FenTiger

How safe are these to use? I know this has been discussed here before but I can't seem to find it! Probably because I'm half asleep and got a bad back!

Anyway, reason to ask is because we got rid of our tall fridge/freezer and washing machine at the weekend because we have nowhere to store them in Hungary. Anyway, we soon realised we needed refrigeration of some sort because of the warmer weather and didn't want to have to keep going to the corner shop to get fresh milk or whatever we needed. So I ordered a mini fridge. Received it yeterday and my heart sank when I read the instructions as it advised against using two prong pin plug adaptors! We are not expecting to use it straightaway once we arrive in Hungary but would like to at some stage when we are settled. Any advice would be appreciated. I don't want to burn down the mother-in-law's house or ours if we do find a property!

wolfi

In any case I would look for an RCD - preferrably for the whole house.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residual-current_device

Jack_Russells4ever

Just have someone change the cord or the plug to a regular Schuko type not really a big deal to change them. We brought over 10 of those plug adapters with us and never had an issue with using them except other expats trying to nick them.

scot47

Change the plug.

ecurb

A small fridge would be a low current, so you would be safe. Some very cheap adaptors do not like high current devices and melt etc.

If the fridge has an earth pin on the plug (i.e. not double insulated which is becoming more common), some cheaper europe adapters do not connect the earth PIN, others do.
Perhaps they are being cautious.

Benny Kovacs

At a guess it is a cheap fridge and if you reverse the polarity (by using a 2-pin plug which can be inserted either way) then the motor/compressor will run in the wrong direction and at best the fridge won't work because the coolant is being pumped in the wrong direction and at worse you will damage it so when you do plug it in correctly it will no longer work.

Just a guess... consult a fridge engineer who will know.

Hungary sell cheap fridges plus you will benefit from a valid guarantee.

Benny Kovacs

I eventually Googled it and did some reading.



So there we have it, we both learned something today. Some things are ok and some things aren't.

ecurb

Yes that is correct.

If you are just using it normally, you would not notice any difference.

Generally most manufactures want to sell goods in the EU so they are safe to use there, you can just change the plugs. If you are in doubt, get it checked.

PaulinEger

I've mentioned this before. What we did when we came over is remove the plugs from some English trailing sockets and replace them with a Hungarian plug. That way we could continue to use items with English plugs until we got round to changing each one.

Pulaski

What 'e said!

almafak

Swapping the live and neutral wires will not make the motor go in reverse! The motor itself has three wires. One is common and the other two have a capacitor across them. One of these goes to the power supply and the other is left unconnected. Only if you connect the wrong one of these will the motor will go the wrong way! This wiring is internal to the fridge and is set at the factory.
You might feel a tingle when you touch the casing if the plug is the wrong way round, particularly if the compressor is not running.

Peter_in_Hungary

Feeling a tingle from any appliance has nothing to do with which way round the plug is put in the socket an everything to do with a bad earth either in the appliance, the plug/socket or the house wiring and/or the bonding at the meter. If the appliance has only 2 wires this means the appliance is double insulated and an earth is not required - if a tingle is felt on this type then it is a fault in the appliance.

Pulaski

In my experience 2 wire "double insulated" appliances don't have metal casing and I would be surprised if a 2 wire, no-earth appliance had a metal case. Two wire appliances* are typcally things such as hair dryers, radios, razors, satellite/ cable decoders etc, and things like cookers, fridges, and laundry appliance all have a 3-wire, earthed set up. No?

* I have been told on more than one occasion that now-obsolete CRT TV's were designed in such a way as an earth wasn't possible, but in any case all the ones I remember have had plastic casing.

Peter_in_Hungary

Correct - but it is possible due to dirt and / or damp for tracking to occur across the casing which can give a tingling.