French/Belgian plug to UK socket adapters - any cheaper than this one?

[tinnews]

I want to buy a few of these but can only find them at silly prices, the cheapest I can see so far is this one:-

[therustyone]

that looks like a French socket with a Brit plug ?

Try the electrical shelves at Tesco, they used to be about =A31.50.

the rusty one

[Ronald Raygun]

Yes it does, doesn't it? Calling it a French plug to UK socket adapter is kind of confusing, had me do a double take too.

But when you think about it, that's exactly what it does. It adapts (i.e. lets you put) a French plug to a UK socket.

Obviously therefore it must consist of a French socket and a UK plug.

[Tinkerer]

[Tinkerer]

[tinnews]

Exactly right, I want to plug Belgian equipment into UK sockets.

[tinnews]

many other parts of Europe but not France and Belgium. The French and Belgian sockets have a protruding earth pin whereas the Schuko socket's earth connection is by two springs at the sides.

You can get universal *plugs* (i.e. plugs which will go into both types of socket) but you can't get universal sockets.

[Terry Casey]

the socket and is polarized.

The one in your link is the side contact version as used in most other European countries, which is non-polarised (plug fits both ways round) although that probably isn't a problem.

It rather depends what the OP wants them for: most appliances sold on the continent these days have a moulded plug with both types of earthing, which fits either socket.

So unless the OP has some cables fitted with French style plugs which must be earthed, they would be ok.

The same thing is usually sold in Morrisons for £1.80 which eliminates post + packing charges.

Someone mentioned Tesco - the only one I've seen there is a much flimsier thing with no earthing provision at all (and the socket isn't recessed, either.

Presumably the OP still wants to use his stuff in France on occasions. In which case I'd suggest aquiring a multiway extension lead on the next trip, then cut of the moulded plug and fit a UK 13A plug.

We've got one over our kitchen worktop - the coffee machine we bought in Belgium is permanently plugged into it and my wife uses it for her phone charger, also of european origin.

[tinnews]

[Terry Casey]

Yes - but why do you particularly need French/Belgian sockets?

French/Belgian plugs mate with a Shuko socket (but only the universal type of plug makes the earth connection).

[David in Normandy]

moulded plug

That is what I've done. I've also done the opposite too with a French plug on an English multiway extension lead. Handy as I've got a mixture of French and UK electrical items and can use either in either country.

Just take care not to overload those travel adaptor type conversion plugs, then often only have a rating of only 3 or 5 amps and get quite hot if you forget and use them to plug in an electric heater! LOL

[tinnews]

snipped-for-privacy@> >

the socket

continent these

Yes, they mostly are that type so, as you say most things can be plugged into a Schuko adapter.

which case I'd

moulded plug

It's more that I'm wiring a boat which lives in Belgium and I'm going to have UK sockets throughout but I want the ability to easily plug in a few bits and pieces of existing equipment (OK, I can change the sockets eventually) and/or Belgian guests' equipment. It's probably not a big issue and I guess just a couple of the adapters at £5.xx won't break the bank.

[tinnews]

plug makes

That's very true, I doubt if I have any plugs on the boat that won't go into a Schuko socket so maybe I'll just put up with Schuko adapters until I rewire everything with UK plugs.

There is the issue that Schuko aren't polarised but since there's no standard for the French/Belgian polarised plugs that's not really very relevant.

[Terry Casey]

Or, as I and others have pointed out, £1.80 each

[Terry Casey]

of plug makes

ALL French/Begian plugs fit Schuko sockets, so you won't find any ...

The only matter that needs consideration is something that MUST be earthed that is not fitted with a universal plub.

[tinnews]

But they're Schuko rather than French/Belgian ones. I can probably use them but I need to check that all the plugs will mate with a Schuko properly (most do of course).