Man2Auck

Not many days now left..

Need your help guys..where I can find a decent quality UK to NZ power adaptor?
Amazon?Ebay? What you recommend?

johnht

The easiest way is to get a few UK power boards like you've probably got tucked behind your computer or Tv/DVD/Digi box and then go to a hardware store in NZ and get a plug to replace the one on the flex of the power board. That way you don't need to change the plugs on all your stuff at once and you've still got the convenience of powering things that need to run together.

Also if you use an adaptor then sod's law states that the thing you want to plug in (like a charger) won't fit because the wire's coming out the wrong side and it's too close to the wall.

John.

lardyl

What do you want it for?

For cell phones, most laptop and low wattage two pin devices a simple two pin 5 amp adapter will do and we've used ones that came from a poundland for the past 4 years. Better quality ones are sold at the airport or in other stores.

My advice would be to get some 4-way UK pattress-type adapters and bring them over and simply buy a NZ plug top for each when you get here. You can buy loose plugs here. Bear in mind though that NZ power circuits are 15 amp and plugs/sockets rated at 10 amps so plugging lots of high wattage devices into this 4-way adapter would be a problem.

lardyl

Oh yeah lots of NZ shops sell the travel adapters as there are tourists and ex-Pats everywhere.
And sorry for the crossed post......

Man2Auck

Thanks all for your replies.
Yes, getting a NZ plug after reaching there seems to be the way ahead.

Debbie2NZ

I got about 8 UK/NZ plug adaptors from the airport at our last overseas holiday prior to relocating the following February. You can also buy them from where they sell luggage i.e. department stores. Boots sell them too. I found it easier to use an adaptor than trying to switch plugs. It's useful to have a few single plug adaptors for where space is tight, i.e the kitchen sockets where the toaster & kettle will go. Also when you need something quickly like charging up your mobile phone battery. Albeit I'm now in possesion of an NZ socket set as we got quite a lot of things quite quickly with NZ plugs.

Justcol

they are about 10 bucks each at bricoes or the warehouse.
no big deal you can buy em anywhere

Big Glen

$3.00 each for nz plugs in any countdown changed loads of plugs no probs much much cheaper than buying adaptors !

lardyl

Problem with using travel adapaters is twofold

1. they are just that travel adapters they are not a solution for use with a kettle or toaster, if you look at most of them they are rated at 5amps. That's a 1kw appliance and most kettles and toasters would overload them. Indeed NZ sockets are not the best in the world, just look at the amount of brass missing from the plugs and sockets compared to your UK equivalent. Then feel how crunchy they become with use. Putting another adapter between the plug and socket increases strain and can increase wear on the socket itself, it also allows more opportunity for the connections to become or remain loose resulting in potential resistive heating faults. Not such a problem when you plug in a bedside lamp with a 30W fluorescent bulb but as significant problem when you have a 1500W appliance plugged in.

2. many of the travel adapters are only designed for appliances that don't have an earth pin. if they have 2 pins then don't use your kettle, toaster or any other appliance with them that is earthed. failing to heed this advice could result in electric shock or electrocution.

failing to heed 1. could result in fire - I do know a little about this as I investigate fires for a living and have done so for 15 years.

A better solution for high wattage appliances is to change the plug top from UK to NZ, NZ plug tops are not as easy to change as most UK ones, way back when I had a temp job making up power cords for slot machines so I've fitted many a UK plug top. NZ ones can be confusing and fiddly, they are not often designed with ease of use in mind.

NZ "power boards" are also fiddly and often the cause of fires here as in many cases they are cheap and nasty. Pay a little more for these and save yourself grief, or do what I have done and fit a good NZ plug top to high quality Belkin Surge Protector pattress-type boards and use that for the PC, HiFi and Home Cinema.

Debbie2NZ

I bet you wish you'd never asked the question now !

lardyl

should have used <search> instead, it's all been asked before.....

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7888257

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=513962

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=509088

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=473654