American plugs

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Hi

I recently bought an electronic device from the USA. It came with an
American plug. It is only 7.5 watts. I live in the UK so I need a step
down transformer and plug adapter to enable me to plug it in over
here. I bought a transformer to do this but my device still doesn't
work.

The only thing I can think of (besides faulty equipment) is that there
is a problem because the device I'm trying to plug in has a 2 pin
American plug but the adapter has a 3 pin socket.

I was wondering if people know whether you can just plug 2 pin
American plugs into 3 pin plug sockets. I presume so but I have a
problem. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

 

[RICHARD GRISE]

There is no problem plugging a 2-prong American plug into a
3-prong American socket. The third prong is just earth, which
we call ground over here, and can be ignored. So there's some
other reason that your two adapters aren't working together.
It'd probably be simplest to just get a local wall wart for your
line voltage that's rated for the output your equipment needs.

Or you could check with the guy at the store where you got
your step-down adapter. Bring the wall wart along.

Good Luck!
Rich

 

[Robert Baer]

Hi

I recently bought an electronic device from the USA. It came with an
American plug. It is only 7.5 watts. I live in the UK so I need a step
down transformer and plug adapter to enable me to plug it in over
here. I bought a transformer to do this but my device still doesn't
work.

The only thing I can think of (besides faulty equipment) is that there
is a problem because the device I'm trying to plug in has a 2 pin
American plug but the adapter has a 3 pin socket.

I was wondering if people know whether you can just plug 2 pin
American plugs into 3 pin plug sockets. I presume so but I have a
problem. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

You do give enough info about that "adaptor".
Ther are two types:
1) an actual transformer, good for shavers and other small loads; OK for
what you state.
2) a smaller, lighter "converter" for irons heaters, and other
*resistive* loads.
This last type could well ruin any transformer powered device, and in
fact, reduces the ovreall reliability and lifetime of even resistive
loads mentioned.
Why? simply, the intermittent flowing current tends to make the
heaters vibrate more than normal which creates more stress than hot
metal (the heater element) can withstand for a long time.
Furthermore, the temperature of the heating element will cycle more
due to the on/off nature of the power.
And note that 240V is a severe over-stress to 120V rated heaters.