UK to Euro wiring

Mercutio

Mercutio

Mercutio

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Joined
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Sheffield, UK
Just a crazy random question I figured I'd throw out.

As most of Europe is on 220-240v (same as ourselves) is there anything additional needed to modify a UK power strip/multi-plug to a Euro plug other than the plug?

I know they seem to have it set so the plug can go either way up (so neutral and live can switch at will) so I guess there's something more to it? If so... what? :)
 
It can't go either way, one pin is larger then the other, It's still AC.

They are not marked inside in most cases, the neutral connection is on the side with the earth tag. Live opposite ofcourse.

There's nothing extra you need to change from our 3 pin 13a plug to their two pin fuseless plug, no.
 
Traffic_Warden said:
It can't go either way, one pin is larger then the other, It's still AC.
Click to expand...

Nope. They are the same size and you can reverse them if you wish. The reason it doesn't matter is that European electrical equipment has double pole protection and switching as opposed to the UK only having single pole protection and switching.
 
you often find that product from multinational companies come with a euro plug which they just put a UK housing on. GHD for one definitely do this. Unscrew the UK plug and there's a Euro plug in there waiting to be used.

The Euro plug is much better imo I'd like to see the UK change to it eventually.

Euro plugs seem to work in UK sockets. The French guy below me had his stuff plugged in directly no problem.
 
Excellent, cheers for this. Seems much more sensible than arsing about with an adapter for each device. I'll grab some plugs next time I'm at the in-laws in Greece.

I take it there'd be no complications running extensions off extension etc (beyond the usual worries about power draw).
 
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Burnsy2023 said:
Nope. They are the same size and you can reverse them if you wish. The reason it doesn't matter is that European electrical equipment has double pole protection and switching as opposed to the UK only having single pole protection and switching.
Click to expand...

So they are, I was always under the assumption they where different :)
 
You don't need make any changes at all with a UK powertrip to get an EU plug in it - just stick a bit of plastic, pen lid, whatever in to the ground and then push the EU pins in. Done.
englishpremier said:
The Euro plug is much better imo I'd like to see the UK change to it eventually.
Click to expand...
I find the UK plug to be the best. It's safer, sturdier and more secure, though a bit bulkier.
 
PMKeates said:
You don't need make any changes at all with a UK powertrip to get an EU plug in it - just stick a bit of plastic, pen lid, whatever in to the ground and then push the EU pins in. Done.I find the UK plug to be the best. It's safer, sturdier and more secure, though a bit bulkier.
Click to expand...

I'm going the other direction though. I end up sourcing quite a bit of electrical gear for my ladies folks here. If it's as simple as switching plugs on the end of a UK strip I can save them some hassle.

(The older sockets in europe have a bit of hard, bent, spring loaded, HEAVY gauge brass wire that forms the earth connection by touching a plate on the top and bottom of their plugs, when using an adapter the UK earth pin sticking through the adapter tends to foul this pin and usually ends up bending it badly out of shape. There's obviously ways around it but the normal 1 UK plug to 1 euro plug adapters tend to do this. I found a couple of good solutions but figured there can't be much in the way of the much easier method of sticking a euro plug on a UK multi-strip

As pictures are easier:

Euro socket:
Shucko_Socket_Outlet.jpg


Crudely edited adapter showing where the UK earth pin sits:
3lp6.png


So our earth pin sits on top of where the earth "plate" usually is and screws up the earth pin in the euro socket).
 
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Mr_White said:
It's ****.
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Apart from not having a power switch on most of their sockets I think being able to stick the cable in either way up and having the choice to make the wire come out bent down (like ours) or straight actually kinda beats ours. 2 earth connections on the full sized plug or making it stupidly obvious when you don't have an earth with the small plug seems more sensible than sticking a lump of plastic to the plug too.
 
Unless it's a french style euro socket, which has a pin for earth so you can't rotate it.

I'll take the British plug with the shuttered outlets and sleeved conductors over that any day.
 
Why? it's bigger bulkier and heavier (more important for shipping costs of big companies). Seems like there is a load of wasted space inside and a load of wasted plastic on the outside.
 
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