OT-ish: UK electricals sold with 2-pin plugs?

I've just been given a set of cordless headphones for Xmas; it comes with a base station powered from a wallwart.

Although this was purchased in the UK for use in the UK (from UK-based Amazon seller), the wall wart is a round 2-pin sort, ie as used in continental Europe and as would fit in a shaver socket over here. No adapter was supplied in the retail pack. I do have a shaver-plug adapter I can use it with, but the assembly is bulky, not particularly robust, and as far as I'm concerned, wholly unsatisfactory compared with a proper 3-pin wallwart. AFAICS it's simply a retail pack intended for continental Europe rather than UK.

So before I approach the retailer I'm curious to know whether it's actually legal to sell electrical equipment here with only a 2-pin plug like this? If not, would it be permissible to sell it together with a shaver-plug adapter? (just pre-empting the retailer sending me one of those as a 'solution'!). I don't know whether the whole Amazon thing affects any of this, either.

Also, if anyone could point me at any relevant legislation online which I can quote, that would be great!

Thanks David

Reply to
Lobster
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Probably just a batch that ended up in the wrong country .When you say" wallwart" I am guessing it is a power supply of some sort . I've had items with a normal 3 pin plug on which is actually a 2 pin plug encased in a 3 pin adaptor but not had one like yours ...the nearest is something with a 3 pin plug where the earth is actually plastic but those are the square pin type of course .

Personally I'd just contact the Amazon seller or Amazon direct to express your concerns ....

Reply to
Usenet Nutter

Yes, looks like this one: (and there's definitely no facility for interchangeable pins as some of them have)

Oh I will - just wanted to ascertain the legalities first!

David

Reply to
Lobster

Maybe a call or message to Consumer Direct ( who have a website) to ask but possibly not a good time to expect a quick response .

Reply to
Usenet Nutter

I found this on a PDF in a Forum

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"Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

This requires electrical appliances to be supplied pre-fitted with a standard 3 pin plug which complies with and bears the marking British Standard (BS) 1363. This is the type of plug with protruding live and neutral pins half sleeved with insulating material. The plug does not have to be moulded on, but it does have to have the correct fuse for the appliance. All sockets (e.g. on mains extension leads), adaptors and similar devices must meet British or European Standards. Should the appliance be fitted with a European 2 pin plug then it may only be supplied provided an approved conversion 3 pin conversion plug has been fitted to it, enclosing the

2 pin plug. The conversion should only be able to be removed via means of a screwdriver etc."
Reply to
Usenet Nutter

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Nice one - thanks a lot! Clearly this retailer is breaching that regulation then....

David

Reply to
Lobster

That looks like a Swiss one to me ...

Reply to
Tim Streater

Why, is it made of chocolate ?

Its just a standard european 5A mains plug

Reply to
geoff

JOOI does it have the CE mark?

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

No, but it includes tweezers, a nail file, a bottle opener........

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

Hum, I have a couple of mains adapters here (Motorola and HP) that have a 13A conversion attachment both of which just clip on, no screwdriver required. They are quite a firm fit though, not just something using friction on the pins like a shaver adapter.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

But those sort are generic 'bodies', aren't they?, that the relevant country-specific mains adapters clip on to; as opposed to a full product intended for a different market, used with an adapter.

David

Reply to
Lobster

Ha, you chaps are so sharp you'll cut yourselves on the included Swiss army knife.

Its the protruding hexagonal plastic bit that made me think it might be Swiss. It matches the hexagonal-shaped recessed Swiss three-pin socket. The pin separation may well match other European sockets.

See here for a description:

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article will also indicate what a mess plugs are in general (US ones were the worst, in my experience of living there).

Perhaps the OP can look at the unit and report what it says.

Reply to
Tim Streater

The chocolate earth pin seems to have melted ...

Reply to
geoff

It was only meant to be an example pic to show the general type (ie tw round non-removable pins...)

Not sure what I'm looking for!; it just gives the model no etc (J34676-001). It has the CE mark, JVC branding (as per the headphones) and the model number is referred to in the manual (page 33 of the pdf file:

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no doubt it's kosher and correct; just not if you're in the UK!

Actually - slightly odd; wouldn't you expect the model number of the PSU to vary according to the mains pin configuration? Because the model number of the PSU in the English section of the manual is exactly the same as what's printed on the PSU, ie which is 2-pin and therefore not intended for the UK...

David

Reply to
Lobster

From a recent chat with Trading Standards on the same subject of a PC World printer with a two pin job, the only items that they allow with these funny plugs are items like toiletry kit, shavers, toothbrushes and such. Mainly due to the huge UK plug making packing them for travel a bit difficult.

Reply to
ericp

I would think the main reason is because people generally don't have a 13A 3 pin plug in their bathroom, they have an isolation transformer with a 2 pin "shaver" socket on!

Reply to
Toby

In message , Toby writes

UK 2 pin plugs have different diameter pins to european ones

Reply to
geoff

If they're like the ones I've seen, they are not an adapter converting a European type plug, they are a removeable part of the device, to allow it to be used in various countries - ie: after removing the "adapter" part, you cannot plug it into any standard socket without refitting another type of adapter. This regulation isn't therefore applicable.

SteveW

Reply to
Steve Walker

I have some mains adaptors for just these things. Not pretty; in the shape of a 13A plug with a hexagonal hole where the flex normally goes. Poke the pins in there and tighten the locking screws. There are variants with 'never undo' screws (ramps rather than slots in the heads).

Reply to
Bob Eager

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