Help!!! ive been really daft and bought a one lamp chandelier for my daughters room from someone in the usa on ebay. It has arrived and i have NOW realised it might not be suitable for uk fitting. It just seems to have two small metal bars from it and no other cables. Can anyone advise,please.
fit a usa chandelier to Uk electrics
- Thread starter sjmmccue
- Start date
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Yes - throw it away.
You have no way of knowing if it's safe to run it on twice the voltage it was designed for, and will you be able to get lamps for it? Are US bases the same thread as European ones? Quite likely not.
You have no way of knowing if it's safe to run it on twice the voltage it was designed for, and will you be able to get lamps for it? Are US bases the same thread as European ones? Quite likely not.
there is one little thing that will happen if you fit it
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It probably won't.
It could well be fine.
Do you want to take a chance with your daughter's life on a "probably" though?
It could well be fine.
Do you want to take a chance with your daughter's life on a "probably" though?
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Thanks for all that, you both know how to cheer a girl up!!!! 
Cant believe I didnt think about that before I bought it.I was going to get an electrician but dont think I want to take the risk. It cost a fortune to buy and send here!!!!
Cant believe I didnt think about that before I bought it.I was going to get an electrician but dont think I want to take the risk. It cost a fortune to buy and send here!!!!
If you have access to one of those old-fashioned electrical repair shops it might be worth seeing if they can replace the lampholder and the internal wiring....
It'd need assessing and probably converting, depends how much you like it and want to spend on it. there are people who rebuild and rewire ancient chandeliers to modern standards so I doubt it'd be a problem.
I was asked once for E15 lamps to fit a US fitting once. (poss E15 it was def. non-UK-standard) Apparently they are available, in 240v. the US does use 220v or thereabout so the fitting may be usable, but like I say you need it assessing by someone competent.
Or use a 110v transformer.
I was asked once for E15 lamps to fit a US fitting once. (poss E15 it was def. non-UK-standard) Apparently they are available, in 240v. the US does use 220v or thereabout so the fitting may be usable, but like I say you need it assessing by someone competent.
Or use a 110v transformer.
The US Edison Screw (for screw-in lamps) is not quite the same size as the European one. Ours is called E27 meaning, I presume, 27mm, so maybe theirs is one-inch, which would be 25.4mm, or something.
Don't know the measurements, but I know theirs is not the same as ours.
It should be fairly simple to replace the wiring (with European harmonised colours) and the lampholders; add an earth tag (if none present) and change any switch that may be present.
You are probably wishing you had bought one nearer home, though.
Don't know the measurements, but I know theirs is not the same as ours.
It should be fairly simple to replace the wiring (with European harmonised colours) and the lampholders; add an earth tag (if none present) and change any switch that may be present.
You are probably wishing you had bought one nearer home, though.
[Thank you for your help. Couldnt find one I like here but wish I hadnt been so fussy!!! I might try the local electrical shop here and see what they say before I try and resell it.
S
sparkyspike
Do you know that it's mains voltage? I was thinking of the two metal bars. It could be extra low voltage such as 12v.
If it's mains voltage, you could use a UK to USA transformer. As it's in the ceiling, you'd probably want to get an electrician to rig you one up.
That way you can keep it.
If it's mains voltage, you could use a UK to USA transformer. As it's in the ceiling, you'd probably want to get an electrician to rig you one up.
That way you can keep it.
B
breezer
what about a picture of it?
how to add a picture is in forum information
how to add a picture is in forum information
Seemingly the two metal bars are to connect to a socket. Seemingly you cut this wire if hanging it to ceiling and once cut there is two wires. This info came from who i got it from. Cant get photo uploaded at moment, pc playing up now!
It doesnt look like american plug metal bars are thicker but I was told that it needs to be cut off. Ill seek an electrician and see what he thinks but a bit wary now as its going into my baby daughters room.
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