# Mains electricity tripped out - alarm to warn you?



## FoweyBoy (Dec 7, 2006)

I managed to trip out my mains electricity during the night thanks to rain getting into the EHU lead. Luckily I woke up and spotted the fridge mains light was off.

We keep medicines in the fridge which must be kept cool.

Does anyone know if you can buy a battery powered alarm that would trigger if the mains supply failed?


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes. B&Q and other DIY stores carried them. Alarm Plug I think it was called.

Ray.


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## FoweyBoy (Dec 7, 2006)

Found this one for £55! seems a lot to pay.

http://www.alphahatch.com/intelec-power-alarm-plug-ah654120-97-p.asp


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

They are out there. In fact I have one buried in my shed.
But here is another US one......................

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/POWER-OUT...317?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d1cfe14d

Ray.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

This one on ebay, but you would need to fit a uk plug. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Home-Offi...-/300834336647?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item460b1faf87

Ian


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

Sadly, the DIY sheds no longer carry them. I ended up buying one from ebay and changing the plug. It is 220v, even though it has a US-type plug:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Home-Offi...-/300834336647?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item460b1faf87

If you can wait for it to come from Hong Kong, it does the job.

Colin


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## csmcqueen (May 12, 2010)

camallison said:


> Sadly, the DIY sheds no longer carry them. I ended up buying one from ebay and changing the plug. It is 220v, even though it has a US-type plug:
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Home-Offi...-/300834336647?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item460b1faf87
> 
> ...


I was just going post, why not buy the bits from maplin and make one but at that price its not worth it, its easier to buy one of them and either wire it in or fit a uk plug :lol:


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## holeshole (Mar 20, 2010)

No need to change the plug, just use an adaptor. You've then got the means to power any other odd bit of kit that has the same plug.

Alan


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Found it at last. Knew it was there. But it's gone a little yellow now after being 10 or 12 years at the bottom of a box. Ray.


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

raynipper said:


> Found it at last. Knew it was there. But it's gone a little yellow now after being 10 or 12 years at the bottom of a box. Ray.


No longer made Ray - I had one, but it got thrown out in the last move.

Colin


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

camallison said:


> Sadly, the DIY sheds no longer carry them. I ended up buying one from ebay and changing the plug. It is 220v, even though it has a US-type plug:
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Home-Offi...-/300834336647?pt=UK_CCTV&hash=item460b1faf87
> 
> ...


Olley beat me to it - I had to go and answer the door and got sidetracked before I came back and pressed "submit".

Colin


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

camallison said:


> raynipper said:
> 
> 
> > Found it at last. Knew it was there. But it's gone a little yellow now after being 10 or 12 years at the bottom of a box. Ray.
> ...


Thrown out Colin.????? You made of money.??? Probably worth a fortune on e-bay.... 

Ray.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

No longer considered safe to use - it doesn't have the part-insulated pins.


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## FoweyBoy (Dec 7, 2006)

Thanks chaps. I found the more expensive one on Ebay, but despite searching using various words completely missed the cheaper one two of you found. Failing any other suggestions I will order one from Ebay.


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

Don't forget that even medication will be fine for up to 24 hours in a fridge which is not open. When you do open the fridge you'll surely notice the light doesn't come on and therefore there is a power problem!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

pippin said:


> No longer considered safe to use - it doesn't have the part-insulated pins.


Jobsworth......... :twisted: :evil:

Ray.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

This is the one I bought...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Computer-...sories_Anti_Theft_Devices&hash=item53f3551fc1

Bargain of the century! In fact I bought two - one for the m/home and one for the freezer downstairs in the laundry room - it once tripped out the electrics and we didn't realise. We do now!!

They work using a PP3 9 volt battery. And forget about a plug... wire it directly in to a fused circuit.

They took just over a week to arrive from the Far East.


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

Bazbro said:


> This is the one I bought...
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Computer-...sories_Anti_Theft_Devices&hash=item53f3551fc1
> 
> Bargain of the century! In fact I bought two - one for the m/home and one for the freezer downstairs in the laundry room - it once tripped out the electrics and we didn't realise. We do now!!
> ...


How does that work? His fridge doesn't have a USB port. The only way that might work is if you plug it into a USB power supply that is itself plugged into the mains.

Colin


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

raynipper said:


> camallison said:
> 
> 
> > raynipper said:
> ...


Not made of money Ray, but we have recently downsized severely and, much as it hurt, a lot of my "could come in useful" box was dumped at the recycling centre. The casing was also damaged and I wouldn't have been happy even giving it away.

Colin


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Oh Colin, know what you mean and dread the day we have to move.
We are both 'magpies' and see a value in almost everything. But our present spacious home in Normandy is stacked with 'Come in Handy' stuff. One day when we can't manage it all we will have to not only downsize but probably move back to UK. A double difficulty.

I'm hanging onto all my old 13 amp plug tops and adaptors even if they are yellow and not to the latest design.

Ray.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Colin, my sincerest apologies - this is not the link that I meant to post! Yes, you can just plug this into a mains/USB charger (itself plugged into your mains) for it to do exactly the job you want. Mains/USB chargers are cheap-as-chips on the internet, so for around a fiver, you could get this doing just what you want.

The link that I meant to post is an item identical to the one that 'olley' suggested. Mine were from the same supplier as the one I posted except (a) they are mains-supply operated and (b) were only 2 or 3 quid each. I've looked and they don't seem to sell them now. In my hurry, I thought the one I posted was it - d'oh! My advice would be to order the one that 'olley' suggested - it's identical to mine, still a good price and I can highly recommend them. OR buy a cheap mains/USB charger, then do the same.

The one 'olley' suggests (and mine) merely either plug into your mains supply, or are permanently connected into your mains wiring (via a switched fused spur). It then monitors the mains electricity - all the time the electricity is 'on', it's happy. BUT as soon as the supply is interrupted, it sounds the alarm. Simples!


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

If the light is still on in the fridge, it doesn't mean you have mains power, at least on our van. The fridge light comes from the 12v circuit on the leisure battery.

Provided you don't open the fridge, it will stay cool for a long time. But if you're really worried, just run the fridge on gas (make sure you don't run out of gas!)


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## FoweyBoy (Dec 7, 2006)

Bought this one

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380559026219?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

for £2.78. Took 2 weeks to arrive from China. No English instructions, but only has an on/off switch. The 2 flat pin plug (USA?) fits in a 2 pin shaver type adaptor. Very loud alarm - seems to be a mini-siren. as you switch it off it slowly dies down as though there is a little electric motor driving it.

Ideal for the task of warning if the mains power trips out or goes off.


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