# "Universal" power adapters. OK for high current appliances? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322 "2018-06-02T16:28:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/1 "2018-06-02T16:28:53Z")
I’m planning to use a British tea kettle in my kitchen, rated at 12.5 amps. I see these, which will take any type of plug imaginable, including British, and adapt it to the North American NEMA 6-15 or 6-20 receptacle I plan to install. > **[WonPro WA-21 Universal to North American NEMA 6-20P Grounded Power Plug Adapter](https://www.110220volts.com/univ-21.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsu2p2LG12wIVFcpkCh0yeQBKEAQYASABEgIq7vD_BwE)** > > WonPro WA-21 Universal to North American NEMA 6-20P Grounded Power Plug Adapter > **[Nema 6-15 Plug To International Adapter for USA 220-240 Volt Universal to U.S ...](https://www.ebay.com/itm/122495069410?chn=ps)** > > Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nema 6-15 Plug To International Adapter for USA 220-240 Volt Universal to U.S at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products! I’ve been unable to find an adapter that will fit only a UK plug instead of “all of them”. Will one of these hold up to a high current device and still hold the plug firmly despite all the extra holes to take other kinds of plugs. Or would a better idea be to chop the UK plug off the tea kettle and install a NEMA 6-15 or 6-20 plug on it? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/2 "2018-06-02T16:32:31Z")
“Note: Power Plug Adapters do not convert voltage, they just change the plug type. Use a proper voltage converter along with a power plug adapter if your device is incompatible with the country’s voltage.” That British tea pot is designed to use 220v unless I’m mistaken… ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/3 "2018-06-02T16:50:33Z")
A British teapot that is rated at 12.5 amps will pull more than the typical 110v outlet can provide… 12.5 Amps at 230 V == 2875 Watts This will blow your breaker. (15A x 120V =) 1800 watts or (20A x 120V =) 2400 watts before the breaker trips but you want typical usage way below this. You would need to install a 240v 20 Amp circuit installed which may not be legal under the electrical and fire codes, but I am not qualified to make any statement related to that. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/4 "2018-06-02T16:55:30Z")
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but my understanding is there’s nothing in the NEC preventing the installation of a 240 volt, 15 or 20 amp receptacle in a residential kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![rat\_avatar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rat_avatar/32/255_2.png) [@rat\_avatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rat_avatar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/5 "2018-06-02T17:08:59Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but my understanding is there’s nothing in the NEC preventing the installation of a 240 volt, 15 or 20 amp receptacle in a residential kitchen. Oops, I read (5)-20 out of habit. Nema 6-20 would work with the load, but cut the end off and put on a new plug. I am not sure it would meet code, so not legal advice. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/6 "2018-06-02T17:10:04Z")
At my old place I had a through the wall AC that connected to a 6-20R outlet near the kitchen. I took a UK kettle, uninstalled the UK style plug on it’s cord, and installed a 6-20P plug onto the cord. This was easy because the giant UK plug used screws, and wasn’t molded to the wire, like a typical US power cord. Most of the year the AC was unused, and I would keep the kettle plugged in, during the summer I’d just swap appliances in the outlet as necessary. The kettle worked fantastic and I could have 1.8 litres of boiling water in about 2 minutes. It worked so well, that when I have an electric car charging 220 outlet put in the garage, I’ll also get a quote on putting a 6-20R in my kitchen. So, If you are installing a 6-20R, your kettle should work. If that adapter claims to go from UK to 6-20P, then it will probably be fine, but it will cost the same to just buy a 6-20P plug to install on the kettle. I’m not an electrician. My condo never burned down (well, at least as a result of anything I did), and the UK kettle I had was simple, with no electronics. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/7 "2018-06-02T17:48:30Z")
> [@rat\_avatar](#): > > A British teapot that is rated at 12.5 amps will pull more than the typical 110v outlet can provide… > > 12.5 Amps at 230 V == 2875 Watts > > This will blow your breaker. > > (15A x 120V =) 1800 watts or (20A x 120V =) 2400 watts before the breaker trips but you want typical usage way below this. I don’t think this is correct. If the heating element produces 3000 W at 240 V, then it has a resistance of 19.2 Ω. If we assume the resistance of the heating element is still 19.2 Ω at 120 V, then the current would be 6.25 A and it would produce 750 W. The breaker won’t trip. But the teapot won’t perform very well, since it would be producing only 1/4 the power it is designed to produce. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/8 "2018-06-02T17:53:32Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but my understanding is there’s nothing in the NEC preventing the installation of a 240 volt, 15 or 20 amp receptacle in a residential kitchen. Not at all. Many kitchens already have a 50 Amp one (NEMA 14-50R) for an electric stove. Replacing the plug on that kettle is a much better option. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-power-adapters-ok-for-high-current-appliances/815322/9 "2018-06-03T10:50:42Z")
The problem with using adaptors, especially the universal ones, is that the pins may not make a very good contact in the receptacle. Poor contacts create heat and the plug may well overheat and burn out - this can happen without tripping the breaker. As suggested above - swap the plug for one that fits and plug it into a 240 volt outlet.