when live. I discovered that electricity produced sparks. I connected a radio speaker direct to the mains hoping it would make a big sound; it did plus it had smoke. I wired up electric lights in the garage and discovered the wiring them in series makes them all dim.

The kids of today don't learn these things.