Help req'd to find a plug for this socket

cygnusv said:
Just bought a cheap generator and as you can see the plug required is different to the UK plug. I need to make an adaptor but need to know exactly which plug fits this first.
Any help much appreciated. Stu
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Might be worth bearing in mind Schuko is unpolarised, so double pole breaker best fitted.
 
cygnusv said:
Just bought a cheap generator and as you can see the plug required is different to the UK plug. I need to make an adaptor but need to know exactly which plug fits this first.
Any help much appreciated. Stu
46947-bfd881cef21509a22d57e31c9850dcf4.jpg
Click to expand...

Beware if that is non polarized (i.e. reversible)Iif so it should not be used with appliances designed for UK use. They must have double pole switching or double pole circuit breakers not as is the usual UK standard of single pole switches and a fuse only on the line conductor. Or your "cheap" generator could prove very costly.
 
VicS said:
Beware if that is non polarized (i.e. reversible)Iif so it should not be used with appliances designed for UK use. They must have double pole switching or double pole circuit breakers not as is the usual UK standard of single pole switches and a fuse only on the line conductor. Or your "cheap" generator could prove very costly.
Click to expand...

The only difference with most appliances is different leads with country specific plugs, many come with a UK and a Euro plug.
 
VicS said:
Beware if that is non polarized (i.e. reversible)Iif so it should not be used with appliances designed for UK use. They must have double pole switching or double pole circuit breakers not as is the usual UK standard of single pole switches and a fuse only on the line conductor. Or your "cheap" generator could prove very costly.
Click to expand...

Genuine question, as my electrical theory can be a little hazy, but when the same generator is sold in the UK (as I'm sure it is), how would the three-pin socket be wired differently to the Schuko one?

The generator uses the power of its engine to push the "live" and "neutral" pins 240v apart from each other, but with no connection to earth (as suitcase generators typically don't) how does it relate either of them to ground? How does it make the "neutral" neutral and the "live" 240v (RMS) above and below it? Seems to me that both will simply float, waving up and down past each other with 240v (on average) between them, and no particular relationship to earth. Exactly the same situation as with the Schuko plug.

VicS said:
appliances designed for UK use
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Fortunately I suspect that very few of those exist in modern times, since most are made in China for a global market, and even those designed and built here will have ambitions for overseas sales.

Pete
 
Pete

I have just installed a 20 Kva generator at home due to our power cuts

Our basic electrical system is the same as the UK where the neutral is defined by a line to earth connection at the supply transformer.

Like the UK we have a RCD in the supply line so when I run the house on my generator I ensure the one of the generator supply lines is connected to the earth pin on the output socket of my generator.

This is then creating a live and neutral and the supply from a mains supply transformer.

I have also done this on the 1.2 Kva generator on my boat. The inverter on my boat is not a centre tapped inverter so I have also done the same with that supply device.

With the OP's socket I would have a converter as others have posted and do the link s above but also glue of fix permanently the adaptor so it cannot be removed or reversed.
 
Rogershaw said:
With the OP's socket I would have a converter as others have posted and do the link s above but also glue of fix permanently the adaptor so it cannot be removed or reversed.
Click to expand...

Our Honda generator purchased in EU also has the Euro socket. I just don't bother about which way it's connected, just plug it into the shore power socket. 50% chance of reverse polarity, same when in the boatyard. Everything works fine.
 
Graham376 said:
Our Honda generator purchased in EU also has the Euro socket. I just don't bother about which way it's connected, just plug it into the shore power socket. 50% chance of reverse polarity, same when in the boatyard. Everything works fine.
Click to expand...

Until a live to metal case of an appliance happens and makes the appliance case live and you touch it.

If a proper neutral /earth connection at the generator is made if a live to earth should occur the RCD will trip saving your life.

I did this on my pre EU Honda generator and when I dropped my electric drill in the sea the RCD tripped.
 
JBJag27 said:
It looks like a normal EU travel adapter should work.
Click to expand...
Travel adaptors are often not rated at a whole lot of Amps.

I expect loads of people have the odd lead that came with a PC or something that fits?
I think I have a pillar drill with a schuko plug, I need to use an adaptor with it.
 
cygnusv said:
This generator is rated at 6kw and has 3 x 220 vac outputs, 1 x 360 volts iirc and 1x 12 volt output.
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My generator has 3 x 16 amp outlets.

The next model, same Kva but also had 380 Vac which would be 3 phase.

In my case the 3 x 230 V 16 amp could be one socket from each phase so you cannot connect all the 3 x 16 amp together to get a larger current rated.

Yours could be the same just be careful
 
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