International Travel Adaptors and Test Leads

International power cord experts Morvan Trading provide a wide range of different adaptors in addition to a comprehensive range of standard plugs and cables.

These can be travel adaptors, testing leads and international extension leads to name but a few.

With hundreds of product lines in stock coupled with small-scale UK production and high-volume Far East manufacture, we can keep lead times short and prices to a minimum.

By supplying only the highest quality products and backed by the best technical expertise in the market, Morvan Trading is your single source for all mains power requirements.

Get in touch now for a swift, competitive quotation, call us on 01264 353489 or click here to contact us

Click to view larger

Convertor plugs and travel adaptors

Have a short-term requirement for a different plug type?

Adaptor plugs can help if travelling abroad, or using foreign equipment in the UK temporarily. For any longer period we would recommend using an adaptor lead like those mentioned below, or as a semi-permanent solution changing the plug or power cord.

Adaptors with either a UK plug or socket may conform to BS5733 (General requirements for electrical accessories) or the new BS8546 standard (Travel adaptors compatible with UK plug and socket system), or the catch-all IEC60884 (Plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes). UL498A (Standard for Safety for Current Taps and Adapters) may apply for North America.

Travel adaptors simply provide mechanical compatibility between two different plug standards: please ensure the equipment is electrically compatible with the mains electricity; frequency may vary, and a transformer may be required to step up or step down the voltage if there is large difference. Especially in the developing world, electrical spikes and brownouts may also affect the equipment, in which case a power supply providing ‘clean’ power would be answer. We always recommend only using earthed adaptors for the obvious safety benefits.

Looking for the UK Kaiser distributor? Need any technical help, pricing, or a custom job?

Contact our friendly technical team for more information call us on 01264 353489 or click here to contact us

Equipment & PAT testing leads

NF C 61-315 French 20A heavy duty 250/400V plug

3 core × 2.5mm H05VV-F 20A cable

3× UK 13A sockets + 3× French 16A CEE7/5 sockets

Hard-wired the plug on a product to be exported, but now can’t test it? Morvan Trading supply short test leads for making sure the equipment is working fully prior to despatch, e.g. setting up, bench testing and soak testing, or toubleshooting returned units.

Another common use is for Portable Appliance Testing – we supply PAT testing leads in almost all configurations of domestic, international and industrial plugs and sockets. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, a UK statutory instrument, requires that portable electric appliances which have the potential to cause injury must be maintained in a safe condition. This is usually achieved through periodic visual inspection and basic electrical testing.

These are generally cables short in length, to save space and limit earth resistance for test leads, but can be custom-made to any length on demand. Increasing the cross-sectional area of the cable will also decrease electrical resistance and the likelihood of spurious readings, as will using higher-rated fuses in UK plugs.

PAT testing international cables?

We offer almost all PAT test adaptor combinations from stock. Individual plugs carry national approvals for the country associated with them, and appropriate cable is used, but the overall assembly may not be aproved, as some standards generally only cover a narrow application or locality, and may even be incompatible with each other. International adaptors require more research into failure modes and consequences depending on application. We will advise on best practice and issue the necessary warnings as required. This may vary from creating a warning label to recommending cessation.

Where many different types are to be tested regularly, we also offer custom-built multi-socket strips, as photo. Where differing voltages are an issue, these can also include a tranformer to power some sockets at 220-240V and others at 100-125V. These are completely bespoke, so can be made to almost any specification.

Need to power or test several identical items at the same time? See our multiple adaptor section below.

See our Hirschmann Test & Measurement page for more information, or contact us today.

International test block with 15 different sockets plus 1 earth stud

We can offer standard UK extension leads, but with the mains plug of a different country. This allows several pieces of equipment to be used abroad simultaneously, which is convenient and limits the need for multiple travel adaptors.

It is also a good medium-term solution between temporary travel adaptors and semi-permanent replacement of the plug or power cable, and we often supply these to diplomatic corps, news companies, journalists, photographers and holidaymakers.

These are earthed as standard, have appropriate-rated cable for the current rating, and the individual parts meet national standards.

We can also supply the reverse, which is a UK plug to international extension. These are often used with foreign visitors to the UK, for example international university or college students, conference parties and delegations.

Generally, we stock a one-metre cable with a 4-way UK (or international) socket in black or white, but can offer other lengths and a different number of sockets.

We can supply all plug types and almost all socket types, so please get in touch whatever your requirements.

Contact us for more information on any of these cable types, either in bulk or with plugs and connectors attached, and we can discuss options and provide quick quotations, call us on 01264 353489 or click here to contact us