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

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 ....

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

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 .

I found this on a PDF in a Forum

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

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

David

That looks like a Swiss one to me ...

Why, is it made of chocolate ?

Its just a standard european 5A mains plug

JOOI does it have the CE mark?

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

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.

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

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:

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

The chocolate earth pin seems to have melted ...

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:

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

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.

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!

In message , Toby writes

UK 2 pin plugs have different diameter pins to european ones

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

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).