How can I use a 16A appliance in a UK 13A socket?

Question

I have recently moved from India to the UK and carried a Philips air fryer with me. The plug on this appliance is marked 16A 250V. Wattage is 1425. The UK house I have moved into has standard 13A sockets. Is there any way to use this appliance?

Addition after reading your answers - thanks for the replies. seems like this appliance can be used after all. I'm not too comfortable cutting into the power cord and replacing the fused plug. Do you think this product will work? http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/13a-16a-fly-lead-converter-13a-plug-to-16a-socket.html it says it's used for hooking up caravans to household mains but it seems the end purpose is the same i.e. plugging 16A into a 13A source?

Answer 1

According to my calculator 1425 watts at 240V is 6 amps, well within the 13-amp limit.

Are the round-pin 16 amp plugs standard in kitchens in India? If yes, that's probably why it has that particular connector. You should be able to get a 13-amp fused plug at any hardware store.

Answer 2

I have recently moved from India to the UK and carried a Philips air fryer with me. The plug on this appliance is marked 16A 250V. Wattage is 1425.

The marking on the plug is the current rating for the plug, not the current the appliance will draw. 1425W is just under 6A so it should be fine to use the appliance on a 13A UK socket.

Sometimes you do find appliances (especially ovens) that draw a bit more than 13A and can therefore be a PITA to connect safely in the UK but it doesn't seem your case is one of them.

I'm not too comfortable cutting into the power cord and replacing the fused plug.

My advice would be to change the plug, it's really not difficult and more plugs and sockets in the chain mean more things to go wrong.

Do you think this product will work? http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/13a-16a-fly-lead-converter-13a-plug-to-16a-socket.html it says it's used for hooking up caravans to household mains but it seems the end purpose is the same i.e. plugging 16A into a 13A source?

The link is broken but a cable sold as an adpaptor for caravans is almost certainly NOT the correct adaptor for your needs.

There are many different types of plug in the world. Just because two plugs have the same current rating as each other does not mean they are compatible with each other.

The indian and south african 16A plugs are equivilent to the 15A BS546 plug¹. In this UK this plug is mostly used for stage lighting. Stage lighting suppliers will be able to aupply an adaptor cable ( http://shopwl.com/13a-to-15a-adapter/ ) but they don't seem very cheap (I did spot a used one on ebay for £5 but I won't bother linking it because ebay links go stale really quickly).

Caravans use a totally different type of plug, the 16A blue IP44 single phase IEC60309 connector (often reffered to be UK electricans as a "CEEFORM").

For the beneit of other people reading this question note that the 16A "SCHUKO" plugs used in mainland Europe are different from both of the above types.

¹ Similarly the indian and south african 6A plugs are equivilent to the 5A BS546 plug.

Answer 3

Fitting a plug to a appliance is simple, all you need is a screwdriver to remove the old plug unless it is a molded on item then you just cut the old one off strip the wires to length and fit the new one. My son at age 8 could do it with no problem.

Just because the old plug was a 16 amp one does not mean you need a 16 amp supply. If the device requires 1425 Watts on a 240 volt supply it would be using 6 amps. In the UK we only use 240 volt 13 amp plugs and sockets no matter how much power is required, even a small led desk top light which uses 200 mW (0.2 watts) still uses a 13 amp plug.

The markings on the plugs are the maximum that the plug can handle. The only other supply fitted in UK homes is a 30 amp supply for electric cookers and they have to be wired direct to the outlet without any plug or socket.

Answer 4

You want a World Plug Type G (Plug) to Type M (Socket) Adaptor, and it will be fine to use.

The best option would be to get a UK Kettle Cord, with the end to match your fryer.

I tried a number of searches for the Philips UK listed replacement power cord but no success. I would expect it to be a common cord there.

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Ah, for the UK we are speaking of the always popular B 1363 (World Plug Type G, Rated 13 Amps)

In India the Plug is the BS 546 (World Plug Type M, Rated 15 Amps)

Philips air fryer 1425 Watts Global ( 6-6,5 Amps @ 220-240 Volts)

Answer 5

we do have the BS546 system here in the uk what goes upto 15a, if you wanted you could get an electrican to install a 15a bs546 socket in your kitchen as if the cable is rated for 16amps you coud probarbly get away with having a 15amp bs546 socket as if you had a short the fuse should trip at your consumer unit before you have a melted mess of cable and/or fire!, make sure you rewire to a 15a plug as the pins maybe slightly bigger as we differnt sizes of plugs and sockets for the maximum aperage on the 546 system so you know what amp socket you have, heres a link to a 15 amp socket and plug,

socket: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BG899.html?source=adwords&ad_position=&ad_id=315107931576&placement=&kw=&network=u&matchtype=&ad_type=&product_id=BG899&product_partition_id=303574709739&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=Cj0KCQiAw4jvBRCJARIsAHYewPP0aaD1QYFBwIL90XSdfoXuiidgFUwwEc_X7CvL0dG2suZlB3xMHv8aAmurEALw_wcB

plug: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLPT15.html just so you know the plugs are unfused so your only protection is the fuse board/consumer unit make sure your electrician installs a MCB as if you get a short circuit it will trip you can only get a 16a MCB which should be fine but do check with your electrican first as i'm no expert in this feild and if you dont know this allready its the amps what kills you not the volts! just so you know if you do take my advice and it goes wrong i cant take any responsibillity, as common sense should be taken.