I recently purchased a new microwave and it has arrived with a European 2 pin plug which states on it 16A 250V. The microwave panel and instructions both state 230V. How can I safely use this on our UK 3 plan plug sockets? I have seen videos cutting off the plug and re-wiring a UK plug to it. But I worry this would void any warranty.
3 Answers
It's against all regulations to sell anything electrical in the UK without the correct plug.
Send it back.
You can't just change the plug yourself because a microwave must be earthed.
If you bought it from Amazon, eBay etc report the seller.
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You could buy a good quality adaptor to plug the European plug into a UK outlet. Make sure it has a 13A fuse fitted, and that it uses the earth connection.
Avoid all cheap travel adaptors, especially the universal types that will allow you to plug in any plug from anywhere in the World.
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Assuming sending it back isn't an option, you would need to use a suitable adapter, which is rated for carrying the current the microwave would take. Most travel adapters are not rated for carrying many amps, but other extensions are:
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
(by no means an endorsement of these specific products)
Another option is to buy a trailing socket of a suitable type (eg the 4-way Schuko lead shown here), cut off the plug, and attach a UK plug to it. This is often cheaper if you can pick one up when in a country that uses the Schuko plugs.
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