what amp

[monkeydo]

I am confused about types of pugs etc. I have just bought a new printer, it came with a 10A plug fixed on teh power supply - like a kettle lead. However one of the progs is bent.
Looking around the house I have 2 other similar leads - one that is 3amp and one that is 13amp.
Can I use either of these?
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Is this is a piece of flex, about a metre long, with the "kettle socket*" on one end and and ordinary British 3-square-pin fused plug on the other?



*with slots, not prongs

 

[the_jinj]

".. 10A plug fixed on teh power supply - like a kettle lead..."

Sounds like maybe the American power lead?

Is it like this:

or this:

or neither?

 

[monkeydo]

It's like the latter - normal UK 3 pronged plug.

 

[the_jinj]

I think the leads for kettles are shaped differently than PC ones so probably can't use that.
You could chop off the plug and use a new one on the lead if you feel confident about wiring a plug on? Or buy a new PC lead for a few quid (tops)

 

[monkeydo]

Yep, buying a new one is prob the sensible thing to do - thanks for your help.

 

[JohnD]

If it's like the second pic, and you have a spare, you can use it. I will be surprised if it needs more than a 3A or 5A fuse in the (UK square-pin) plug, unless you are running a big industrial printer on it.

These cables are very standard, and most computer users have a few of them in the box of things that will be useful one day.

 

[the_jinj]

If it's like the second pic, and you have a spare, you can use it. I will be surprised if it needs more than a 3A or 5A fuse in the (UK square-pin) plug, unless you are running a big industrial printer on it.

These cables are very standard, and most computer users have a few of them in the box of things that will be useful one day.

I agree if it fits you can use it - but from memory a lot of kettles and other appliances have squarer type plugs on, whereas pc peripherals have more rounded, cut away shoulder types - feel free to tell me I'm talking mince once you've tried it monkeydo, gladly corrected
If you have problems getting one drop me an email or PM with your address and I'll send you one (have a box of them lying about somewhere)

 

[plugwash]

A kettle lead will fit computer equipment but a lead sold for computer equipment won't normally fit a ketlle. This is by design as the leads for kettles are rated to 120 celcius rather than the 20 celcius for the variant used with computer equipment. Kettle leads are generally infuriatingly short though so i'd only use one in a pinch.

As for the plug fuse its usually matched to the flex not to the connector (the connector is 10A. I personally don't like the fact they put 13A fuses in the plug with a 10A rated socket on the other end of the cable but it seems a lot of manufaturers do. Any protection needed for the appliance will be inside the appliance so don't worry about using the lead with a 13A fuse and flex to match.