Using EU Power Tools in the UK

[J_Ashley]

Any advice for using EU sourced power tools in the UK?

I know voltage isn’t going to be an issue, but I just wondered what’s the best long-term solution with regards to plugs, i.e. adapter/rewiring to a UK plug /other etc.

 

[AES]

I take a very simple approach (being in Switzerland I "work the other way round") - simply chop the cable up close to the existing plug , then fit the plug type you do want - in your case, the standard UK plug. "Easy peasy", and saves any possible hassles with adaptors, etc.

If it's a "hand-fitted" plug you could of course unscrew it to remove it, but 99% of plugs I see these days are moulded on, so they must be cut off. But as said, it's no big deal to simply cut 'em off and bin 'em.

 

[Droogs]

I usually just switch the F or C type plugs to a UK 3 pin and crack on, for some of my kit I did the opposite of AES and chopped of the J type that is used in Switzerland.

 

[Homers double]

We have a place in France and I use all my power tools in both France and uk, I have several 4 way extension leads, 3 pin uk plug to 4 way French extension and a 2 pin French plug to 4 way way uk extension.
I buy tools in both countries and have never really had any issues.
If yours are for permanent uk use then just change the plugs over

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Just change the plug, just watch the size of the fuse - watts divided by volts = amps. (just in case )

 

[MartinCox]

I’m not sure if it’s a permanent move for the power tools from EC to UK. If it isn’t and the tools need to be used In both, I would just say one thing about cutting off the plug that came with the tool if those tools are relatively new. It would likely invalidate the warranty. We got a lot of equipment - not particularly woodworking- with EC plugs. Some came with a plug adaptor and some didn’t. For those that didn’t, we bought from RS components-£3?

 

[AES]

If you're constantly moving between the two (or just aren't sure just how permanent you'll be in either place) I would have thought that Homers double's idea of 2 extension leads (one for each way) would be ideal.

And I guess that if you do just change the plug on a new tool you most probably will be invalidating the warranty, good point.

But when we moved from Singapore (90% UK type plugs, but NOT exclusively!) to Germany, and then 10 months later moved to Switzerland (German and Swiss plugs are most often NOT compatible!) then I just did the above-said plug chopping - on both domestic and workshop tools.

I ended up with a large box full of UK plugs (binned them in the end) and a large box full of German plugs (ditto). A big hassle to do everything at once (especially twice within 1 year!!!) but sorry, I just don't like 90% of the adaptors you see in the shops - a possible source of "waggle contacts", hence high resistance. I don't know that RS adaptor referred to though.

+1 for watching the rating of the fuses in the UK plugs though. Good point (no fuses in plugs here).

 

[MikeK]

When I bought my Triton tools, the power cords were the EU style that had a UK housing attached to them. It was easy to remove the housing and expose the Europe friendly plug.

 

[AES]

Yeah, I had similar on a power tool I bought from Axi. But the "euro-friendly thingy" was not very good for Switzerland, so, once more, it was out with the wire cutters!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

When I bought my Triton tools, the power cords were the EU style that had a UK housing attached to them. It was easy to remove the housing and expose the Europe friendly plug.

Yes. These are usually £5 or £6 each as a retrofit, so only make sense if you know you need to revert to the original at some time. I have a Metabo sander that came with one of them.

 

[MikeJhn]

I had a UK Tumble dryer in France that I took the moulded plug off, when it went wrong and a service engineer came out to it, nothing was even mentioned about it being a GB registered Bosch TD or the fact that a French plug had been fitted to it, the repair was carried out, I had to pay for it and re-claim the cost from Bosch UK, I don't know if this only applies to Bosch who seem to honour their guarantee, it may apply to others as well.

I have never met anyone "first hand" who has had a guarantee diss-honoured by taking off the moulded plug and fitting a different one, maybe its one of those myths that have a life of their own. =D>

Mike

 

[sunnybob]

Only this week I was told by a man who works in an electronics /TV business that cut off plugs were grounds for refusing guarantee work. He had personal experience of that.

I've always just cut them off and fitted 3 pin, but he warned me against doing this on a new TV I bought. Cyprus uses UK 13 amp sockets, but all the stuff in the shops is bought in from mainland europe or the far east so whenever you buy a new electrical appliance here its fitted with a 2 pin plug. The shop is required by law to supply an adaptor plug with the appliance at no charge.

 

[user22161]

Any advice for using EU sourced power tools in the UK?

I know voltage isn’t going to be an issue, but I just wondered what’s the best long-term solution with regards to plugs, i.e. adapter/rewiring to a UK plug /other etc.

Easiest way if warranties may be a problem is to buy a Euro multi socket extension lead and put a UK plug on it. If for home workshop use, you could always wire in a few Euro sockets.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Any advice for using EU sourced power tools in the UK?
Easiest way if warranties may be a problem is to buy a Euro multi socket extension lead and put a UK plug on it. If for home workshop use, you could always wire in a few Euro sockets.

I've done this (a Shuko power strip) , as years back I used to take equipment to and from France for demonstration purposes. Since it was all fairly low current kit, I went for IEC mains connectors as the "lowest common denominator" connector, but the cable (male) plugs of that series are usually very poor quality - I have one on the lawnmower, which heats up horribly just cutting our postage-stamp-sized lawn for ten minutes.

In contrast, in my opinion, the Shuko-style plugs in common use on the Continent are probably the best design that's out there - far better than UK "13A" ones. They are an excellent choice for tools and extension leads, and it's a great pity they're not easily available here.

Coming back to the point, I very much doubt if any warranty refusal would be upheld in court if the device had a correctly fitted UK plug that was appropriately fused. The EU's intent was always to "harmonize" (remember that word, beloved of the EEC years ago?) electrical connectors eventually, across the superstate, and it's one of the few good ideas it had (IMHO). It has set in place law to pave the way for that, for example that the official mains voltage is now measured with respect to 230V.

If a plug is suitably CE marked, it can be sold anywhere in the EU, and Shuko ones are rated to at least 250V(RMS). It would be difficult for a manufacturer to make a case that their kit could _only_ use the supplied mains plug, and you still, very occasionally, find items sold without any plug fitted at all, (especially machines that need a 16A plug).

On the general "good workshop power practice" thing, it's worth remembering that, in absolute terms, 13A plugs are pretty unsuitable for workshop use. It's a horrid design in many ways.

 

[user22161]

On the general "good workshop power practice" thing, it's worth remembering that, in absolute terms, 13A plugs are pretty unsuitable for workshop use. It's a horrid design in many ways.

I'm old enough to remember many earlier even worse designs - large round pin, small round pin, wylex etc. and don't forget the adapters we used in a light bulb sockets. In the days when electrical chassis would be live if connected the wrong polarity, UK plugs were far safer than the continental 2 pin ones which have a 50/50 chance of reversal. Now everything is "double insulated" I don't see any need for UK type.

P.S. If we did away with U.K type, which European standard would we use? Here in Portugal we have 2 types, small 2 pin ungrounded and large 2 pin grounded around the outside. France, Switzerland and others have different systems.

 

[AES]

It may or may not be a good idea to "harmonise" electrical plugs (and don't forget the wall sockets please, not to mention in line cable connectors), but which "standard" would be chosen? And just how long would it take to fully implement?

The UK design may or may not be an "ideal" design, but no one can honestly say that it's small and neat, and anyway, what about Brexit?

Actually I do have 1 x UK wall socket in my shop (in case my brother or someone visits and want to charge their phone or something), and when I go to Germany to help my mate and need tools I take a Swiss to German adaptor.

Apart from that, as said before, I'm here (Switzerland) for good now, so EVERY plug gets chopped off and replaced with a Swiss - household appliances that don't already fit perfectly too .

When I was travelling world-wide for a living it was a real PITA - laptop, printer, scanner, phone charger etc.

"Standard" plugs & sockets is a nice idea but IMO it ain't never gonna happen. There ARE at least "part solutions" with various adaptors (I've tried most) but they're often quite dear, often pretty dangerous (waggle contacts), and if travelling, often pretty bulky & heavy. For stay at homes like me now, getting a pair of decent cable cutters is the best way! (IMO)

 

[HappyHacker]

The reason for the UK 13A plug is related to our use of 30A fused ring final circuits. The fuse in the plug provides protection for the appliance cable and the appliance which will probably not be designed to take the 50 plus amps required to blow a 30A fuse or 32 A MCB in the event of a fault ( From memory a fuse will take 1.5 times the rating for 1 hour before blowing) . Our friends on the continent never went for the ring final circuit and wire their houses using radials with smaller fuses. So changing our sockets for continental unfused variety is not a good idea unless the appliances are able to cope.

 

[AES]

Yeah, I've heard that (about ring mains) before - we have the "spider's web" system here at home and a right PITA it is!

I was only saying:

1. The UK plugs are inherently bulky (even with a fuse in I think they COULD be a little less "clunky"), no?

2. I can't see "all Europe" never mind the rest of the world standardising on any system.

So IMO, the answer to the OP Q about what to do is:

A) If you're staying where you are, take a cable cutter to the (presumably moulded-on) plug and change it for the "correct" local one, or;

B) If you're moving around, or live in more than one country, make your own custom extension lead with a plug on one end and socket/s on the other, whichever way round suits your own personal circumstances.

Reason/s? Some adaptors are "OK", some less so, but they're all expensive, heavy/bulky, and some are (IMO) downright dangerous.

 

[Eric The Viking]

If I could choose, I'd use Schuko plugs for almost everything - far and away the best design I've seen in general use around the world. There are many reasons why - size, safety (many aspects to this) and shape for extension cables, etc. And they lend themselves to being waterproofed, or at least made splash resistant. And you can make them with sensible strain relief, which is hard for the 13A design, in part because of the right-angle of cable to pins.

FWIW, I've been told round pins/receptacles are far better practical connectors than bladed ones, although the "wiping" ones like Powercons and Speakons are also supposed to have a very low contact resistance. The only drawback with Schukos is that they have plated contacts - I've seen chrome - bare brass is usually better. IIRC Powercon contacts are nickel-plated though, which works.

Just my personal twopence though.

E.

 

[HappyHacker]

Yeah, I've heard that (about ring mains) before - we have the "spider's web" system here at home and a right PITA it is!

I am in favour of radials, much less trouble when installing and testing than ring circuits although some people say rings are safer as if there is a bad contact with a cable at a socket the remaining sockets on the ring still work. Testing a ring circuit, if done by the book (BS7671), is slightly more time-consuming than a radial and not everyone knows how to or can't be bothered to do it correctly.

I was only saying:

1. The UK plugs are inherently bulky (even with a fuse in I think they COULD be a little less "clunky"), no?
Unfortunately the standard specifies a distance from the pins to the edge of the plug to stop fingers making contact with the pins when they are being inserted/removed. When I was much younger and when the live and neutral pins were solid copper my small fingers could fit round the edge of the plug and touch the pins while pulling the plug out, I got quite a few shocks. I have seen some slim ones but there is little scope for making them much thinner. One advantage is the cables run down the wall rather than out from the wall but I assume angled Schukos are available.

I can say from experience that the 13A plug is really dangerous & painful when you stand on one with bare feet :-( I have not tried this with a Schuko plug



2. I can't see "all Europe" never mind the rest of the world standardising on any system.

Nice map on here showing the different systems in Europe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuko, I totally agree with you

I agree with your summation of the options for the OP.