Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Hi, I went to the shops today as we want some plug adapters to take with us to aus so that we have them as soon as we land. On a website it said that they are 3 pin plugs but at the shops it said, Aus and US plug adapters and they were 2 pin! have seen this in 2 different shops now. Can anyone post a picture on this thread to show me what they are like?? Come on get your digital cameras out!!!! Thanks Pete :cool:

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

You can use 2 or 3 pin plugs so just get the ones they have in the shops. We couldnt find 3 pin and the 2 pin ones work fine.

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Aus has 3 pin sockets but they can take 2 pin plugs (unearthed) and 3 pin plugs (earthed). Typically travel adaptors are for use with unearthed appliances (it should have a warning about this somewhere) which is why it may only have 2 pins. Be careful as these adaptors often reverse the live and neutral so they can cause problems with appliances that should be earthed.

Here's some info on sockets http://www.accesscomms.com.au/AustMainsPlugVariants.htm

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

We used a 2 pin adapter on the tumble dryer, but kept getting a mild electric shock! Changed the plug from UK to an Aussie 3 pin plug and had no problems.
There should be a picture of the Oz plug.

Neil.

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Hi Pete

Somebodies already beaten me to the pic but just thought I'd give another but of advice! We got our travel adaptors from Ebay and only paid £5.99 for 5 of them. Took a couple of weeks to arrive as they were posted from Hong Kong but they do the trick. They're still selling them on there:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-X-AU-Standar...QQcmdZViewItem

HTH :)

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Thanks, now I know! 2 pin will be ok in the short term and then when all our stuff arrives cut the uk plugs off and refit with Aussie ones, Thanks, Pete :cool:

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Hi Pete another thing i would recommend you bring with you is a couple of extension leads with a 4 gang socket, our rental house has only 1 double power point per room. This is the case with alot of houses we have looked at. These would come in very handy for using your computer/printer/scanner/tv /dvd/videos as you only need to change the 1 plug and can use the transformer for your printer and mobile phone chargers and not have to buy new leads.
Good luck

John

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

I'd second that - we brought a few across with us too. For some reason old aussie houses have next to no flamin sockets!! :mad:

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

You may find this hard to believe, but it's the same with old UK houses.

The room I'm currently sitting in has only one single socket - as does the master bedroom.

The lounge has four sockets (as does the kitchen) but the bathroom has none at all.

:confused:

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

If you were getting a electrical shock it means that there was a fault, by using a 3 pin with a earth built in you are just passing the fault to earth and it is still there....you need to get it sorted.

Mog

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Or they may have been experiencing the problem I mentioned above in that some (UK to Aus) travel adaptors reverse the live and neutral pins. It's because the adaptors are designed for non-earthed appliances.

:)

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

No I dont find it hard to believe Vash - you dont need to try and turn this into another competition between Oz and the UK because its not. I dont recall saying that Oz houses dont have many sockets but UK ones do, do you? :confused:

And the 'no sockets in the bathroom' is a safety thing - couldnt believe my eyes when I got here and found electric sockets right next to the taps!

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

may i explain about 2 & 3 pin plugs in Australia. 1st of all i would always use the 3 pin, any appliance with steel MUST be earthed its called class one appliances. then there is class 2 appliances they are basically plastic and no steel that can conduct any current. the design on the Australian 10 amp plugs are a complete different design to the UK, so my advice is get now 10amp plugs and have them fitted by an approved electrician.

Its an offence to do any electrical work without a License even fitting 2 or 3 pin plugs and if anything goes wrong you "WILL" be persecuted, so before you put your self or your kids lives at risk think.???

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Thanks for that, Just ordered some. Good spot.

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Here we go again. In WA you CAN legally change a plug, you just cannot work on fixed wiring. As for other states, I think it's basically an urban myth & if it is law, well there's one law that needs to be broken. This topic crops up on here every couple of months & causes much debate.

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Amazula,

Now then thinking of what you said mate, you may be correct in what you say regarding the difference of laws in other states, i dont want to confuse anyone at all, i shall check with the chief electrical inspectors office tomorrow in Vic and repost with an update

Arthur

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

While you're talking to your man, can you check to see what the position is for someone who changed the plugs in WA and then moved to Vic?

Cheers
:)

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

I suppose at the end of the day who would know if you or someone else had changed the plugs, i think all this crap about not being able to change a frigging plug is so they can point the finger at people if anything goes wrong

art

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

I've just found this for Victoria http://www.ocei.vic.gov.au/downloads/COPJan2004.pdf

which states
"The Regulations DO permit unlicensed persons to connect plugs to their own electrical cords. However, the use of ready made extension cords is encouraged as they may be safer than home wired ones. An incorrectly wired
plug can be fatal."

:)

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

please do accept my appologies mate, i would not want to offend anyone at all

art

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

No need to apologise - no offense caused.

At least you prompted me to get off my bum and find the info - which means I don't have to worry about the Spanish Inquisition anymore :D

Re: Plug Adapters For Oz?
 

Hi Pete
Just a handy hint (and reading this thread, don't know if this is illegal or not!) but we brought a couple of english gang sockets with us. When we got here, we just had the plug on the end of the gand socket to change.