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Electrical help needed-foreign plug into UK

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Old Oct 30, 2007 | 07:38 PM
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Default Electrical help needed-foreign plug into UK

I have just bought a new radio for the bathroom ceiling (really) and it has a spannish plug attached (2 prong), can somebody let me know how I wire this into a UK plug or directly into a junction box in the loft please as I don't want to blow myself up!!!

Thanks
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Old Oct 30, 2007 | 07:48 PM
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If you don't know what you are doing, stay away from wiring it in permanent.

Cut the plug off and fit one of ours.

One thing though, does it say what voltage (V) it is anywhere?
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Old Oct 30, 2007 | 09:45 PM
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Thanks It is 230v
what about the difference in number of wires as our plugs have 3 and this has 2?
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Old Oct 30, 2007 | 10:44 PM
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You want to wire a radio to the mains permanently and keep in in a bathroom? Are you mad?
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Old Oct 30, 2007 | 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by scruffythefirst
You want to wire a radio to the mains permanently and keep in in a bathroom? Are you mad?
correct mate it sould be selv or lv eg 12v in a bathroom
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by scruffythefirst
You want to wire a radio to the mains permanently and keep in in a bathroom? Are you mad?
No, maybe I haven't made myself clear
it is a radio/transformer unit that goes in the loft space, speakers go in the ceiling and it is worked by a remote, I am not going to bodge a radio into a socket and have it draped over the bath
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 01:08 PM
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Why not just fit an adapter plug socket to it - you like, a travel plug thing? Get em in Tesco for about 30p

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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 01:12 PM
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I did think that but would rather do it as well as I can and not use one if I can help it.
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 01:19 PM
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I really shouldn't jump on your thread but I have a quick question!!!

I got confused whilst in Spain about UK > Spanish adapters.
If you plug your UK 3pin socket into an adapter, you can put the adapter into the wall either way round, as its just 2pins.
How does this work?!
Doesn't that mean that you could be connecting positive to negative, or positive to positive depending on which way you plug it in??!

I'm sure there was nothing to stop me turning it around, yet I cant see how this works.

Sorry for butting in but I couldnt find anything on google
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by ballin
I really shouldn't jump on your thread but I have a quick question!!!

I got confused whilst in Spain about UK > Spanish adapters.
If you plug your UK 3pin socket into an adapter, you can put the adapter into the wall either way round, as its just 2pins.
How does this work?!
Doesn't that mean that you could be connecting positive to negative, or positive to positive depending on which way you plug it in??!

I'm sure there was nothing to stop me turning it around, yet I cant see how this works.

Sorry for butting in but I couldnt find anything on google
Mains is AC (Alternating Current) this means the positive / negative swap. This happens 50 times a second here - that's why you see stuff mention 50Hz.
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 02:17 PM
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Which reminds me of one of the things that makes me laugh - when I hear americans saying "plug this into the AC for me please"

Dunno why, but that makes me laugh LOL.... Over here we would say "plug this into the power" or simply "plug this in" but they often seem to say "plug it into the ac".... Makes me chuckle for some reason
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 03:56 PM
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In USA they use both AC & DC in there installations
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 04:01 PM
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cheers, always wondered that
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 04:04 PM
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Best Way - http://www.euronetwork.co.uk/acatalog/Euro_to_UK.html
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 05:10 PM
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In fact, you can make it really simple for yourself, forget adapters, etc...

Use an piece of plastic (pretty strong) to push down into the earth "hole" in the uk plug socket, then simply push the spanish plug into the remaining two holes of your socket and it will work just fine.

You need to press the earth thing to release the safety mechanism that's in the uk socket, it's a pretty tight fit, but it works fine as long as you don't need to pull the thing in and out of the socket on a regular basis

PS: I will take absolutely NO responsibility if you electrocute yourself.
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Old Oct 31, 2007 | 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted by -J-
Thats a good little idea

Cheers to all for your help
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Old Nov 1, 2007 | 08:08 AM
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Just cut the plug off and put a standard UK one on, job done!
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