Using european 16A in UK

[SimonDen]

Hi,

I have just bought something that in the UK that would have cost me £800-£1000 from Germany and managed to get it for £400 delivered to the UK.

The problem that I have is that the European model is 3400 watts and draws 16A whereas the UK model is 2750 Watts and draws 13A

Is there any types of plugs/adaptors that will allow me to use the 16A version in the UK safely (i.e. without damage to anyone, the house wiring and the product).

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[breezer]

not really, it will have to be wired directly in. (unless you fit a 16a+ rated plug and socket) but then it will need its own dedicated cct.

If i may ask, how long have you had it, and was it sent by a major courier?

 

[SimonDen]

If i may ask, how long have you had it, and was it sent by a major courier?

Hi - I have only just ordered it and it has not yet been delivered

 

[Steve]

You need a 16 amp circuit, terminated with either a 15 amp round pin plug, or a 20 amp ceeform socket. Then fit an appropriate plug to the appliance.

Any appliance over 13 amps needs its own circuit.

 

[breezer]

If i may ask, how long have you had it, and was it sent by a major courier?

Hi - I have only just ordered it and it has not yet been delivered

Thankyou.

reason i ask is i did that, 2 weeks later vat / import duty bill came through from courier company.

I am not saying you will get one, i am also not saying you wont. i am also not saying if it will be for import or vat, just that you may get one.


so you are saying you ordered something from abroad, cost £400, uk version £800.

you may / not have to pay tax / vat on it, and you can not use it directly in the uk anyway, so you have to add an additional ctt, which you "cant do" under part p, so get a spark, cu too small, or has one spare way, earthing all wrong, more work to be done = £££££, ok may only be £200 - £300, may be really lucky and may much less (wont know till you get it up and running

PLEASE let us know the out come, I really do wish you luck

 

[SimonDen]

You need a 16 amp circuit, terminated with either a 15 amp round pin plug, or a 20 amp ceeform socket. Then fit an appropriate plug to the appliance.

Any appliance over 13 amps needs its own circuit.

Hi Many thanks for your response.

I have a spare circuit breaker on my fuse box and I can have the plug wall mounted on the same wall as the fuse box in athe airing cupboard.

Does anyone know how much approx it would cost to get an electrician to add the required socket (i would think wires and and socket wall mounted rather than digging into the wall)

If i may ask, how long have you had it, and was it sent by a major courier?

Hi - I have only just ordered it and it has not yet been delivered

Thankyou.

reason i ask is i did that, 2 weeks later vat / import duty bill came through from courier company.

I am not saying you will get one, i am also not saying you wont. i am also not saying if it will be for import or vat, just that you may get one.


so you are saying you ordered something from abroad, cost £400, uk version £800.

you may / not have to pay tax / vat on it, and you can not use it directly in the uk anyway, so you have to add an additional ctt, which you "cant do" under part p, so get a spark, cu too small, or has one spare way, earthing all wrong, more work to be done = £££££, ok may only be £200 - £300, may be really lucky and may much less (wont know till you get it up and running

PLEASE let us know the out come, I really do wish you luck

I would think that this would only be an issue if you bought outside EU as VAT has already been paid in an EU country.

 

[Steve]

budget for a couple of hours labour if itsd all within the vicinity of the consumer unit - about £50-60, plus parts at maybe £30ish.

 

[SimonDen]

budget for a couple of hours labour if itsd all within the vicinity of the consumer unit - about £50-60, plus parts at maybe £30ish.

Many thanks for all your help and extremely quick responses

 

[securespark]

You can buy the kind of socket you need in the UK. I have had a legrand one from WF. Whether it is strictly to regulation or not......

 

[JonB]

Just being nosey What was the item?

 

[securespark]

One of these (Legrand brand) snapped into a 1G faceplace making it suitable for mounting into a standard backbox.

I actually used it to make an adaptor for a rice cooker from Japan: the customer was using a shaver adaptor & the thing had no earth connection...

 

[RF Lighting]

It shouldn't be connected directly to a ring circuit however.

 

[securespark]

No, no, I agree.

If I were to hardwire one, it would be on a radial circuit on its own, fed via a 16A breaker.

Not that I think it would strictly comply...

 

[SimonDen]

Just being nosey What was the item?

http://www.siemensappliances.co.uk/?5=TJ10001GB

(Yes it is an ironing machine!)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OK - I have a 16a circuit breaker not being used in the fuse box. (are they still called fuse boxes if they use circuit breakers? )

What I intend to get done is have a double pole switch coming from the circuit breaker and then flex to a wall mounted box with a socket as pictured by Securespark (which would be my prefered option)

If that is not 'strictly legit' then maybe having the flex for the machine hard wired to the double pole switch.

Any thoughts as to whether these would be up to code? (obviously the electrician who does the job would have the final say, but I would just like thoughts)

Thanks to everyone for their help and speedy responses.

 

[Adam_151]

I'd probabaly actually use a 16A 240v SP plug and socket to BSEN 60309 rather than mess around with a shuko socket that might not be recognised by BS7671

or depending on the exact rateing (if its higher than 13A but just under 15A, say) you might be able to use a 15A plug and socket to BS546