[capetonianm]

in the UK I found that by inserting a screwdriver in the top earth socket, pushing down the safety pin opens the lower live/neutral part and you can then easily put the two pin plug in.

I must admit that I’ve been doing this for years as some of my electronics, and most of my wife’s, has two pin plugs and I thought that for low current draw items such as laptops and phone chargers it was safe.
Thank you, FDOS, for the warning that it isn’t.

[FDOS_UK]

My pleasure, capetonianm.

Here is a page of inexpensive and safe convertors – ranging from the plug in euro type to the screw together Schuko adapter.

http://cpc.farnell.com/c/electrical-lighting/mains-plugs-adaptors/mains-converter-plugs/european-plug-converters

[LuganoPirate]

The terrible thing is, I have a stack of converters, it’s just that I keep forgetting to pack them used as I am to travelling all over the continent and using my two pins wherever.

What amazes me, is that the UK now having been in the EU for 40+ years, and with the EU’s habit of standardizing everything, they never ever standardised the common electrical plug! That’s one useful thing they could have done!

[stevescoots]

[quote quote=869741]The terrible thing is, I have a stack of converters, it’s just that I keep forgetting to pack them used as I am to travelling all over the continent and using my two pins wherever.

What amazes me, is that the UK now having been in the EU for 40+ years, and with the EU’s habit of standardizing everything, they never ever standardised the common electrical plug! That’s one useful thing they could have done![/quote]

Being in the cable harness business, as i am (someone has to be!) this has been muted many times. However, the sheer cost of change kills it. There are the multi plug wall socket available but getting 27 nations to approve a new design will not happen when there are 27 safety regulatory bodies. Its widely accepted that the UK design is the safest standard plug in the world for fail safe (unless you tread on the B*”*** thing!

Where it has happened is in telecoms. All European countries had their own plug design, who remembers having to use dial up modems and carrying country phone adaptors around! whilst it’s not mandatory most new and renovated builds in Europe now go to the RJ 11 standard and its driven by the market. Our company was actually founded making these things, 15 years ago we were producing over 5 million a year, now less than 100K and we are one of the few companies left that still have production of them. Domestically we have not accepted that change in the UK prefering the 431 but in commercial buildings we have.

[FDOS_UK]

Steve – you are right about the difficulty in getting 27 nations to agree. Would there also be a need to re-wire UK type houses – to provide safety, if we all took the Schuko setup, for example?

I’ve always thought that Schuko plugs and sockets are safe enough, so long as the building is wired appropriately and the plug is practical in size, making it easier to carry around.

These days, I favour this plug for my laptop and portable printer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brand-meter-Folding-Thin-Plug/dp/B00BMQZH72/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_267_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P593ZYYXJC56DAA07SEN

It’s full approved and BS1363 rated, but takes up much less space than the normal plug.

I have a euro plug on the lead from the double insulated power supply via a connector which prevents live pins being exposed, wired to the folding plug. In the three years I’ve been using this setup, I’ve had no incidents of any kind.

[LuganoPirate]

I’m not an electrician, but I seem to recall the UK has the same wiring setup as Europe, Brown = Live, Blue = Neutral and Green/yellow = Earth.
South Africa still has the old UK colours of red/black and I think green, as well as the round pin plugs.
The way I remember which is live, apart from red for danger, is (and I’m going back a few years here so it will probably mean nothing to the younger posters) George BROWN (a former politician) is a live wire. Corny, but I’ve never forgotten it.

[stevescoots]

[quote quote=869770]Steve – you are right about the difficulty in getting 27 nations to agree. Would there also be a need to re-wire UK type houses – to provide safety, if we all took the Schuko setup, for example?

I’ve always thought that Schuko plugs and sockets are safe enough, so long as the building is wired appropriately and the plug is practical in size, making it easier to carry around.

These days, I favour this plug for my laptop and portable printer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brand-meter-Folding-Thin-Plug/dp/B00BMQZH72/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_267_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P593ZYYXJC56DAA07SEN

It’s full approved and BS1363 rated, but takes up much less space than the normal plug.

I have a euro plug on the lead from the double insulated power supply via a connector which prevents live pins being exposed, wired to the folding plug. In the three years I’ve been using this setup, I’ve had no incidents of any kind.[/quote]

In domestic use changing a wall plate to a Schuko in the UK is fine, no need to change the rest of the wiring. I did think about putting one in my home office last time i decorated it…….then realised if anything were to happen you can bet insurance would not pay out as it would be non standard

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=869849]In domestic use changing a wall plate to a Schuko in the UK is fine, no need to change the rest of the wiring. I did think about putting one in my home office last time i decorated it…….then realised if anything were to happen you can bet insurance would not pay out as it would be non standard[/quote]

I reckon you’re right about the risks arising from insurers if an electrical fire involved the Schuko plug.

[Author]

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