Electrical Advice Please Are all US-UK plug adaptors suitable?

RealGem

Would it be ok to use a US-UK plug adaptor that came with a 9-12V device on a 120V device that also has a US plug?
If not, is a regular US-UK travel adaptor ok?

Thank you

Neil_Jones

What device are you trying to use?

RealGem

Neil_Jones said:

What device are you trying to use?

120V speakers

lammy82

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

RealGem

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

thorganby

RealGem said:

Would it be ok to use a US-UK plug adaptor that came with a 9-12V device on a 120V device that also has a US plug?
If not, is a regular US-UK travel adaptor ok?

Thank you

It depends what you intend to plug into the adaptor.

RealGem said:

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

I don't think that you understand what you have done.     Many devices will work around the world on any voltage between 100 - 240V e.g. chargers etc.

Connecting your 120V speakers via a physical adapter has connected 240V to your 120V appliance and you wonder why it does not work!

You have made a a mistake but the adapter is not at fault, it is doing what it was designed to do.

lammy82

RealGem said:

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

I think you've misunderstood my response.
To be clear: Yes I confirm you are making a mistake, not by using the wrong adaptor as such, but by connecting a device expecting 120V to a 240V source.
The device that runs at 9-12V will have a transformer that can accept 120V-240V and step it down.
The device that runs at 120V will be expecting 120V.

getmore4less

What does it say on the thing(s) that have the US plug,  picture would be useful

RealGem

thorganby said:

RealGem said:

Would it be ok to use a US-UK plug adaptor that came with a 9-12V device on a 120V device that also has a US plug?
If not, is a regular US-UK travel adaptor ok?

Thank you

It depends what you intend to plug into the adaptor.

RealGem said:

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

I don't think that you understand what you have done.     Many devices will work around the world on any voltage between 100 - 240V e.g. chargers etc.

Connecting your 120V speakers via a physical adapter has connected 240V to your 120V appliance and you wonder why it does not work!

You have made a a mistake but the adapter is not at fault, it is doing what it was designed to do.

I am confused as Lammy said originally it will accept 120V - 240V
To me, 120V is within that. I guess I am misunderstanding what voltage does.

lammy82 said:

RealGem said:

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

I think you've misunderstood my response.
To be clear: Yes I confirm you are making a mistake, not by using the wrong adaptor as such, but by connecting a device expecting 120V to a 240V source.
The device that runs at 9-12V will have a transformer that can accept 120V-240V and step it down.
The device that runs at 120V will be expecting 120V.

Thanks, so does that mean the speakers should have a transformer too?
Or would a regular universal US-UK adapter be ok?
Thank you

The adapter to the 9V device also had a 13 amp fuse fitted, which I have now swapped for a 3 amp fuse. 

Will the speakers be fixable by my local repair shop? Or should I throw them out?

Thanks

theoretica

All an adaptor does is let you plug one shape plug into another shape socket - it does nothing about the different voltages.  The speakers would need a step down transformer to work off this electricity supply - challenge is you will also need one to see if they are fried or survived their 240V experience.

thorganby

RealGem said:

thorganby said:

RealGem said:

Would it be ok to use a US-UK plug adaptor that came with a 9-12V device on a 120V device that also has a US plug?
If not, is a regular US-UK travel adaptor ok?

Thank you

It depends what you intend to plug into the adaptor.

RealGem said:

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

I don't think that you understand what you have done.     Many devices will work around the world on any voltage between 100 - 240V e.g. chargers etc.

Connecting your 120V speakers via a physical adapter has connected 240V to your 120V appliance and you wonder why it does not work!

You have made a a mistake but the adapter is not at fault, it is doing what it was designed to do.

I am confused as Lammy said originally it will accept 120V - 240V
To me, 120V is within that. I guess I am misunderstanding what voltage does.

lammy82 said:

RealGem said:

lammy82 said:

No. The 9-12V device will have been designed to accept 120-240V.

Thanks, that's what I thought, as it says on the adaptor that it goes up to 250V, but the speakers are not working. 

The adaptor still works with the 9V device, but no joy with the speakers. I just wanted to confirm I hadn't made a mistake by using the wrong adaptor. 
Thanks

I think you've misunderstood my response.
To be clear: Yes I confirm you are making a mistake, not by using the wrong adaptor as such, but by connecting a device expecting 120V to a 240V source.
The device that runs at 9-12V will have a transformer that can accept 120V-240V and step it down.
The device that runs at 120V will be expecting 120V.

Thanks, so does that mean the speakers should have a transformer too?
Or would a regular universal US-UK adapter be ok?
Thank you

The adapter to the 9V device also had a 13 amp fuse fitted, which I have now swapped for a 3 amp fuse. 

Will the speakers be fixable by my local repair shop? Or should I throw them out?

Thanks

This is the Techie board where we expect full details.

Unless you can give the full details of these 120V speakers, make/model nobody can say and there is no point guessing.

It is not the adaptor that you have used, so another one won't help as it will still present 240V to your 120V speakers.