Adding a foreign socket to a ring main

catsflasharry

Please can anybody tell me if it is possible to add a European socket type (Shuko)to a ring main in the UK? I travel between the UK and France a lot and have appliances bought in both countries. Why do European countries have no fuses within their plugs??

Adam_151 · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:51 pm Post Subject:

I actually prefer the european system, 16A radials, small unfused plugs, in many ways the ring final circuit was a compromise and many of its benifiets are not relevant to modern useage patterns. The ring is usful to have and can be usful at times, but as a whole a lot of the time a radial is more appropiate

Anyway I can't see any harm in connecting the shuko outlet to the ring via a 13A FCU (or a 16A breaker), however its possibly against the wireing regulations because its not a BS marked bit of kit

But what you must not do is connect the socket directly to the ring, appliances are designed with the expectation that the circuit will be protected with a 16A device

plugwash · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:02 pm Post Subject:

whatever you do try to make sure it can be easilly restored to something that doesn't look too odd when you move out.

ban-all-sheds · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:04 pm Post Subject:

What sort of appliances are these, and how many, and where do you tend to use them?

Do you carry them back and forth?

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catsflasharry · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:23 am Post Subject:

Thanks for all your responses. The applicances I tend to bring backwards and forwards are mainly transformers for laptop, iPod, etc, so low power stuff but buying new transformers is quite costly.
Also I like the European plug as it is so small and less sightly.

I shall connect via a 13A FCU!

Thanks!

ban-all-sheds · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 1:44 pm Post Subject:

Next trip, buy a Schuko 4- or 6-way power strip.

On your return cut the plug off and replace with a UK one fused at 13A.

Job done, no need to bash walls, and you can use it anywhere in the house.

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RF Lighting · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:14 pm Post Subject:

Genius.
Why didn't I think of that?

Bright_Spark · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:03 pm Post Subject:

or buy a flip open UK plug. simply open them, put your 2 pin french plug in, close the lid and use in the UK.

that way you dont have to start playing with electrics if your unsure of what your doing and you can still use your equipment you bought abroad.

surely u have space for a mains plug in your bag?

ban-all-sheds · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:51 pm Post Subject:

RF Lighting wrote:

Genius.
Why didn't I think of that?

Dunno.

I've sort of done the reverse - I have a UK 4-way, and on the end is a male IEC-320 plug.

I can now go anywhere in the world, cadge a local power cord from a PC, or use the one from the kettle in the hotel room etc, and plug my UK stuff in.

Although I do have a schuko-IEC320 and a USA-IEC320 cord to avoid having to cadge in most places.

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plugwash · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:27 pm Post Subject:

yeah i've always thought travel adaptors look rather flimsy, the pins on most adaptors for taking british equipment to the continant for example are noticablly thinner than those on real schuko and french plugs.

also the other thing i find highly distrurbing is that visitor adaptors are sold in this country that will accept a schuko or french plug but not earth it, theese adaptors carry no warning not to use them with such plugs and i have seen them used with them in commercial settings!

the flip open euro converter plugs seem pretty decent but they would be a right pita to take on and off all the time.