Voltages?

[diyid]

Hi,

I have just received a shaver as a present and it comes with the bathroom shaver plug (the two-pronged affair). Now, bearing in mind that I know nothing about electrics (and I don't want to electrocute myself) I was wondering if I can use the adapter I have to plug it into the normal wall socket (having no shaver socket in my house), or do I need to buy a special adapter.

The adapter I have is a universal adapter meant to convert from UK to outside UK sockets. There are two parts to it and the shaver plug does fit into one, meaning I could plug it into the wall socket, but I'm scared! I know that the adapter does not have any kind of voltage altering capabilities, being only a dumb plastic thing that has prongs on one side and holes on the other (it looks sort of like a standard UK plug). I also remember a few years ago having a similar problem with a food mixer and having to buy a big blue 6 inch square thing that converted the voltages somehow.

The shaver plug has "input 100-240 ac, output 12v dc" written on it. It's this that started me thinking. It's many years since school, but I do seem to remember that you don't want to mix ac and dc? And I know not whether wall sockets are ac or dc!

Anyway, you get the picture. If I plug the shaver into the wall socket via the Euro adapter will I get electrocuted, blow up the shaver, or will it work as desired!

With thanks.

 

[jj4091]

Yes you can do what you want to do but keep it away from water & you will be ok

 

[Spark123]

I am somewhat confused as to what you have re the UK to outside UK adapters, I think you should be using a shaver plug adapter which is fused at 1Amp.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/DT87.html

 

[Steve]

I second that 123. Its not a euro adaptor. Its an adaptor for charging shavers outside bathrooms. The 2-prong affair is mainly used where one might be expected to use it in a bathroom, since the 2-prong sockets are allowed in bathrooms 'cos they have a built-in isolation transformer for safety. Your little plug only changes 3-pin 13A plugs to a 2-prong socket. It does NOT alter voltage or current or rectify AC to DC.

Though these plugs can be used to plug in appliances purchased on the continent, it is a bodge because they are only rated at 1 amp and are fused as such.

Look around your house, you will probably find many black AC to DC adaptors. Wall sockets in the UK and Europe are 210-250 volts AC alternating at 50 hertz. Sockets in the UK can supply up to 13 amps. These black adaptors exist to reduce voltage and supply constant, regular power to small appliances

Much electronic equipment these days can accept 100-250 volts (for distribution all over the world - some places have 110V, some have 250V, some have in between), simply because they have electronic transformers which can supply constant regular power regardless of the input voltage.