Euro plug
- Thread starter artie
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Dibs-h
Established Member
Earth is the middle (at the top & bottom) contact (no pin). The other 2 pins are Live & Neutral and unlike UK plugs can be wired either way - there appears to be no convention.
artie
Sawdust manufacturer.
I was planning on using it in the UK, I'd like to get them the right way round.
I gather that it is a moulded plug so no access. Cut the plug off with some cable and then using a DVM on continuity see what wire color goes to what pin. What is the device this supplies power to?
Dee J
Established Member
Colour code in the cable will be right. Just put a UK plug on it.
artie
Sawdust manufacturer.
It's a vacuum switch which will connect to my mitre saw. I couldn't get a suitable one with a UK plug.
If the wire colours are the same as UK then it's ok.
artie
Sawdust manufacturer.
Sorted then. Thanks all.
Convention in France is that phase (live) is on the right, looking at the socket. I.e. same side as UK.
Keith Cocker
Established Member
Amazon have them.
Attachments
Oh that's interesting. I am not aware of any convention here but that may well be pure ignorance on my part.
We do have some plugs, typically after-market plugs that you fit yourself rather than moulded-on style, that are symmetrical. There is then no right/left side of the plug and you cannot know without dismantling it how it is wired. Do plugs like that exist in France?
Incidentally, if you are a butcher you can plug a euro plug into a UK socket, but then you get no earth connection. I have seen that done in extremis but I guess it is not a good idea as a long-term solution.
Many (but not all) Euro plugs (the end that goes into the wall outlet) are earthed/grounded and require a specific type of adapter - aka a schuko - to 13amp. Else you replace the plug with a decent UK 13amp one.
Something like this from the big river site - https://tinyurl.com/2p28rjyk
That style of adapter will usually accept both earthed/grounded and none earthed/grounded Euro plugs.
Important to ensure it's rated as 230volts and ideally fused too. They usually are fitted with 13mp fuse, but wise to check and replace with appropriate fuse as needs-be. I've a couple whichI bought from the above big river site years ago and they're fine.
Tthis youtube is useful look-see to re' assorted adatpers and the pitfalls with some of them...
and this one - not sure about his technique... - does at least confirm (if needed) that current colour codes are the same as the UK:
Something like this from the big river site - https://tinyurl.com/2p28rjyk
That style of adapter will usually accept both earthed/grounded and none earthed/grounded Euro plugs.
Important to ensure it's rated as 230volts and ideally fused too. They usually are fitted with 13mp fuse, but wise to check and replace with appropriate fuse as needs-be. I've a couple whichI bought from the above big river site years ago and they're fine.
Tthis youtube is useful look-see to re' assorted adatpers and the pitfalls with some of them...
and this one - not sure about his technique... - does at least confirm (if needed) that current colour codes are the same as the UK:
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
As our colour coding was changed to suit the EEC/EU I would think continental colours would be the same.
AES
Established Member
A lot depends on how old the appliance and/or cable is Phil.
And in Switzerland anyway (and in some other EU countries too I think - we're non-EU BTW) you'll find "strange" colour coding in some cabling, mainly used in lighting circuits, especially when 2 separate wall switches can switch the same light fitting).
I think it's "all" something to do with the fact that we don't have the ring main system here (and also not in other euro countries like Germany). So some power sockets are on the same (lighting) circuit. And I also think that the reason for no ring main/separate lighting circuit/s is because, AFAIK, it's only the UK which has fused plugs.
In reality, it's all a bit complicated (well, it is to me), and frankly I can't understand why - for example - people in UK who have bought "euro appliances" fiddle about with adaptors and things.
IMO, unless you're travelling regularly with something, it's much safer, easier, cheaper, and quicker to just cut off the offending "euro plug" (right where the cable enters the plug, whether it's a moulded-on type or not) and replace it with the standard UK fused plug. If necessary, as someone said above, checking first the cable colours in the new appliance with a meter set to simple continuity checking.
Myself I only use UK and "euro" adaptors on those few items that I regularly travel out of Switzerland with (FGI, Swiss plugs are not the same as "euro" plugs).
artie
Sawdust manufacturer.
The reason I bought this was to use with my Parkside vacuum with PTO, because the PTO stayed on all the time.
Now thanks to you lot I have the wiring sorted, only to find that the lidl vac, has stopped working completely.
Ho hum, just another day in the life of Artie.
Now thanks to you lot I have the wiring sorted, only to find that the lidl vac, has stopped working completely.
Ho hum, just another day in the life of Artie.
Agent_zed
Established Member
Just so you are aware ff it's a C6 connector they are only rated for 2.5A. The 'Kettle' leads are rated for 10Amps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
AES
Established Member
Well perhaps I've been lucky, but no item where I've done that has needed a Warranty claim. So I don't know if you're right or wrong.
But I will add that provided the new (UK) plug was put on properly, it seems like a very thin excuse to not honour the guarantee, and even ought to be challengeable.
For myself though, I'll continue to do exactly that.
Distinterior
Established Member
I've never had this situation with a power tool as such, but I have had this issue arise with a fitted integrated Dishwasher and a fitted integrated Fridge Freezer a couple of years ago.
Then, and still currently, they are delivered with a moulded 13a plug on the power lead. This is not always convenient because it is not viable or practical to plug the machine in to a socket behind a fitted in machine. There is not usually enough room behind the machine when its fitted in and, of course, then the Client has no access to the plug or switch.
Putting the socket & plug in an adjacent cabinet is the better option and ideally, just cutting off the moulded plug and replacing it with a
re-wireable plug is an much tidier option.
About 6 months after the installation, the Client rang me to say that they had a problem with the DW and had called the manufacturer who had sent an appliance "Engineer " to look at it.......The "Engineer" had then told the Client that the warranty was null & void because I had removed the moulded plug and replaced it with a re-wireable one.
The reason the DW failed was a faulty pump,....nothing to do with me replacing the plug...!!
The DW was repaired but not under warranty, so I had to pay for the cost of the repair.
Edit. The conversation between myself and the appliance " Engineer " was such that it had to be had outside coz I couldn't use that kind of language in front of the Client......I was not happy!!
Yes I have heard and seen cases like this and the warranty was void. A good example from a while back was someone fitting a washing machine where the socket was above the worktop and no way would you get the plug through a 1/2 inch hole and no, drilling a larger hole to get the plug through was not an option so the moulded plug had to be cut off. When it began playing up and not completing washing cycles they would not honour the warranty and they had to pay for repair.
