Socket to me.....

[sue-J]

Hello and good morning, after lurking here for a while I bought a place in France (62) yesterday, so thanks to you all for making the forum so useful.

The fermette near St Pol, is about 40 years old, in pretty good condition, but the electrics are terrible. Sockets hang off the wall although at least the light fittings are secured to the ceiling. Can I easily replace the French sockets with Brit ones, or will that infringe some archaic French Law? I'm thinking of using surface pattreses (boxes) to make the process easier..

Sue

[Nick Trollope]

In a word, no.

This is France, where French law, customs and practices (archaic or not) prevail. Read through the House Renovations section and work out that by using non-NF sockets (all foreign ones) you will be exposing yourself to a whole host of trouble.

Get an electrician in.

Welcome on board, BTW!

 

[sue-J]

[quote]In a word, no. This is France, where French law, customs and practices (archaic or not) prevail. Read through the House Renovations section and work out that by using non-NF sockets (all foreign ones...[/quote]

Thanks for the response, yes, I've had a good browse, and in retrospect it was a silly question. I'll get an electrician in, I don't want to spend my first year there in the Bastille!

Merci!

sue

[Ron Avery]

Just to add to what Nick has said, you canot use UK sockets in an installation although some do use UK plugs with an adaptor. We did at first but gradually changed over to French plugs which are very easy to wire up, particularly if not earthed.

The main difference is the French system is not a ring, it is a series of branches with limited capacity,and sockets on each branch.  French plugs are not fused, the supply is.  Each branch is fuse protected.  Another big difference you will notice is that when you come to wire your first plug  and wonder which wire goes where, well apart from the (EDIT) green or green and yellow earth wire, if you have one, it makes no difference.D

When you get an electician, (look under plumbers) don't use anyione who tells you a UK style ring main will be much better, it maybe the case in the UK,  but they are  downright dangerous in France 

[Dick Smith]

Colour may not make a difference in plugs, but it does in switches. I had to move a switch last week - no problem except it was wired with one reddy-orange and one orangey-red wire...

I agree that the out-and-back system works very well, especially for isolating bits of the circuit to, for example, move switches!

[Ty Korrigan]

Hello, I read a book and did it all myself with a french family member. There was 3 phase electricity already supplied to the buildings and this has worked out a little more difficult to balance out but still great fun to do ( I like a puzzle)

The material costs where a fraction of the cost of an artisans installation and ready advice from Leroy Merlin which I am eternally gratefull for was freely given. I recommend them for materials and service very highly.

I wired to the french norm which as I had little experience of the U.K seemed logical enough. No need to get a certificate of conformity as there was electricity already supplied.

Plumbing next with the excellent PER system...

I love it!

[JohnM]

When I first started looking for a place, an English Estate Agent advised me against english plugs for all of the above reasons, but added on that if I wanted to sell, the sight of any English electrics would mean that prospetive buyers would demand a price reduction based on a complete rewire being needed to bring it up to standard.

 

 

[andyh4]

I've said it before but make no apology for saying it again.  English plugs and an adapter are a real no-no for anything that draws power

toasters, power tools, TVs, kettles, washing machines, fires etc.

They are OK for mobile phone chargers bedside lamps and the like, but beyond that no. 

I have a molten lump of plastic with bits of pin connectors sticking out to prove the point.

 

So take advice from one who thought he knew different.

[Gyn_Paul]

[quote]Just to add to what Nick has said, you canot use UK sockets in an installation although some do use UK plugs with an adaptor. We did at first but gradually changed over to French plugs which are very ...[/quote]

Just to set the record straight

".... apart from the green or blue earth wire..."

slip of the fingers, I think Ron. I suspect what you meant was, "...green-and-yellow earth wire..."

 

Practically the only absolutes in French wiring (in terms of colours) are that:

 1) yellow-and-green cables are for earth circuits, and

2) blue (and only blue) cables are for the neutral, or 'return' part of the circuit.

 

[Eslier]

[quote]I've said it before but make no apology for saying it again. English plugs and an adapter are a real no-no for anything that draws power toasters, power tools, TVs, kettles, washing machines, fires...[/quote]

The advice you give is sensible Andy but it is only fair to correct you on the power consumption of a TV.

TVs consume a fairly small amount of current contrary to what many people believe. Take for example a Sony 32" Widescreen TV (much bigger than probably most people have), this only has a maximum power consumption of 134watts (0.6w in standby). Apply ohms law (amps = watts divided by volts)and you will see this is only 0.61Amp

I would say that anything up to 5Amps should be safe to use with most adapters although you should always check the rating of the adapter first. Even if the adapter states 10A or 7A it's probably best not to exceed 5A. When you first arrive in France it is very useful to have a stack of them to use until you can chage all your plugs over.

Reasonable quality adaters can be purchased on-line from CPC in the UK at 49p to 82p each depending upon quantity.

For details see:

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=PLTRAV&N=411

[JohnM]

As my place is (currently) only for holiday use, I still have portable equipment which I use in France and the UK, but instead of using those travel adaptors, I've replaced the english plug on a couple of 4 way extension leads. Now, I know this means that I "could" end up plugging 4 13amp appliances in, (but I could be just as stupid with a french 4 way block). The thing I like is that the build quality and (in my mind) electrical safety is better than the travel adaptors.

 

[VJ]

If the circuits are wired to all the correct standards with correct RCB and Mcb and amperage and voltage drops applied

There is nothing to stop you fitting a dual box with one french socket and the other side an English socket for the appliances you bring over and take back

Le Grande range do units that accomodate these.

Effectively you would have a radial with say 3 outlets backed by a 16 amp DP MCB of which one or two could be 13 amp outlets

Then when selling up just have the front plates changed.

I am not aware of a law that states you can only use a French socket outlet in your house.

When I send over to France machinery that has a complicated computer circuit it always contains a selection of outlets so that programming engineers can use whatever outlet suit the laptop power they require infact we also put in an American 110 v one

The point with all electrical installations is they have to be safe correctly wired and installed in the correct and professional way

The system for wiring houses in France using plastic flexible conduit is no different to how you would wire a lighting circuit in the UK if you were using conduit in a Factory also if you were wiring radial circuits in conduit the same principles are used

it is back to safety and understanding what is required

But then again perhaps somebody knows differently!!!!!!!!

[VJ]

Read in Monty Python sketch manner

Ello ello ello what’s going on ere then

Ave you got an English 13 amp socket in yer ouse

Well madam we can’t ave any of zat I mean what ever next before long we will ave English roast beef, whisky and scones on a Sunday

What do yo meen we are in the EU dant give me zatt cock and bull, my job says NON to any outlet but ours so there .

What do you mean we have bsp fitting ere in France sacre bleu some one as cheated

And you say german DIN fittings ah oui they can do zis perhaps but I don’t know exactly where so (shrug) I cannot say.

And why ave you zis Ford car when a perfectly good Citroen will do

And while I am ere do you want to buy a Johnny Halliday cd?

[Alan Zoff]

Hey Ty,

The name of that book would be much appreciated!

[jde]

Hi

Can anyone help me? I am clearing my garage out ready for a future move to France. Is it worth bringing along surplus 3 core wire, electric sockets and plugs, 15mm and 22mm plastic and copper plumbing fittings?

[Ron Avery]

In a word No to the lot

There are limited uses for the plastic stuff like garden irrigation or water butt uses but quite honestly you might end up bodging jobs just to use  it  Best thing to do is give the lot to your neighbours in the UK or have a garage sale

[Alan Zoff]

Calling Ty Korrigan.

Can we have details of the book you used when wiring your place, please? I'd like to get hold of a copy.

Thanks 

[Ty Korrigan]

Hello, the book number is ISBN 2-7372-4119-7

L'electricitie Pas~a~pas 

 I bought this from Super Catena stores.

Good luck!

[arthur smith]

reading this string has worried me somewhat as i had intended to use my own ( uk) power tools when renovating our new house in 87.

my intention was to use an adaptor on each power tool. i am now concerned that using my own tools may melt the adaptor.

has anybody any advice on how to overcome this potential problem ?

as someone new to this forum, can i say how useful and informative it is.

 

thanks

[Dave&Olive]

have not "melted" any of mine yet...

               dave

ps.. 1000w / 220v = 4.54 amps

[Nick Trollope]

[quote]reading this string has worried me somewhat as i had intended to use my own ( uk) power tools when renovating our new house in 87. my intention was to use an adaptor on each power tool. i am now conc...[/quote]

There is nothing wrong with using adaptors, in moderation. I have changed all the plugs on my UK power tools because I don't need them in the UK, but this would be bloody inconvenient if you had to change them every two weeks!

Just don't use them for permanent installations on high-power devices such as kettles and washing machines.

Always bear in mind that these adaptors are rarely safety-approved (ie. no NF marking for use in France) & if you are forced to make an insurance claim because you used one, you may come unstuck.

 

[Gyn_Paul]

[quote]reading this string has worried me somewhat as i had intended to use my own ( uk) power tools when renovating our new house in 87. my intention was to use an adaptor on each power tool. i am now conc...[/quote]

I'm assuming these things have to go backwards and forwards between here and the UK, and really it depends what sort of tools you're thinking of.

If you are thinking of portable stuff like drills/screwdrivers/circular saws/planers/sanders, then you'll find you tend to take them to a job and use them all in much the same place. That being the case, you'd be better employed buying yourself a good quality UK mains pattress of 4 or 6 outlets. Cut the 13amp plug off and replace it with a 3-pin French one, and plug all your portable tools into it.

Bigger items which draw a large current (floor-standing thicknesser/planers, for example) would be better off with a 'proper' plug on them.

If they are things which will stay here, then why would you not change the plugs ?

paul

 

 

[arthur smith]

thanks for the advice, as these are mostly power tools, drills, saws etc, and will go back and forward over the next 18-24 months, i think that i'll follow the suggestion of using a 4 socket extension with a french plug on it.

[Alan Zoff]

Many thanks for those book details posted last week, Ty.

[Ty Korrigan]

Thankyou Alan!