2 pinned plug

[Ash]

hey, I'm still a student doing the level 2 2330 so pardon my ignorance.

A small speaker system just got delivered to my house today. I unpacked it all and saw the plug was a 2 pin plug:

http://www.leadsdirect.co.uk/images/technical/Euro%202%20pin.jpg

At first I was annoyed that it wasn't English, then I thought, why don't I just rewire it. Then it struck me, before I chop this off, is it going to have an earth? The wire itself looked too small to have an earth. My question is, why does it not have one, and according to this website

A 2 pin Euro plug. Note that this has no earth connection, and may not be used on any appliance that needs to be earthed.

I was under the impression everything needed to be earthed?

The other thing I also noticed, is it won't have a fuse inside?

So if I rewire it, I guess I just wire the line and neutral and forget the cpc?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are Europe and America not that over-cautious about their electrical appliances?

 

[Lurch]

Not everything needs an earth. If there is no earth then it probably doesn;t need one. There should be a mention of this in the instructions somewhere, it'll either say double insulated, does not require an earth or there will be a label of 2 squares, one inside the other.

Either cut the plug off or fit one of these.

 

[sellers]

Class IIA Class II or double insulated electrical appliance is one which has been designed in such a way that it does not require a safety connection to electrical earth (US: ground).

The basic requirement is that no single failure can result in dangerous voltage becoming exposed so that it might cause an electric shock and that this is achieved without relying on an earthed metal casing. This is usually achieved at least in part by having two layers of insulating material surrounding live parts or by using reinforced insulation.

In Europe, a double insulated appliance must be labelled "Class II", "double insulated" or bear the double insulation symbol (a square inside another square).

Thanks to Wikipedia

Check in the instructions for the symbol or class 2, and just wire it into a uk plug.

 

[wozz]

i would check the voltage rating of the appliance to ensure its ok for 230v, it wasnt supposed to be destined for the uk.

 

[ianmacd]

It's probably a European model as they have sockets with and without cpcs.

 

[septiclecky]

Have unpacked lots of electrical equipment which has been packed with 2 leads one has a 13A plug on it and the other has a Shuko plug (european 2-pin) attached.

 

[Ash]

Thanks for your replies, I was never aware of the double insulated method.

After your post containing Wiki, I went on a hunt to learn more and came across this from this page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europlug

The ring circuits found in many British homes are only protected by high-current breakers (typically 32 A) and therefore rely on a lower-current fuse (typically 3

 

[netblindpaul]

IIRC it is illegal to sell an electrical appliance into the UK market without a BS plug fitted.

Thus the supplier has commited a criminal offence under statutory legislation.

Edit.

Remember a "shaver" plug is a BS plug!

 

[Lurch]

So I can safely rewire this to a standard uk plug, and it'll be fine? I also read that the plugs are unpolarised, so it doesn't matter which I use for line and neutral?

Whilst all domestic AC equipment is unpolarised the flex is always brown\blue so you will need to connect it up the right way round for cable identification purposes. Would be handier if some of this kit was black\black on the AC side though to save *****ing about. <----Not a swear word BTW, daft swear word filter in operation.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Either cut the plug off or fit one of these.

One of the major electronics manufactures.. SONY I think had a trend a few years back sending out their gear with leads which came with these 3 pin jobbies fixed around a pre molded 2pin plug.

Dunno if they still do?

But I know I have seen a few CD's and DVD players like that! :|

:coffee

 

[Lurch]

One of the major electronics manufactures.. SONY I think had a trend a few years back sending out their gear with leads which came with these 3 pin jobbies fixed around a pre molded 2pin plug.Dunno if they still do?

But I know I have seen a few CD's and DVD players like that! :|

:coffee

Most kit sent out nowadays has one of these adapters fitted. I have a box full of them in the shed that I've removed from old kit or where the plug has been removed when wired to a fused spur or similar.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Most kit sent out nowadays has one of these adapters fitted. I have a box full of them in the shed that I've removed from old kit or where the plug has been removed when wired to a fused spur or similar.

Ah!!!!!!

the joys of the Global market!



we must keep in line with our foreign colleagues and how they plug in!!

:innocent

Or is it just cuz we don't make anything anymore! :_| :_| :_| :_|

:|

 

[PBC_1966]

IIRC it is illegal to sell an electrical appliance into the UK market without a BS plug fitted.Thus the supplier has commited a criminal offence under statutory legislation.

Edit.

Remember a "shaver" plug is a BS plug!

If I recall correctly though, the legislation states that it must be a BS1363 plug, except for a few specific items (shavers, chargers for electric toothbrushes, etc.).

 

[a1]

I'd also check the frequency too.