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As above I want to re-wire a table lamp I got sent from Ireland which has a 2 pin plug. I've snipped the wire and it has two wires inside so I could put a 3 pin on but it wouldn't have an earth. Will it explode taking the whole street with it?
No, it'll be fine.
You need an earth wire when you've got metal casings on appliances; the earth wire provides a preferred path to ground for a fault which results in the casing becoming live (ie, a preferred path to that path being 'you'). On appliances without exposed metalwork, an earth wire isn't necessary as there's no risk of shock from earth leakage.
ObDisclaimer, I Am Not An Electrician. I accept no responsibility for your death or the accidental loss of your street.
For future reference, you need these:
[url= http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41uqsXn0XoL._SL500_AA300_.jp g" target="_blank">
Andy
^ but as you'll see with that adaptor - the 'earth' pin is plastic and is doing nothing other than opening the socket for the other two pins. So there'll only be a small explosion, most of the street will be unscathed, theres only that woman with the cats and the guy who everyone reckons is an internet stalker within the blast zone so don't worry.
the 'earth' pin is plastic and is doing nothing other than opening the socket for the other two pins.
I am sure I've a number of appliances that came with wired on plugs with plastic earth pins. Not everything needs to be earthed.
Andy
Thanks very much for the reassurance, those two had it coming anyway.
's a point actually. A 99p shaver adapter would probably suffice.
if you buy a new table lamp from B&Q you'll probably find that only the live & neutral are wired anyway.
from recent experience (been there 4 times since March, going again tomorrow am) Ireland has the same 13A square pin plugs as UK so if it was a 2 pin plug, it was probably a shaver type plug and a shaver adaptor plug would have been fine.
but now you've cut it off, you should be able to simply fit a standard UK plug. bRown - Right, bLue - Left*.
*disclaimer for numpties.
This is with the plug viewed from above with the cable going in at the bottom. If you've got it rotated so that the cable is not going in at the bottom, rotate it until it is, then the Right/Left rule applies. Not that it really matters for a table lamp, not exactly directional is it?
It's strange you mention it comes from Ireland as we / they use the exact same plugs / volts etc as the UK. Has somebody you know been on holidays recently?
Anyway - to me - if there's no earth wire in an appliance - it doesn't need one. So just a normal plug with the two wires is fine.
Also consider the potential overload of a device produced to work on 110 volts whereas we use 240 volts.
Whoops didn't see the bit about Ireland. Scratch last post.
Thanks all, I think the Irish buyer of the lamp may have got it abroad and I had to cut the wire anyway as I'm feeding the lead through a small whole in a cupboard.
Now wired up and shining bright.
If you look in some commercial buildings/big pubs etc you'll often see two-pin sockets and plugs. Do you know if your lamp is legit?
If you look in some commercial buildings/big pubs etc you'll often see two-pin sockets and plugs. Do you know if your lamp is legit?
Are those not plugs for lighting circuits, rather than being Euro plugs?
Hijack
I've just bought a uk sourced retro industrial lampshade ( metal ) which has been rewired with new cable the 3 strand variety.
Replacing the original lamp at the ceiling rose I noticed that it had only got two wires...?
My father who was with me at the time ( yep blaming him ) said just don't use the 3rd wire... Is this correct?
Light works fine just worried now after Reading above comments ???
Yes, but the OP's lamp may have been one of these, though can't be sure without comparison.
Sorry so the way ive wired it is ok ??
You need to press the switch and make three further tests.
1) did the light come on?
2) did all the other lights in the house stay on?
3) did you die?
If the answer to any of these tests is "no", then it's not ok.
HTH.
Do it nigerian style......
Pen lid in the earth of the socket
2 prong plug forced into the other 2 holes....
Dodgier than a string bag of fish and oh so common
Concerned about the comments regarding 'metal needs earth'comments 😥
See, now this is why I stuck with gas lighting! 
trail_rat - I've done that a few times. I assumed it was dodgy but why?
2 pin plug wired into 3 pin plug, possible?
It depends if the lamp is class 0, class 01, class I or class II.
[url] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appliance_classes [/url]
If it's class II it'll be safe. Class II symbol is a square inside a square.
Did the sparks not give it away ....
Ne of our lads did it with a dewalt charger , turned out to be 110v . Bang and smoke....and the other lad in the office was going bananas
No sparks when I did it. It was a 240v appliance though.