This one is for the Electricians, please!

[woolybanana]

Ooops, as we have not heard from Sweets, I wonder is she put the wrong wire in the wrong place and POW?

[Clarkkent]

It is possible to buy double sockets which are mounted vertically into the wall, with the upper socket being upside down. They are wired so that the two holes on the left are connected together and the two holes on right are connected together. It follows, therefore that one of the sockets will be "correct" and one "wrong".

I would guess that in most cases identical domestic appliances are sold in all European countries - the only significant difference between one country and another being the plug at the end of the power cable.

[PaulT]

[quote user="Quillan"]I was also told that dishwashers, washing machines, driers and electric cooker ovens have to have their own dedicated socket with breaker. I am no expert, I am just repeating what I was told, how true it is I do not know but it is in keeping with how my house is wired which is as we bought it.[/quote]

That is the correct way. A great deal more cabling required than in the UK.

Paul

[Keni]

Like others, having just moved from the Uk, we have come armed with a load (!) of holiday plug converters and that has solved the problem! Apart from most plugs being upside down(!!), but I can live with that.

The best bit is having the sockets all at waist height (and in the doorframes - what's that all about?), means no bending down to plug things in - great idea for us older people with stiff backs!

[mint]

Keni, I HAVE heard that, if the appliance is high wattage, then adaptors cannot be considered to be safe.  I'm sure I read that on this very Forum so I hope someone with more knowledge than I will come on here and tell you what's best to do.

Hey, Well Done for getting yourselves here after waiting patiently for so long!

All Good Wishes

[Etoile]

Well I plug our Miele rotary iron in via an adaptor. I think it is about 3kw. Every couple of months the adaptor heats up and fails with a bang, at which point I replace it with another one.

Perhaps eventually I will change the plug!

[tonyv]

Don't use travel adapters unless you really can't avoid it, and never for high wattage appliances. Apart from the problem Etoile has encountered (I'm amazed that doesn't set off alarm bells in his mind, let alone the expense of replacing them every so often), the earthing arrangement is often doubtful, if not non-existent.

I use a couple of travel adapters to connect wall-warts, otherwise I have a few proper 4-socket UK extension cables, to which I've fitted French plugs. They can handle the wattage, and are properly earthed. I also have a French 4-socket extension with a UK plug, which I can use in the UK.

Ideally, though, unless there are compelling reasons, excluding laziness, for not doing so, it is far better to do the job properly, and change the plug.

[andyh4]

I concur with Tony and Etoile's views.

 

I successfully ran a washing machine on an adaptor for 5 years and then suddenly the house was filled with acrid fumes.  On examination the adaptor had melted leaving live brass poles exposed from the molten mass.

 

So basically as Tony says avoid them as much as possible and change to proper French plugs.  Some plugs have built in transformers and there you are stuck with a 3 pin plug - adaptors should be OK in these instances, but tony's solution of a UK extension lead with French plug is better.

[Quillan]

I have several UK to French adapters, most left by guests over the year. One thing is the same on all, they only accept a maximum current of 7.5 amps which equates to 1.6kw so washing machines and even kettles are out. Their primary use is for things like phone chargers and electronic goods. Do not under any circumstances use anything like a washing machine etc as not only is there a possibility of them catching fire but your insurance company will definitely not pay out if they discover the source of a fire.

[Keni]

Thank you all for that - I never realised that adaptors were not actually designed for long term use. Theoretically you use them with hairdryers and they can be pretty high wattage?! Will change them asap.

Thank you for the kind regards as well Sweet 17, it's taken long enough but we're here!

[ericd]

The best bit is having the sockets all at waist height (and in the doorframes - what's that all about?)..................

It means that you live in an area subjected to floods and as a safety measure and in order to avoid having to re-wire your house every year, the sockets are fitted above the water line.....enjoy your stay in France   [:D]

[Etoile]

Interesting, our sockets are low down and we face straight onto the Boutonne. However, I don't think the river existed yet when this house was wired.

[ericd]

CQFD.............Ce Qu'il fallait Demontrer !

[Keni]

So, if I cut off the old Uk plug and re-wire it with a French one, do I just ignore the earth and then wire live/neutral either way around? Have managed to sort out ceiling roses and wall sockets, but that was with existing French wiring. Have always wired my own plugs in UK, so is that what I am working with now?

[Quillan]

If you cable only has two wires you should use a two pin plug, if your cable has three wires you MUST use the earth, it's clearly marked on the plug, the other two wires are connected to the other two pins either way round it does not matter. The maximum current on a French plug is 16 which means you should not plug anything in that has a wattage greater than 3.8kw which is higher than the UK where the limit is 3kw so there is no real problem with goods designed for use in the UK working in France.

For a simplistic explanation with links to more technical information I have posted a link below which will answer most of your basic questions.

http://www.pontnoir.com/index.php?name=AD&file=article&aid=29

[Chancer]

I am not saying that Quillan is incorrect but............

The maximum current that can be passed by a French two pin plug is 6 amps, the three pin plugs are indeed rated to 16 amps, and whilst there is a factor of safety built in their is a definite limiting factor on the two pin plugs in that the pins are a smaller diameter, they will not make good contact in a prise murale and would overheat if overloaded.

If you have a high power appliance that is double insulated, i.e. a two core cable I would definitley fit a 3 pin plug for safetys sake.

[Keni]

Thanks guys - I just (stupidly) thought that as French plugs appear to only have 2 pins and a hole, the Uk 3rd pin (earth) would not be wired in, so I know now to look for the 3 pin version. We have a Uk dishwasher, Tv and freezer with 'fixed' plugs, which I am sure we can just cut off and change to a French plug. Now we know.

[mint]

Oh, Keni, I am so pleased you came on this thread.  Now you'll both live to post another day.....[:D]

[Quillan]

Anything with water or moisture like dishwasher, washing machine, fridge, freezer etc will require a 3 pin plug. Your TV and other tech hardware may already have a EU to UK adapter but you may not know it. Quite a few of my HiFi units and my DVD player had a UK plug on the end but once I opened it up there was actually an EU two pin plug inside. Rather than try and describe what I am talking about the link below gives and photographic example.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-4002888730945-Euro-Plug-Converter/dp/B0000934J2

The ones on my equipment were black and a bit more subtle and you really had to look closely to see what it was. The normal 'giveaway' is either a screw or some little clips on the side which are hardly noticeable. Alternatively if the mans cable plugs in to both the wall socket and the device with a small plug you can buy replacement EU ones for a couple of Euros.

Strange isn't it how you can travel around Europe and never need an adapter yet if I visit the UK I need one. I guess after 10 years here plugs, driving LHD cars etc makes me realise it's the UK that's out of sync and not the other way round.[:D] But then I guess that's what makes us English so special and unique, being different to everyone else.[;-)]

[pachapapa]

Unique! Never seen one before....a white plastic shroud with a black plastic imitation earth pin and a black bit inside holding two 16 amp fuses.....Cool!

[Quillan]

You should go back and look at the picture properly and read the text, perhaps with your glass's on. What you say are fuses are the pin's of a two pin EU plug, there is no writing on them and if you read the text it carried a 5 Amp fuse (not 2 x 16 amp). [:P]

[Keni]

Yeh, when I worked for Singer, we often had those covers for the plugs when machines came in with 2-pins. I am suprised no-one has invented something to go the other way, bearing in mind all those living in France who must have Uk plugs on things. Although it's far simpler to just clip in the European plug into the holder for the Uk plug.

[Théière]

[quote user="pachapapa"]Unique! Never seen one before....a white plastic shroud with a black plastic imitation earth pin and a black bit inside holding two 16 amp fuses.....Cool![/quote]

One of these: single fuse up to a maximum of 13 amp

I saw an adapter in Brico depot that converted the high power cooker socket to a two pin socket, considering there is no fuse in french plugs that potentially makes a very dangerous situation IMO can that be justified?

I wholeheartedly agree with Chancer the small diameter pins on the two pin plugs frequently cause arcing so I don't use them any more.

[pachapapa]

Probably not.

FT line 50 volts...maximum voltage winout affecting human.

Earth 100 ohms...maximum resistance of earth spike.

Hence 500 mA twin pole differential breaker.

Dont worry it will trip long before your poxy UK KITEMARK 13 amp fuse.[:D]

C=E/R[I]

[Théière]

[quote user="pachapapa"]

Probably not.

FT line 50 volts...maximum voltage winout affecting human.

Earth 100 ohms...maximum resistance of earth spike.

Hence 500 mA twin pole differential breaker.

Dont worry it will trip long before your poxy UK KITEMARK 13 amp fuse.[:D]

C=E/R[I]

[/quote]

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