Doh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a simple one for you guys!

[Flyingdogguitar]

Hi guys and girls,
re-arranging my guitar stuff upstairs. Unplugged the Boss guitar effects processor, and for the life of me I cannot remember wich way the plug goes back together? The adaptor cost over £30 and I dont want to blow it! looked for give away symbols on the plug etc :-( can the twp pin go in either way?

Yours hopefully
Dave

 

[JimB]

Nice photo, but I am not sure exactly what it is showing me, I must lead a sheltered existance.

Is this some kind of adapter to allow a two pin plug to connect to a standard UK 13 amp socket?
If the answer is yes, then it does not matter way round the two pin plug is inserted into the adapter.

JimB

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Yes Jim, it's an adaptor for a European two pin plug - lot's of equipment comes with them as standard (often with a security screw so you can't remove it!) - I saved dozens of them when we threw out a big pile of old Sony VCR's

As you said, the polarity doesn't make any difference - either way is fine.

 

[picbits]

I'll second JimB's observation - it looks like a euro plug to UK plug adapter so either way round should work fine.

 

[JimB]

OOO Kay...

Why not just chop off the two pin plug an fit a standard UK 13 amp plug (BSxxx cant remember the number)?
Not forgetting to fit a 3 Amp fuse, the same as the adapter.

JimB

PS just looked at one, the standard for a UK 13 Amp plug is BS1363.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Why not just chop off the two pin plug an fit a standard UK 13 amp plug (BSxxx cant remember the number)?

What would be the point?, he's already got the exact correct item which will take a couple of seconds to refit - the only question is why on earth did he remove it?

 

[JimB]

What would be the point?

I guess that all depends on the starting point.
At some point in the space-time continuum, there would have just been a cable with a two pin plug.
A decision is made to convert to a BS1363 plug, so why not just fit a BS1363, why fit this extra converter?

If however you are starting at the point where the converter has been fitted and works successfully, then yes, continue to use it.

JimB

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I guess that all depends on the starting point.
At some point in the space-time continuum, there would have just been a cable with a two pin plug.
A decision is made to convert to a BS1363 plug, so why not just fit a BS1363, why fit this extra converter?

Because it's the standard method often used by the manufacturers, and like I said initially, very often they are fastened on with a security screw so you can't easily remove them.

The adaptor obviously maintains the factory fitted moulded plug, so also avoids the possibility of poor wiring.

 

[flat5]

He may need plug flexibility. If he is a traveling musician he will meet a few kinds of power sockets.

 

[Diver300]

Quite a lot of equipment sold in the UK has one of those on it. Using that allows manufacturers to have the same item for anywhere in Europe, and easily add the adaptor for the UK. The adaptor can be fitted by unskilled labour, as it is fairly well impossible to get wrong. If they bought leads with moulded-on UK plugs, they would have to get them fitted at manufacture and loose the flexibility to sell anywhere in Europe.

The tamper-proof screws are just a pain in the neck. There is no requirement to fit plugs with tamper-proof screws. Most UK 4 - way adaptors (translation into American ... "powerstrip") arrive with rewireable plugs that can be opened with a screwdriver.