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Thread: NZ 240V wall plug.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Warrington..'till 6th Jan 2008
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    Default NZ 240V wall plug.

    Just what does an NZ 240v plug actually look like?
    And can you get 'em anywhere in the UK?

    Cheers

    Gareth

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    490

    Default

    The plug or the plate? The plugs on the ends of electrical cords are three prong - one cylindrical prong and two flat prongs - the three prongs are triangulated (each are a point on an imaginary eqilateral triangle) - the flat prongs are not paralell to each other but instead are angled with the tops of the flat prongs closest to each other and the bottoms (closest to the cylindrical prong) are angled out.

    Wall plate/outlet matches but most (all?) seem to have an on/off switch for each plug at the plate.

    How's that for a verbal description! Might be best if someone can forward a digital photo!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Stonefields, Auckland
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    Not sure about the "cylindrical" prong?? All ours here are flat!

    If you get them in the UK they will be expensive! Best bet is to find someone who is coming back and ask them to put a pack of them in the suitcase if you really want some before you come out.

    Neil

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    North Canterbury to UK
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    Default

    Our removal company asked us to de-plug all our appliances as they are easy to pack and you soon get the hang of wacking a new one on

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    Auckland, from Edinburgh
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    Default

    There's an article on Wikipedia about plugs (of course!) The photo shows a standard wall socket, the plugs are usually cylindrical and unfused. The rating is 10 amps as opposed to the UKs 13 amps. See also here

    Dougie

  6. #6
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    Nov 2007
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    Default

    Thanks Dougie,
    That's exactly what I was needing.

    Isn't it a bit iffy though, running 240V devices with no inline live side fuses?
    And are the ring outlets only rated at 10amp max?

    I might just bring a shed load of 4-way blocks and stick an NZ plug on the end of each of them...at least that way I can retain my socket fuses.

    OK if the power cords aren't fused then what type of consumer unit fuse devices are used in NZ, cartridge, ELCB's, other types of trip devices, etc?

    Cheers

    Gareth

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    4,455

    Default

    You may find this thread interesting:- NZ Electrical Plugs

    Most electrical products are actually internally fused now anyway, so not as much of an issue as it might seem. Yes the ring mains is rated at 10A.

    Our electrical supply is protected by Residual Current Detection instead of fuses - don't know if this is normal though?

    As recommended previously, definitely get some mult-way adapters as it saves changing so many plugs and sometimes it isn't possible to change them.

    One anoying thing with the plugs in NZ is that you can buy different types which may not fit together in a dual socket i.e. you already have something plugged in and want to plug in something else as well but it won't physically fit due to a different shape.

    A point about 'de-plugging', you need to watch the removals men when they come to pack you electrical items as the ones we had started to cut all the plugs off without asking first. You may not want them to do this?

    Ian

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Warrington..'till 6th Jan 2008
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    Thanks Ian,
    Good link.
    The way they wire up reminds me of the old round Bulgin plugs from the 60's and 70's as found on many guitar amps of that time which, under modern UK legislation, have been downgraded to 50v in stead of 250v.

    Cheers

    Gareth

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Whitby, Wellington
    Posts
    25

    Default Top tip on NZ Plugs

    Hi, we moved out recently and offer the following advice. Plugs are relatively easy to get hold of and therefore all your applicance which have bog-standard UK plugs on are easy to replace. HOWEVER, it was only when we got here did we realised how many items had a transformer in the plug. For example - mobile phone charger, landline phone base units, PC radio mouse, dust-buster. So its worth getting a few (we had 4 and probably would have brought 6-8) 4-bank UK extension leads. Certainly in the first few days you do not want to be changing endless plugs (there are bigger things to worry about). You can change one plug and get 4 UK sockets, remembering not to run off kettles etc from the sockets.

    Another point - don't get the 2x2 version get the "straight 4" because the way the extension sockets are arranged on the 2x2 versions some plug/transformers are built means that sometimes only 2 sockets are accessable.

    One other point, the NZ bathrooms don't generally have the 2 pin "shaver" sockets in them. The sockets are RCD protected standard mains sockets. Therefore it is worth bringing a couple (at least) of the "international" adaptors with you. (they can also be used on the UK extension leads before you change those plugs)

    Hope the helps.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
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    Chester>Leeds>Scotland>Waikato
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    Default

    You got in before PECJ. We did exactly that (we brought about 10 UK extenstion leads/power bars - we had loads in UK and they just got packed without really thinking about it). I think we added it to the list of recommended items to bring in luggage from UK to save a lot of hassle for exactly this reason (another thread somewhere). iPod chargers, cordless phone docking stations, loads of things have transformers built into plugs which are a real pain in the **** to use with a converter.

    Anyway, the above works a treat - one in each kids room for charging nintendo DS's, as another example.

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