johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

Can anyone advise me please? I have just purchased a US two blade plug which I am going to fit to the lead of a UK device, what is the difference between the two blades, one is straight sided the other has a wider end.
Thanks JE

captxmas Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

Stop .....Wait.......

There are at least to things to consider. European power outlets have a higher voltage with less amperage. U.S has 120 volt power and Europe uses 240 volt.

The plugs in the US have one blade wider than the other because it insures correct polarity between the wall outlet and the device plugged in. especially crucial in electronics.

So when you add these two facts up it means that you cannot just attach a new plug and expect it to work. Something will either have 1/2 the power required and fail because of it or "blow up because it has twice the input.

John

nicelights Loc: 30 miles east of LA

The wide versus narrow blade is a Fire Underwriters / UL requirement here in the U.S. It indicates the polarity of the plug. The wide blade is the common or neutral side of the circuit. If you look carefully at the plug and the wire leads you willsee that the plastic jacket on one of the the wires will have at least one ridge on it(sometimes several). That wire is on the same side as the wide blade. IMPORTANT WARNING! U.S. voltage is 110-120v UK voltage is 220-240v you should use a converter NOT a plug change

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Look at the fine print on most chargers, laptop power cords, razors, etc. They are meant to figure it out and will run on 110 to 240. You don't need a converter. Simple adapters are the easiest.

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Yeah sheesh 120 to 240 LEARN about electrics

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I thought so, I only wanted to know what the wider blade was. All I want to do is charge my phone and camera batteries!
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Blake Loc: Alfred NY

Ello mate,

Most newer mobile phone chargers can handle. 240/120 volt system with the proper adapter. Please check the charger before you come over to the states. If it does not then see if you can get a USB cord that fits both your computer and your mobile phone. This is also true for the camera as well.

Slainte
Blake

minustide Loc: San Francisco

Above info is correct. Nominal voltage in the UK is 230 volts and is also referred to as 240 VAC (alternating current). It is a hot to neutral voltage with fused male cord caps (the plug end). It is not like the 220 or 240 VAC here in the U.S. which is a two pole single phase circuit like most dryer circuits or a three pole or three phase circuit used for larger equipment. Very important to know is the UK generates a 50 hertz voltage while we have a 60 hertz voltage in the U.S. As mentioned above most electronic power supply equipment; i.e., computers chargers etc. will work with a range of 100 to 250 volts, 50 to 60 hertz. Be sure to check the equipment nameplate which tells you the volts, and hertz. If you were bring a computer to Japan you wouldn't have any problem plugging into their 100 volt, 50 hertz system, but for anything othere than variable power supplies used with computers and chargers,you will need a transformer to change your voltage for the U.K as well as a "G" type plug adapter. The U.K. typically uses a three prong outlet with two horizontal not vertical slots for the voltage and a middle ground slot similar to the U.S. It may be easier for you to rent equipment in the U.K. rather than transform the voltage. Too much info? Back to f/ stops.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

You can get a multi phone charger out of WALMARTS for next to nothing and charge it of the car battery. They usually run faster than a mains charger so a reasonable journey will charge the phone quickly. Might be able to do similar for camera batteries.
Or buy one out there. My CANON has a charger with flip out prongs for USA use. No lead at all.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I know about electrics, all my devices are dual volt, I just need a US plug, which I now have and has been tested OK

DRC56 Loc: Sartell, MN

The wide prong is used for polarity and only required on lamps and other appliances or tools that use body grounding.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

Half as much voltage needed may also cause current draw to be twice as much as it should be in some cases, thus very much overheating the device and melting it. Overheating and destroying devices is common when going in either direction: UK to US or US to UK.

I believe UK power is also 50 cycle while U.S. power is 60 cycle, so motorized items will run at the wrong speed (especially noticeable with a clock) even if you transformed the device's voltage downward to the U.S. 120 volt level.

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

In that case, your chargers should just plug into a U.S. outlet without using a polarized plug (it doesn't matter on a power supply) and be able to handle the lower voltage with ease. The Philippines is also 240 volts and I took my electric shaver, camera, and video camera and plugged in directly with no problem.

NormPR

U.S. 240 volts, 3 wires plus a ground which connects to the, (lets call it the center wire) comes into the main panel. so this leaves two outside wires. take a meter and between the two outside wires will be 240 v. and between either outside wire and the center wire is 120v. the center wire and the neutral are connected in the main panel (only) but separate going out of the panel to, say an outlet, a grounded outlet has three prongs, a hot, a neutral and a ground. you can use two prong plugs on two wire cords where (in answer to your question) the wider prong is the neutral (no voltage) wire and the smaller prong is the hot, 120 volts to neutral or ground. Don't try this at home, call an Electrician. By the way when connecting a two wire cord, one of the separated wires has some kind of marking on it, that would connect to the silver, (neutral) screw.