WJS

Hello, does anyone know if it is necessary to re-wire our UK lamps to work here in the US or is it possible to just change the plugs?

Thanks in advance.

ian-mstm

Unless they're priceless heirlooms, I wouldn't suggest doing either... just buy new lamps.

Ian

WJS

Not priceless but we have quite a few. For example matching pairs in bedrooms and there are quite a few very nice ones I would hate to just get rid of.

I assume if you are saying get rid, just changing the plugs wouldn't work?

PetrifiedExPat

Toss the whole lot and buy new ones over here. Major issue is voltage difference between US and UK... I had to buy special equipment to power my PS3 when I arrived, since i plugged it into a travel adapter and nothing happened. Whether this would affect lamps I do not know... prob not worth the shipping cost to find out.

Lanyu

Interesting about your PS3 all I need was new cable with the US style plug and it works just fine.

Dependant on the style of your lamps you maybe able to buy new bulb holder for them.

ian-mstm

I didn't suggest you get rid of them.

Ian

cmsebast

Same here. My PS3 just has a standard computer style cable, so I just swapped that and it works fine. I also have an Xbox 360, which wasn't as simple. I had to order a new power brick off of eBay as the U.S. one was only good for 120 volts.

My main concern about the lamps would be the switches. If they were not built with 230 volts in mind, it could be a bit of a fire hazard in the UK.

uk_grenada

Just remember A*V=W

Amps times volts = watts, of course if you know 2 factors you can calculate the 3rd.

So ignoring led's for now a light might have a 60 watt bulb, and its uk plug a 3 amp fuse.

?x240=60 so this is using 0.25 of an amp though on power on it might be a bit more for a fraction of a second.

Take this to america, change the plug and put in an american bulb.

?x120=60, its now using 0.5 amps, tiny, and if it was an led bulb miniscule...

Practivcally if you fit an led bulb, go for it, its using almost nothing, go for it.

HOWEVER

You also have a 3 bar heater, uses 13 amp fuse and 2500 watts

?x240=2500 so its using more than 10 amps, meaty...

Take it to america, replug, and let it rip NOOOOO

?x120=2500 so it wants to have more than 20 amps, which is i think going to blow your houses circuit fuse, and possibly worse, DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT FOR HIGH POWER CONSUMPTION DEVICES like hair dryers, basically beware of anything that heats or cools, otherwise read the spec.

So why did america screw itself with low power circuits? Because quite rightly, the american authorities decided americans would kill themselves with higher voltages... the distribution system is fine at similar very high voltages but in houses delivering higher energies is just more wasteful / expensive to deliver.

lizzyq

If you really, really love them, you could bring them and fit both new plugs to suit US outlets and lampholders to suit US bulbs.

uk_grenada

The actual bulbs are the same fittings globally, the potential issue is actual flex cabling conductor diameter and plugs but plugs are easy to change and if you change to led bulbs the cable size cannot be an issue fullstop and even incandescent bulbs arent likely an issue, but check the cable metal conductor diameter if you want to be sure, replace if you can, old flex is never ideal.

https://www.quail.com/Catalog/Techni...on_Section.pdf

http://www.rowand.net/Shop/Tech/WireCapacityChart.htm

WJS

Thanks everyone. It's worth a try. The lamps are already here in the US!

Perhaps we will start with changing the plugs and then as suggested changing the bulb holders if necessary.
I first thought we would need to have them re wired and as mentioned not worth it on most of them.

Thanks again.

tom169

Side note: our energy provider gives out free LED bulbs to promote energy efficiency. Maybe yours will too.

H Bomb

My PS3 was fine. Just plugged it in through a travel adapter and it worked fine (and still is 3 years later).

Guindalf

Er, no. This is not true!

Generally, UK bulbs have a bayonet fitting whereas US bulbs are screw-in.

Also, the wiring is very unlikely to be a problem. Lamps have such a low current draw that it's extremely unlikely that it would be an issue.

The biggest difficulty would be sourcing the plugs and lamp-holders as they are not common items. Then making sure they'll fit the particular lamp would be a potential nightmare!

Rete

Rewiring lamps is a piece of cake. They actually sell the kits in Home Despot or even Amazon with the wire, plug and base. Even I, a simple woman, have done it and is it quite cheap $11 and under.

https://www.amazon.com/Lamp-making-K.../dp/B01CSPUELO