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We're currently organising the move to France and I have a couple of questions re TV & electrical items that I'd really appreciate any advice on.

The first is easy - will my TV and/or the DVD recorder-player work? I've been told that the system is different for some reason or other. 

Also, how do I organise SKY TV? We subscribe in the UK at the moment and whilst we aren't TV addicts by any means, from what I've seen of French TV, SKY will be a pre-requisite for the BBC and some sport etc. Is it simply a matter of maintaining the subscription and bringing the box & card over with us? There is a satellite dish at the property.

Does anyone have any idea where I can get hold of a quantity of neat, flush-fitting continental adaptors? The travel ones seem to hang out of the sockets and with children, I want the appliances we use to be flush-fitting and as safe as possible. Or can I simply fit French plugs to appliances? Sorry to be so thick here, by the way, but I really have no idea about electrical matters!  [:$]

And finally... I've heard horror stories about "power surges" and that you need to protect your most important equipment (i.e the PC) from these. Is this correct and how do I go about this?

I would really appreciate any advice on these matters. Hopefully, I'll soon be in a position to GIVE advice rather than receive only!

Many thanks.

 

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To answer your questions in order.

1. No, it won't work unless it's switcheable. (I can't remember the tech terms but it's PAL/Secam and stuff like that)

2. Sky will cancel your contract if they know you are in france, so don't tell them.

3. Changing plugs is easy but see below.

4. Belkin (and others) do surge protectors for all your valuable stuff. Buy one in the UK then all your computer stuff can keep its UK plugs and fit a french plug to the Belkin unit. From personal experience lightening kills phones and computers so buy a cheap phone (in france) to use when you have thunderstorms and get a good surge protector.

Enjoy.

Gary.

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DON'T use adapters for anything high-powered (i.e. anything that has more than a 3A fuse in the British plug). They can overheat and be a fire hazard. Do it properly and fit French plugs.

See the FAQ section for options regarding satellite TV etc.

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Thanks Will and Gary. I'll have a a look at the FAQ and see about fitting French plugs - is this relatively straightforward?

If I fit a French plug, is the application then surge-protected automatically somehow?

Also, when I buy a French TV is a surge protection somehow built-in or does one need to fit a surge-protector?

Thanks again.

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No there is no protection in a normal french plug, not even a fuse.

You can buy multi-plug, surge-protected connector boxes in france for your TV and stuff, but we always disconnect them from the mains in storm conditions, and don't forget the aerial.

You don't have to panic on this, electrical storms are not that common, it's just that they seem to be much more powerful than what you get in the UK.

   Lightning

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It may be obvious,  but perhaps it should be said that your

British TV will still work in France when hooked up to your Sky

box.   What probably will not work is the reception of French

TV off a conventional aerial.   But if you just want to get

started with something to watch then the UK set is fine for Sky.

You can tell more by finding the instruction book for the TV and seeing

what systems it is capable of receiving - look under specification and

it should mention UHF system I with PAL colour (what we use in the

UK).   If it mentions system L with SECAM colour then it will

work on French TV,  if not then it probably won't.

Agree with Will about adaptors for high current items (washing

machines,  heaters,  etc)  but I am afraid we do use a

lot of 4 way adaptors both in the UK and France and - particularly in

France - find them invaluable (as quite a lot of items such as

technical gear go back and forth across the channel regularly and it's

not worth changing the plugs every time).   Low current stuff

will not cause a problem (should not cause a problem!)

And - depending where you are - be VERY scared of thunderstorms; 

where we are I don't think anyone hasn't suffered some loss or

other;  one French friend lost deep freeze,  fridge, 

cordless phone,  sat receiver,  doorbell,  fax

machine,  all on one strike.   

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Regarding lightning in France. There are certain areas that are at greater risk than others. There is a map on the web and in French books on electrical installations that specify where you really need lightening protection devices (parafoudres). It also states that you are mainly at risk if your wiring, before it reaches your house, is carried on poles. So if you live out in the sticks you probably need to be careful but in a town, you shouldn't have much problem. I have lived here over five years and have never disconnected anything or had to protect anything or had anything blow up due to lightning. Maybe I have been lucky.

Edit: poles
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[quote user="fulcrum"]Regarding lightning in France. There are certain areas that are at greater risk than others. There is a map on the web and in French books on electrical installations that specify where you really need lightening protection devices (parafoudres). It also states that you are mainly at risk if your wiring, before it reaches your house, is carried on poles or  underground. So if you live out in the sticks you probably need to be careful but in a town, you shouldn't have much problem. I have lived here over five years and have never disconnected anything or had to protect anything or had anything blow up due to lightning. Maybe I have been lucky.

[/quote]

I've been trying really really hard but cant think of an alternative method of wiring other than underground or overground  [:P]

Microwave link maybe [8-)]

[:D]

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[quote user="powerdesal"][quote user="fulcrum"]Regarding lightning in France. There are certain areas that are at greater risk than others. There is a map on the web and in French books on electrical installations that specify where you really need lightening protection devices (parafoudres). It also states that you are mainly at risk if your wiring, before it reaches your house, is carried on poles or  underground. So if you live out in the sticks you probably need to be careful but in a town, you shouldn't have much problem. I have lived here over five years and have never disconnected anything or had to protect anything or had anything blow up due to lightning. Maybe I have been lucky.

[/quote]

I've been trying really really hard but cant think of an alternative method of wiring other than underground or overground  [:P]

Microwave link maybe [8-)]

[:D]

[/quote]

Have edited my original.

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[quote user="powerdesal"]

I've been trying really really hard but cant think of an alternative method of wiring other than underground or overground  [:P]

Microwave link maybe [8-)]

[:D]

[/quote]

Delivered in a tanker?

Really big batteries?

Huge cat and ebony rod?

Star Trek power beam from orbit?

There are lots of possibilities!

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[quote user="Dick Smith"][quote user="powerdesal"]

I've been trying really really hard but cant think of an alternative method of wiring other than underground or overground  [:P]

Microwave link maybe [8-)]

[:D]

[/quote]

Delivered in a tanker?

Really big batteries?

Huge cat and ebony rod?

Star Trek power beam from orbit?

There are lots of possibilities!

[/quote]

That's what you get for writing things in a hurry and not checking before posting.  [:)]

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I bought loads of lights from IKEA in England (the tall uplighter ones) that came with the regular UK plug. I cut off all the plugs and bought and fitted french ones - it took ages. I then found out - TOO LATE - that IKEA and maybe others too (?) actually sometimes come with a continental plug hidden inside the UK one. Apparently you have to wreck the UK one in the process of finding it. I'll try it next time I bring something over.
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[quote user="Nearly Retired"]I bought loads of lights from IKEA in England (the tall uplighter ones) that came with the regular UK plug. I cut off all the plugs and bought and fitted french ones - it took ages. I then found out - TOO LATE - that IKEA and maybe others too (?) actually sometimes come with a continental plug hidden inside the UK one. Apparently you have to wreck the UK one in the process of finding it. I'll try it next time I bring something over.[/quote]

Is it possible to show a picture of one of these plugs. They have been mentioned several times but I have never seen one.

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QVS have about 11 / 12 shops in England. I paid maybe 72 p or so a couple of years a back fro my adaptors  - now 78p + VAT = 92p each.

http://www.qvsdirect.com/search.php?mode=search&by_title=Y&by_shortdescr=Y&by_fulldescr=Y&by_productcode=Y&substring=QA%20B141&need_advanced_options=&sort_field=orderby&sort_direction=0

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