UK/US to Swiss Plug Adaptor Converters with Ground suggestions?

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21
Thanks all for the responses.

I ended up getting this one from Amazon which will be good for my power strips and mac book etc

For the vitamix (the one I have is this one http://www.johnlewis.com/vitamix-blender/p231326917 ) - i was planning to use the same adaptor as it's 220-240v, 50hz, 1000-1200w.

22
Hi, I have just bought a Vitamix 750 and realized it has a UK plug. I burned an adapter...what did you do in the end? Did you find an adapter that can resiste 1200W or you changed the plug. Your help would be reaaaaly appreciated.

23

READ THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL:

Electrical Shock Hazard .

Use grounded outlet only.

DO NOT remove ground.

DO NOT use an adapter.

It's a metal-cased machine. It relies on the ground/earth pin in the plug to protect you in case of a fault. If you use an adaptor, there's normally no earth.

Additionally, those Vitamix machines are rated at 12A current. Adaptors are only rated up to about 6A. No wonder you burnt it out - you could have caused a fire.

Get the plug changed for a Swiss one.

24
I would either cut the plug on the Vitamix and fit a suitable Swiss one, or source a UK extension cord strip and fit a Swiss plug to the cable.

UK devices only differ in the plug, i.e. mechanically, the voltage is the same.

I have UK strip with Swiss plug here for when people visit.

25
Thanks for the heads up!

I will substitute the plug, guess I can do the job myself...

Hopefully I burnt the adapter and not the machine...it should be the weak point given the weak power resistance. And the UK plug has a fuse inside and it appears ok

best

26
At 120 VAC.

At 240 VAC, it's only 6.

Tom

27
Note that if you simply replace it with a regular Swiss plug you'll lose the dedicated fuse. 12A for a blender? My whole apartment is on a 10A fuse.

28
True...any better idea than replacing the plug then?

29
Sorry, I thought it was a UK version - what with it having a U.K. plug but yes, 6A sounds right.

30
Yes, get someone else to replace the plug. Why's that so difficult?

31
The UK is 240v (230 actually).

32
My UK-Swiss adapters are rated at 10A and are even additionally fused. Something like that should be OK no? Otherwise take the risk like every other Swiss person does of having non-fused appliances.

33
The thing is that most adapters are built for occaisional use. They may be approved for 10A, but the construction isn't generally as robust as a proper socket.

@Simeti: Could you post a picture of the damage to the adaptor, and another of the plug on the Blender? This may help us get a better idea of if the plug is damaged and therefore needs replacing anyway?

34
I know.

It's not the fuse that's the problem as every Swiss house has a fused distribution board.

The problem comes if the apartment/house is an old one without RCDs, or with faulty RCDS (who tests them regularly?) and the appliance develops a fault and the metal chassis becomes live.

Having said that, only around four people a year die of electrocution in Switzerland so I guess you're prepared to take the risk.

(The problem comes when you put your family members in danger through your own selfishness/laziness/ignorance).

35
Actually, I generally lift grounds (cause hum in audio equipment), and no RCDs around here anyway!

Tom

36
But you're not blending smoothies with wet hands in a kitchen, are you?

37
Yep.

For the benefit of people not familiar with the term RCD, it is also known as a GCFI. For other terms see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

If you are house or apartment hunting, give preference to places equipped with them, most particularly if you have children.

And test them. They have a test button. Some sources suggest once a month (I am a bit laxer than that).

After the introduction of grounding and double insulation, RCB/CGFIs must be the 2nd most if not foremost important safety feature in terms of lives saved, but they won't make any difference if they aren't working.

38
Our place has only got RCDs on some of the circuits.

I'm usually pretty cautious with electricity but two weeks ago I decided to chance it and not remove the circuit fuse whilst trying to work out why a towel rail wasn't working.

MY PC was on the same circuit doing stuff and I didn't want to shut it down.

I got a shock and I didn't let go straight away. I had bad pain in some muscles around my ribs on one side for a week. It's still tender now.

It was on one of the circuits without an RCD.

The week before that I cut through the mains cable of an electric hedge cutter whilst at the top of a metal ladder. That circuit did have an RCD.

A shock in that case most likely wouldn't have killed me but falling off a ladder into the road may have hurt a bit.

39
Actually, yes. Also, my meat slicer is ground lifted, but that's because I also us them in Italy.

Tom