Soldering Iron Plug

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RedDragon
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Soldering Iron Plug

Postby RedDragon » Sat Apr 02, 2016 7:22 pm

I am planning to purchase a new Temperature Controlled Soldering Iron in the next few weeks.

I particularly like the look and more importantly specification of the Ersa RDS80 iron, it has 3 pre sets for temperature and a not too bulky iron. The unit being available from RS/Farnell etc at reasonable prices

My concern is that the unit comes with a moulded on 2 pin Euro plug and I am not sure if this is compatible/safe to use with a shaver type adaptor (Euro two pin to UK three pin). The alternatic being to cut the two pin Euro plug of the mains cable and wire it into a standard UK 3 pin plug and if it is safe to do this what amperage fuse should I use (13 amp or smaller)?

Any advice the electronics boffins on here could give me would be much appreciated.

Thanks, SteveT

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sat Apr 02, 2016 7:29 pm

Just use the adapter, no advantage in a 3 pin plug as the cable will only have two wires. The adapter should have a suitable fuse, a 3 amp one would be fine.
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Keith
Grovenor Sidings

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ChrisMitchell
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby ChrisMitchell » Sat Apr 02, 2016 8:34 pm

If you are not so happy with a shaving adaptor you can also use a three pin plug which clamps around the 2 pin Euro pug. For example ( or similar)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SMJ-PAEUPC-Perm ... in+adapter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... r&_sacat=0

I recently moved back from Europe and bought a pile of these type of adaptors to use on my TV as and electronics etc

Chris

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Tim V
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby Tim V » Sun Apr 03, 2016 6:52 am

I would agree with Chris, I believe shaver adapters have a 1 amp fuse, and won't run your soldering iron.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)

Albert Hall
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby Albert Hall » Sun Apr 03, 2016 7:46 am

On the unit's information plate there should be a symbol which is a small square inside a larger one. This indicates a type II portable or hand held appliance whereby all internal electrical connections linked to mains voltage are double insulated from any exposed metalwork and therefore it does not need to be earthed. The two pin plug is fine with a 3 amp fuse in the shaver adapter. If you check your household appliances I'm sure you will find at least one with this symbol e.g my TV, DVD player and power drill all have one. My iron and toaster do not so they have 3-pin plugs with the earth wire connected.

Alan Turner
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby Alan Turner » Sun Apr 03, 2016 7:57 am

Shaver adapters are for shavers. Use a proper converter plug.

Regards

Alan

dal-t
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby dal-t » Sun Apr 03, 2016 9:20 am

What Alan said, but amplified - although both are two-pin, a shaver plug and Europlug are not identical (shaver pins parallel, 5.1mm, and rigid, Euro converging, 4mm, flexible). Some wall (shaver) sockets accept both, some 2-to-3 pin adapters definitely don't (my Minidrill was bought in Germany with a Europlug, and when living in UK it took me years to understand why it kept falling out of my 'adapter' ...).
David L-T

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 11:21 am

What Steve mentioned was
shaver type adaptor (Euro two pin to UK three pin).
I would take the bit in brackets as definitive, ie a Euro adapter, rather than specifically a "shaver adapter" The adapters sold for the purpose will be fine, as will the alternative type suggested by Chris.
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Keith
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junctionmad

Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby junctionmad » Sun Apr 03, 2016 12:54 pm

Cut it off and connect up a 3amp fused standard 3 pin plug

dal-t
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby dal-t » Sun Apr 03, 2016 5:30 pm

BTW, isn't it illegal for a supplier in the UK to offer for sale an appliance that isn't a shaver or toothbrush with a non-standard (BS 1363) plug? You may find that despite what it says in the catalogue, the station actually comes with a 3-pin, so the seller stays within the law.
David L-T

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ChrisMitchell
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby ChrisMitchell » Mon Apr 04, 2016 5:45 pm

Following on from David's comment, the compressor I bought for my airbrush did indeed come fitted with a 3 pin conversion plug fitted. That's actually why I knew to look for the adaptor plugs I mentioned in my previous message.

Chris

Brian T
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Re: Soldering Iron Plug

Postby Brian T » Sun May 29, 2016 8:15 am

junctionmad wrote:Cut it off and connect up a 3amp fused standard 3 pin plug

This may give reason for the supplier to invalidate the warranty though
HTH
Brian


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