Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Feb 18th 2010, 9:43 am
#16
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 59
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
I've been doing the maths, 3.5K or so for a roughly 1,000 cubic foot container so its £3.50 per cubic foot. Overspill is rough £6 a cubic foot.
UK fridge freezer, which looks nice but beeps every now and again and doesn't owe me much = 6*2.5*2.5 = 37.5 cf. 37.5 cf = £131 or on overspill ('cos it would displace an equivalent amount) = £225. Its not coming.
Washing machine, say 3.5*2.5*2.5 = 22cf or £77 or £132. It is coming...
As for fitting Aus plugs - I'll take the risk on being sued.
A few weeks back I repaired a dishwasher, I'm not remotely qualified to do so, but I opened the side, saw that the inlet mechanism was a bit gummed up and leaking into the bottom. Took it apart and cleaned it, and it works perfectly, took me an hour. With what's coming in the UK after the next election, make do and mend is the order of the day!
UK fridge freezer, which looks nice but beeps every now and again and doesn't owe me much = 6*2.5*2.5 = 37.5 cf. 37.5 cf = £131 or on overspill ('cos it would displace an equivalent amount) = £225. Its not coming.
Washing machine, say 3.5*2.5*2.5 = 22cf or £77 or £132. It is coming...
As for fitting Aus plugs - I'll take the risk on being sued.
A few weeks back I repaired a dishwasher, I'm not remotely qualified to do so, but I opened the side, saw that the inlet mechanism was a bit gummed up and leaking into the bottom. Took it apart and cleaned it, and it works perfectly, took me an hour. With what's coming in the UK after the next election, make do and mend is the order of the day!
Last edited by GoldCoastOrBust; Feb 18th 2010 at 9:47 am.
Feb 18th 2010, 10:03 am
#17
Worongary
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: GC hinterland
Posts: 10,288
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Feb 18th 2010, 12:09 pm
#18
Bright in Orange
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Orange, NSW
Posts: 515
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
I brought everything, me and OH fitted new plugs to everything - spent $150 in Bunnings on new plugs - and not died yet! The plugs are smaller and more fiddly however.
There are lots of different types of plugs, I found side entry ones the easiest. Also, although more expensive, get the ones that take a larger cord, otherwise very frustrating!
There are lots of different types of plugs, I found side entry ones the easiest. Also, although more expensive, get the ones that take a larger cord, otherwise very frustrating!
Feb 18th 2010, 12:16 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 1,179
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Oh don't get me started on the plugs they have here. Side entry are definitely easier to put on but they take up more space and force you to use one side of a double-wall socket or the end socket on a block. It takes me a good (and there's nothing good about it) 7 minutes to put the straight plugs on (if you can close the plug off). Our UK plugs take about 2 without cutting. Great design (ours). And Australian after-market plugs don't have fuses - how does that work (sounding more Aussie by the minute)?
Feb 18th 2010, 12:31 pm
#20
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Oh don't get me started on the plugs they have here. Side entry are definitely easier to put on but they take up more space and force you to use one side of a double-wall socket or the end socket on a block. It takes me a good (and there's nothing good about it) 7 minutes to put the straight plugs on (if you can close the plug off). Our UK plugs take about 2 without cutting. Great design (ours). And Australian after-market plugs don't have fuses - how does that work (sounding more Aussie by the minute)?
Best plugs in the world are Northern European IMHO. UK ones are better than Aussie ones though.
At least the Aussie plugs tell you when you've gone too far with the vacuum cleaner (by falling out the socket).
Feb 18th 2010, 12:40 pm
#21
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 1,179
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
No Australian plugs have fuses (new and after market). For that matter most plugs in the world don't come with fuses. It seems to be a thing with UK plugs (and those countries that use the same).
Best plugs in the world are Northern European IMHO. UK ones are better than Aussie ones though.
At least the Aussie plugs tell you when you've gone too far with the vacuum cleaner (by falling out the socket).
Best plugs in the world are Northern European IMHO. UK ones are better than Aussie ones though.
At least the Aussie plugs tell you when you've gone too far with the vacuum cleaner (by falling out the socket).
Feb 18th 2010, 2:52 pm
#22
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Well not all devices have an internal fuse and unless you use a fused block or a circuit-breaker arrangement then the occasional power trips will likely cause damage. Given the option I choose to use a fused UK plug on a UK block which has had the plug changed to a local one.
Last edited by MartinLuther; Feb 18th 2010 at 2:54 pm.
Feb 18th 2010, 4:04 pm
#24
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
No Australian plugs have fuses (new and after market). For that matter most plugs in the world don't come with fuses. It seems to be a thing with UK plugs (and those countries that use the same).
Best plugs in the world are Northern European IMHO. UK ones are better than Aussie ones though.
At least the Aussie plugs tell you when you've gone too far with the vacuum cleaner (by falling out the socket).
Best plugs in the world are Northern European IMHO. UK ones are better than Aussie ones though.
At least the Aussie plugs tell you when you've gone too far with the vacuum cleaner (by falling out the socket).
Feb 18th 2010, 5:11 pm
#25
Account Closed
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,316
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Fused plugs (in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia etc) are a legacy from a time before we had MCBs and RCDs (safety switches). I reckon they are more hassle than they are worth - they come in different sizes (2A, 5A and 13A), so if you changed a plug to one that had a smaller fuse then you could easily blow the fuse and then have the hassle of changing it.
Feb 18th 2010, 5:25 pm
#26
Worongary
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: GC hinterland
Posts: 10,288
Re: Do UK electricals work in Oz?
Fused plugs (in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia etc) are a legacy from a time before we had MCBs and RCDs (safety switches). I reckon they are more hassle than they are worth - they come in different sizes (2A, 5A and 13A), so if you changed a plug to one that had a smaller fuse then you could easily blow the fuse and then have the hassle of changing it.
an rccd ( safety switch to aussies ) or mcb will trip significantly quicker than a cartridge fuse making them redundant
