I wrote earlier about bad UK power socket adapter. Here is another one – better but not ideal. I used this to connect smart phone charger.
The basic construction looks good. You can’t touch the live parts with finger. The UK pins are all metal and not insulated on the upper side like in newer UK power plugs though.
Note that ground pin is all plastic, which is ok because this in ungrounded adapter that only accepts equipment with ungrounded power sockets: this takes flat euro plug but not schuko.
The holding force on the socket is quite low – you can easily plug and tech unplug charger, but sometimes you can accidentally too easily unplug your charger…
The adapter has also 13A fuse in it like proper UK power plugs should have.
Lets take a look at the fuse. It looks normal 5x20mm glass fuse. Maybe barely good enough for this or not – UK plugs typically have slightly bigger ceramic fuse in them.
This adapter works and is clearly better than trying to stick flat euro plug to UK socket directly (it can sometimes fit in but it is not a good idea).
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Earthing vs Bonding differences
Earthing and bonding are two related but distinct concepts in electrical systems.
Earthing refers to the process of connecting electrical equipment or a system to the earth, typically through a grounding rod or plate. This provides a safe path for electrical currents to flow to the ground in case of a fault or short circuit, protecting people and equipment from electrical shock.
Bonding, on the other hand, refers to the process of connecting metal parts of electrical equipment or systems together to ensure they are at the same electrical potential. This helps to prevent voltage differences between metal parts, reducing the risk of electrical shock or equipment damage.
To illustrate the difference:
- Earthing connects electrical equipment to the earth.
- Bonding connects metal parts of electrical equipment together.
In many cases, earthing and bonding are used together to provide a safe and reliable electrical system. For example, bonding metal pipes together and earthing them to the ground ensures that the pipes are at the same electrical potential as the earth, reducing the risk of electrical shock.
In the context of electrical installations, understanding the differences between earthing and bonding is crucial for ensuring safety and compliance with regulations, such as the UK wiring regulations BS7671 mentioned in the post.
Tomi Engdahl says:
UK warning over ‘highly dangerous’ travel essential sold on Amazon and eBay
More than 10,000 of the unsafe adaptors may have already been sold to UK shoppers
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/travel-adaptor-plug-amazon-marketplace-aliexpress-b3023129.html?fbclid=IwdGRjcATWwdljbGNrBNbBlnBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEed9fjLt8f0W1B7z3p5lOFmn1kMww4xoNrbaMI7aVRp5FWra-i9Y8Gj1eHFao_aem_jA9u764x13phfyR3InhYUQ
A warning has been issued to British holidaymakers after “highly dangerous” travel adaptors were found for sale on major online marketplaces.
Electrical Safety First said all 14 devices purchased from AliExpress, eBay, Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop failed its basic safety tests, with the worst offenders posing a risk of serious electric shock or even electrocution.
More than 10,000 of the unsafe adaptors may have already been sold to UK shoppers, according to information available online.
In six of eight universal travel adaptors tested, more than one set of plug pins could be exposed and live at the same time while the adaptor was plugged in.
This means users could come into contact with up to 240 volts of electricity, posing a serious risk of electric shock.
The plug pins on all eight universal travel adaptors also failed to meet the dimensional and mechanical strength requirements, meaning that they could break off inside a socket.
Six basic travel adaptors failed a variety of safety tests, including: some missing safety shutters, which protect users from touching live internal parts; missing fuses, increasing the risk of fire; oversized plug pin holes, making it easier to come into contact with live electrical parts; and devices that accepted three-pin plugs without providing an earth connection, removing an important layer of protection against electric shock.
Four universal and two basic travel adaptors underwent further testing in an external specialist laboratory to assess the fire resistance and flammability of the plastic materials used in the product.
All six samples failed this test.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Save yourselves a read. 6 out of 8 travel plug adapters were found to be unsafe, could break apart inside sockets and cause electrical shocks.