Discuss Are these safe? - EU plug to UK in the Electrical Tools and Products area at ElectriciansForums.net

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waqasahmed

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Hi,

I've got some EU plugs where you can't simply replace them with a UK one as well as a toothbrush which has two prongs

Would this be safe for an EU charger? - Pretty much exactly as pictured

Or this for a a toothbrush adapter? I bought one for about £1 but it's an easy picture

Or this for a schuko plug?

I'd rather get something that's absolutely safe where I have no real option but to use an EU plug or if I've got a toothbrush with two prongs. If these aren't safe, what would you recommend as valid alternatives?
 
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Adaptors that clamp permanently onto a Europlug or Schuko plug are safe and effective, provided they are made to the applicable standards. They are sufficiently safe that it is permissible to sell goods in the UK with such an adaptor fitted, instead of a UK plug.

I would be cautious about buying them from an unknown vendor overseas. In general many plug-in adaptors that turn up with grey imports are substandard, non-compliant or downright lethal. I have not seen the same problems with permanent clamp-on adaptors, but it is quite possible that unsafe counterfeits exist. I would buy from a recognised UK electrical accessory supplier.

One snag to beware of: some devices intended for use in the bathroom in the UK have two pins a bit like a Europlug but parallel and fatter - these are BS4573 shaver plugs and AFAIK are not compatible with Europlug adaptors. If necessary, these should be connected via a BS4573 shaver adaptor.
 
Adaptors that clamp permanently onto a Europlug or Schuko plug are safe and effective, provided they are made to the applicable standards. They are sufficiently safe that it is permissible to sell goods in the UK with such an adaptor fitted, instead of a UK plug.

I would be cautious about buying them from an unknown vendor overseas. In general many plug-in adaptors that turn up with grey imports are substandard, non-compliant or downright lethal. I have not seen the same problems with permanent clamp-on adaptors, but it is quite possible that unsafe counterfeits exist. I would buy from a recognised UK electrical accessory supplier.

One snag to beware of: some devices intended for use in the bathroom in the UK have two pins a bit like a Europlug but parallel and fatter - these are BS4573 shaver plugs and AFAIK are not compatible with Europlug adaptors. If necessary, these should be connected via a BS4573 shaver adaptor.

Thanks. I already have my toothbrush connected to one of those clamp ones above but not schuko. Should I instead buy a BS4573 adapter?
 
If it's mechanically secure and makes good contact, it's probably fine. Make sure the adaptor is fused at no more than 3A though.
 
Some of these are absolutely fine, and indeed are supplied as standard on some appliances, ie you get what appears to be a UK 13A plug, but it'd actually a euro plug inside, just as you illustrated. However, as Lucien stated, some are substandard, often because the plugs are not wide enough, so there is a (small) risk of fingers contacting the pins when you insert or withdraw the plug. IMHO, this is usually a very small risk, much smaller than the risk when inserting/withdrawing a euro 2 pin plug, and i haven't seen many reports of countless people being electrocuted in Europe when using such plugs. if the connection is a good, secure one inside the adapter, it is probably ok.
 

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