USING FLAT 2 PIN USA APPLIANCES IN THE UK!

[budgerigar1]

Hi iI have a ryobi skill saw that has a 2 flat pin plug on it , that I think comes from the USA
On the outer casing it says 120 volts 60 hz 10 amp and 5000/min i have taken the plug off and it has two wires a black and a white
Am i able to put a uk plug on it or is it totally UK incompatible. Any help appriciated
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

UK voltage is twice as high as US voltage so you can expect the tool to burn out almost immediately.

You can buy a yellow transformer as used on building sites if you want, but it probably will be cheaper to buy a UK, or at least European or most of the rest of the world, tool instead.

 

[GettinSadda]

If it is designed for 60Hz then running it on 50Hz 110V is still not the best idea...

I'm prepared to be corrected though if any consumer-grade AC motor boffins are reading this

 

[budgerigar1]

UK voltage is twice as high as US voltage so you can expect the tool to burn out almost immediately.

You can buy a yellow transformer as used on building sites if you want, but it probably will be cheaper to buy a UK, or at least European or most of the rest of the world, tool instead.

THANKS So it will work well,and be easy to fit a plug for a transformer then ?

That will do for me as i know where i borrrow one for a while

 

[streetlighter]

When you remove the US plug the wires inside will be black and white. The black is the live or hot wire as they say over there and the white is the neutral.

 

[breezer]

but site transformers have no neutral (55-0-55)

you could use it on our 230v but it will cut very very fast burn out in about 5 seconds, smell badly smoke a bit, and make me laugh quite a lot

I know this becuse when i was an aprentice guess what some one did (and it wasn't me), but i could not stop laughing, but it wasnt as good as the 24v "normal shape" lamp (for emergency lights) the electrican put in the 240v light fitting

did you know lamps can go black on the inside?

really do get a transformer! and yes really DON'T try it in the mains it will do as i said, and is extremly dangerous

 

[Lectrician]

Black and White make little difference on their appliances - the two pin plugs can be plugged in either way around

 

[bernardgreen]

It it totally UK incompatible

really do get a transformer! and yes really DON'T try it in the mains it will do as i said, and is extremly dangerous

It really is dangerous as the catastrophic failure of components inside the unit can literally be explosive and throw molten metal around the area.

 

[Steve]

Black and White make little difference on their appliances - the two pin plugs can be plugged in either way around

You sure?
Look very closely at the top socket:

 

[Adam_151]

Modern US outlets will accept polarised or non-polarised plugs. Not sure whether they still polarise the plugs these days though, it is, I beleive a throw-back to when they adopted a TNC like system (I guess they probably would to ensure the switch stays on the hot side though)

 

[mikeddavies]

The third (earth) pin is optional! - Look at the lower socket and what is hanging off it!!
miked

 

[Steve]

The third (earth) pin is optional! - Look at the lower socket and what is hanging off it!!
miked

Yes it is optional, however my point was to look "carefully" at the top socket, where you can clearly see one slot is longer than the other.

 

[bernardgreen]

my point was to look "carefully" at the top socket, where you can clearly see one slot is longer than the other.

That socket will take several type of plugs.

2 pin non polarised ( both blades same size )
2 pin polarised ( pins un-equal size )
3 pin polarised by the earth pin.

Some what of comprise as socket design "improved" but had to keep backward compatibility with existing plugs...

For technologically "advanced" country the provision of power to domestic property in the USA is sometimes "primitive ".

 

[Lectrician]

Every double insulated american item I have seen (several unfortunately) have had a pplug with equal sized pins. Can be plugged in either way.

I have done several outdoor evets where they supply fan blowers to inflate huge inflateable bottles of beer.......the blowers are 120v 60Hz with said plug. They originaly supplied wall wart converters which where underpowered, and now they just turn up as they are. The guys running the events want them working, so they get wacked onto a site tranny. I have lost count of the amount that have burnt out. It is actually always the thermal link that melts, but thats due to the motor overheating.

Every year is the same, and every year the blower is skipped when it fails.......every year an identical one turns up........The company are sponsers of the event, and send new inflateables and fans each year along with all the other graphics and merchandise. There is no talking to them.......