Re-wire UK lamps?
Dec 19th 2016 | 2:15 am
#16
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 4,378
From: NC, USA (ex Yorkshire)
Dec 19th 2016 | 2:32 am
#17
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,336
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
I have the newer slim PS3 now, it works fine, but remains untested through a normal US socket.
Dec 19th 2016 | 3:04 am
#18
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,787
From: 12 degrees north
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
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!
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!
Dec 19th 2016 | 3:08 am
#19
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,787
From: 12 degrees north
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
Lamp holders for bottles / bottletop shaped holes are common everywhere, you might need some epoxy putty if its close, if not, well it depends on what you are fitting, but the fittings often have standard screw in inserts you could get for local use, power plugs for your new locality are of course freely available individually ir made up into flex.
Dec 19th 2016 | 3:28 am
#20
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 2,812
From: Huntsville, AL
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
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.
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.
If you take a 3kW heater from UK (240v) and plug it into 120v, you'll end up with a 1500W heater.
Dec 19th 2016 | 3:54 am
#21
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,787
From: 12 degrees north
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
Well i can personally prove it doesnt work with hair dryers, my daughter took hers, amd the result was pyrotechnic...
Dec 19th 2016 | 4:20 am
#23
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,787
From: 12 degrees north
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
Well bopefully we are in agreement - if it physically fits in a socket fine, but make sure that the cabling is up to whatever is asked of it, bearing in mind in america it needs larger conductors for the same amperage, but if using led bulbs this is highly unlikely to ever be an issue, but incandescent bulbs - possibly - just possibly a dangerous situation if you used a big bulb...
Dec 19th 2016 | 4:33 am
#25
Sasstronaut
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,304
From: Manhattan, NYC
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
I've gotten through my fair share of hair dryers over the years, mainly from the motor burning out as well as crap getting on the element. Worst i've had is a mini flame thrower!
Dec 19th 2016 | 5:28 am
#26
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,356
From: Dixie, ex UK
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
[Not sure if anyone has said this yet]No, they aren't. Bulbs in the UK are almost always bayonet fittings, whereas most US bulbs use an Edison screw fitting, so as Lizzyq said, you'd have to change the bulb holders as well as the plugs.
Dec 19th 2016 | 5:48 am
#27
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,787
From: 12 degrees north
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
HOWEVER A converter both ways is available, they are on amazon.com to as a fix for uk bulb holders...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/skytronic-4...MN7M0HNZMS1H60
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Light-Bul...MN7M0HNZMS1H60
Dec 19th 2016 | 7:13 am
#29
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 255
From: Mission Viejo, CA
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
Been here and tried this.
Most UK bulbs are bayonet. ALL USA bulbs are edison screw of different size.
There are adapters that go between and they work OK.
The plugs are not changeable as UK plugs have fuses and USA do not, so they tend to be molded types, not meant for re-work. So you need to re-cable the lamp.
The one item nobody has mentioned is the lamp shade metal ring size is different from UK to USA, so a USA lamp shade will not fit onto a UK lamp. We tried half a dozen lamps and shades and in the end we chucked them all out.
Most UK bulbs are bayonet. ALL USA bulbs are edison screw of different size.
There are adapters that go between and they work OK.
The plugs are not changeable as UK plugs have fuses and USA do not, so they tend to be molded types, not meant for re-work. So you need to re-cable the lamp.
The one item nobody has mentioned is the lamp shade metal ring size is different from UK to USA, so a USA lamp shade will not fit onto a UK lamp. We tried half a dozen lamps and shades and in the end we chucked them all out.
Dec 19th 2016 | 8:14 am
#30
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,333
From: Was Virginia, now Yorkshire.
Re: Re-wire UK lamps?
this used to be true, but screw fittings have become more prevalent over the last decade in the UK. Whether it's the prevalence of ikea and/or other continental retailers I don't know, but I'm sitting in our lounge and three out of the five light fittings in here are screw not bayonet (two designer ceiling lights, one floor lamp from ikea)
