Raymate

I have a few table lamps from the UK that have screw type fittings, is it safe just to replace the plug and change the bulb to use them in Canada?

R

allicat001

Can´t say for sure I´m not an expert but I wouldn´t think so not unless it is dual voltage have a look see what it says on it. If it doesn´t say 110V - 240V I wouldn´t bother it will be very dull as it will only be getting half the volts it needs.

I took my hair straightners over that werent dual voltage and they barely got hot.

ali-simon

what about beds in canada. Are they the same size as in Britain. Will fitted sheets fit or do I need new for them.

Elaine B.

Bed sizes are a bit different. I think all this stuff is in the Wiki but it's not working at the minute. In the meantime this might help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_(fu...Standard_sizes

(For example my Canadian King Size bed is bigger than a UK super King Size so I won't be taking it when I move back next month.)

Judy in Calgary

There is a BE Wiki article about beds, but the Wiki is not accessible right now.

The short answer is that British bed sizes are similar to North American bed sizes, but are off by a couple of inches.

Wikipedia (in this instance the original Wikipedia, not the BE Wiki) has a chart that shows bed sizes. Scroll down the screen till you get to Standard Sizes. Oh, I see this is the link that Elaine gave you.

A British king sized bed is the same width as, but a couple of inches shorter than, a North American queen sized bed. So North American queen sized sheets are a couple of inches longer. But slightly larger bedding can be made to work. You can buy inexpensive clips that tighten the corners of fitted sheets.

But Elaine's situation is the reverse of this, so it's not going to work for her.

Members of this forum repeatedly say that the selection of bed linen in Canada is nothing like its counterpart in the UK. They often say this is merchandise that is worth stocking up before departure from the UK. Some members even buy bed linen when they're on holiday in the UK and bring it back to Canada in their suitcases (although obviously there's a limit to how much you can fit into a suitcase).

If you'll be living in a Canadian city that has a branch of IKEA, that is a source of decent quality, fairly priced bed linen.

Under normal circumstances, used mattresses that are imported into Canada have to be fumigated. But there is an exception for new settlers who are importing their personal effects into Canada. There's a BE Wiki article about that too. We've had a couple of instances in which new, inexperienced customs officers have told members of this forum that their used mattresses wouldn't be allowed into Canada. But I personally phoned Canada Border Services Agency last week, and had it confirmed for me that used mattresses belonging to new settlers are allowed into Canada, and they do not have to be fumigated.

Good quality furniture is expensive in Canada. In most instances I would consider it to be worth you while to ship your UK beds to Canada, all the more so if they are of good quality.

Hope that helps.
x

Raymate

Hold on what about my lamps

Can I just take the UK bulb out and out in a Canadian bulb then change the plug.

It's only a simple circuit after all..

Steve_P

But UK lamp bulbs are bayonet mount and Canadian bulbs are screw threads.

Sjt53

Unless you have speaker cable in them, it will be fine, you do increase the amps with the lower voltage but I am sure the margins are more than adequate.

Elaine B.

I think the OP said his lamps were screw in.

Novocastrian

No problem at all if they are screw type. Some base sizes for European bulbs (as opposed to the UK) are different from north american, but you can find the e-base bulbs in speciality lighting stores and even in stores like Home Depot.

ex_REME

Hi Raymate

We brought ours from the UK and I rewired them with Canadian wire, light fitting and plug without too much trouble. Took me a while (ie many trips ...) to find the right kind of fitting, but eventually I was forced to scour the aisles of Canadian Tire just once more to get them off the 'honey do' list!!!! Naturally I needed a whole new workbench, set of highly specific electrical tools, soldering (or should that be "sodering" as they say locally) iron etc etc. (teh heh any excuse to vis my fav shopping chain).

I say bring them, try a new bulb and take it from there.

Ex

Steve_P

Right you are.

R.T.F.T. for me.

Elaine B.

For some reason the word "screw" caught my attention

ex_REME

Hi Raymate

We brought ours from the UK and I rewired them with Canadian wire, light fitting and plug without too much trouble. Took me a while (ie many trips ...) to find the right kind of fitting, but eventually I was forced to scour the aisles of Canadian Tire just once more to get them off the 'honey do' list!!!! Naturally I needed a whole new workbench, set of highly specific electrical tools, soldering (or should that be "sodering" as they say locally) iron etc etc. (teh heh any excuse to vis my fav shopping chain).

I say bring them, try a new bulb and take it from there.

Ex

PeterF

Actually, British wire is just as good as Canadian.

The lamp itself is what matters, 110V rather than 240V. Change the plug to a Canadian plug and it will work fine.

Where the fitting is a bayonet type (normal standard back home) you would have to exchange for edison screw type. We still have a few that we haven't changed simply as we cannot get the same base section to fit the lamp holder to the lamp stand.