# am i ok now?



## philbre (Nov 13, 2008)

in spanish campsite i plugged in my 3pin plug into a spanish 2 pin adaptor in order to get electricity to my camper

i know, retrospectively not wise

it lasted 3weeks until the 3pin melted the 2pin adaptor

my cure was this....................

i removed the 3 pin plug & replaced it with a spanish 2pin plug

the spanish plug accepted all 3 wires & didnt appear to have a fuse

what do you think?

the campsite offers a max 5amps & 1150W

all im concerned about is that my portable air con, 850W and my fridge, ?W remain working without burning the place down

Phil


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

The reason the adaptor melted was simply because the connection between it and the plug and socket were poor.

Nothing to do with the fact it was 3-pin down to 2-pin (although that does pose a different risk).

Poor mating of contacts introduce resistance.

Current though that resistance produces heat - that's what a heater is!

The higher the current and/or higher the resistance - the higher the heating effect (sort of simplified Herr Ohm).

It is always worth periodically feeling plugs and sockets that are carrying a lot of juice to see if they are warm.

Even the UK 13A plug and socket can suffer - I have seen many burnt out.

Make sure that you have really tightened the screws that hold the wires into the pins and check to see if they get warm after a while.


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## philbre (Nov 13, 2008)

pippin said:


> The reason the adaptor melted was simply because the connection between it and the plug and socket were poor.
> 
> Nothing to do with the fact it was 3-pin down to 2-pin (although that does pose a different risk).
> 
> ...


thanx pippin but my Q was 'am i safe'

i wont hold u responsible, dont worry!!!!!!!!!!!

my sleep is at risk here.....


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Yes you are safe!

Allegedly - E&OE!!

I don't quite understand how you can say that the Spanish *two* pin plug accepts *three* wires!

That makes it a three pin plug!

Do you have one of those handy 3 pin plug tester things?

Plugged into a UK 3 pin socket in your van would give you peace of mind.


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## philbre (Nov 13, 2008)

pippin said:


> Yes you are safe!
> 
> Allegedly - E&OE!!
> 
> ...


it IS a 2 pin plug & yes it did accept all 3 wires

& NO i dont have 3pin plug tester thingy im afraid


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I think what Phil is saying is that Spanish plugs have two 'prongs' and the earth wire is attached to two metal strips which run down the side of the plug which is circular.


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## MarineMick (Nov 9, 2006)

*Pins*

They call that sort of plug two pin side earth. When I started wiring first that was the standard new fit. The reason it was phased out was you could rotate it and get polarity wrong. Funnily enough now so many things these days are polarity indifferent we could go back to it.


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