Changing 13A UK plug for 10A Oz plug ok?
Discussion
Was in UK, now living in OZ. Bought over a few electrical goods (kettle, toaster etc) which all have 13 amp UK plugs.
I want to fit Australian plugs which, on the ones I have bought, say they are suitable for 10amp Ordinary and Light Duty 3 core cord. There is no fuse in the Australian plugs.
The volt rating and cable colours are the same
The question is, can I change the plugs and safely use the appliances?
I want to fit Australian plugs which, on the ones I have bought, say they are suitable for 10amp Ordinary and Light Duty 3 core cord. There is no fuse in the Australian plugs.
The volt rating and cable colours are the same
The question is, can I change the plugs and safely use the appliances?
Depends on the power rating of the appliance.
Amps = power divided by volts
So, at 250V (to make the maths easy) the max power rating a 10A plug can handle is 2500W.
Your toaster should be fine. The kettle could be 3000W. In practice it'd be OK for the short time a kettle is on, but it's not advisable to exceed the rating and if the socket is protected by a 10A fuse or circuit breaker then it might blow or trip.
Amps = power divided by volts
So, at 250V (to make the maths easy) the max power rating a 10A plug can handle is 2500W.
Your toaster should be fine. The kettle could be 3000W. In practice it'd be OK for the short time a kettle is on, but it's not advisable to exceed the rating and if the socket is protected by a 10A fuse or circuit breaker then it might blow or trip.
Thanks for the reply.
The kettle is 2500-3000w and the toaster 1500-1800w.
Pretty much what you said.
The voltage for the plugs did say 240v (as is Oz power supply) so should be fine but might just get some 13amp plugs to be safe.
It's strange as the plugs 10A rated but don't have an actual fuse in them.
The kettle is 2500-3000w and the toaster 1500-1800w.
Pretty much what you said.
The voltage for the plugs did say 240v (as is Oz power supply) so should be fine but might just get some 13amp plugs to be safe.
It's strange as the plugs 10A rated but don't have an actual fuse in them.
I would guess that the socket is wired back to the fuse/breaker board individually (a radial circuit) and will be protected there. Whereas the UK has sockets wired in a ring protected by a 30A fuse, hence there needs to be a lower rated fuse in each plug.
Can you get 13A plugs? Quick Google shows the ratings as 10/15/20A but higher rated plugs won't fit in lower rated sockets. So if the sockets you're trying to use are 10A then that's all that you can plug into them.
Can you get 13A plugs? Quick Google shows the ratings as 10/15/20A but higher rated plugs won't fit in lower rated sockets. So if the sockets you're trying to use are 10A then that's all that you can plug into them.
Pommygranite said:
So does that mean if there is no 13a plug in Oz then just keep the 10a job and 'she'll be right mate'?
Depends on the size of the socket you want to use - if it'll take a 15A plug then get one of those.The kettle will probably be OK in a 10A socket as it's only going to be used for a short time, but it's not ideal. Maybe you should just buy another kettle - I would guess they must be a bit lower rated in Oz.
Thanks for all the responses. I'm still alive and havent been electrocuted!
Quick further question:
The OH has a hairdryer with a UK Plug (good one so worth just replacing the plug) rated at 10A. All good I think, however I note it states 'fused' on the plug. Now opening up there is therefore a fuse but its got a live and a neutral, no earth.
Aussie plugs dont have fuses generally. Therefore what are the issues with:
1. Changing from a fused plug to a non fused plug?
2. Changing a plug that has no earth to another plug with no earth?
Am I going to electrocute her by changing the plug?
Quick further question:
The OH has a hairdryer with a UK Plug (good one so worth just replacing the plug) rated at 10A. All good I think, however I note it states 'fused' on the plug. Now opening up there is therefore a fuse but its got a live and a neutral, no earth.
Aussie plugs dont have fuses generally. Therefore what are the issues with:
1. Changing from a fused plug to a non fused plug?
2. Changing a plug that has no earth to another plug with no earth?
Am I going to electrocute her by changing the plug?
Toilet Duck said:
Sorry I can't help you, but I've got to ask, why would you carry a toaster and a kettle half way round the world when you could have just bought them in Oz? 
Because if you're shipping your stuff across the world there's no point in selling things off when they'll fit into the container that you've paid for anyway.OP. I took my stuff to Oz where I lived for five years without anything going bang. I then brought it, and Australian electrical goods, back fifteen years ago and it all still works.
Toilet Duck said:
Sorry I can't help you, but I've got to ask, why would you carry a toaster and a kettle half way round the world when you could have just bought them in Oz?
Because they have a combined value of £90 and were only bought 4 mths prior to leaving, and when moving you are charged by box dimension, not weight, so given they are small and take up no room why not ship them at probably a proportional cost of £8 and £3 in plug changes. Makes more sense that just throwing them away and spending even £20 again non?
Pommygranite said:
1. Changing from a fused plug to a non fused plug?
No, because, as discussed earlier, the fuse/breaker with be back the fuse-board.Pommygranite said:
2. Changing a plug that has no earth to another plug with no earth?
I'm confused by that question. They're the same, aren't they?RobDickinson said:
I think they work on spurs, 20a fuse each or something but 10a cabling.
I sincerely hope not. Otherwise the cabling would melt before the fuse blew. More likely it's the other way around.Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff