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Converting US/EU to UK plug

frood42

Apr 26, 2018
3
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Apr 26, 2018
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I'm shopping on one of the cheap Chinese websites for a replacement hot glue gun.
I've found a site that sells them for a ridiculously cheap price but they come with US and/or EU plugs.
The site also sells the same product with UK plugs fitted but with a higher cost.

I'm making an assumption (maybe a big one o_O ) that a cheap, simple, mass produced item such as a hot glue gun manufactured in somewhere like China is not likely to be earthed.
So would I be able to simply purchase one with a US or EU plug snip it off and wire on a UK plug? Or am I likely to quickly have a fire hazard (quite literally) on my hands.

I wouldn't consider doing this for any other electrical item but my thought process was that this was such a simple product, (I'm guessing it's just a heating element in there) that it might be possible to simply swap plugs.gluegun.png
 

WHONOES

May 20, 2017
1,217
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May 20, 2017
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1,217
If it is made for the US market it will be designed to run at 110 to 115V so will not be suitable for the UK. A model suitable for the EU would be OK and as you surmise, you could replace the plug with the superior UK type.
They are not usually earthed as there no external metallic parts that could become live.
 

frood42

Apr 26, 2018
3
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
3
Excellent.
Thank you for the prompt reply. I'll compare the EU and UK priced models.
 

duke37

Jan 9, 2011
5,364
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Jan 9, 2011
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5,364
I have a hot glue gun which appears to be temperature controlled with a thermister. The voltage rating encompasses 120V and 240V. If yours is the same then swapping plugs would be OK,
 
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