Thread: 10A plug on a machine now sold with 15A plug?

The 10A and 15A plugs are identical except that the 15A plug has a wider earth pin to force you to plug it into a designated 15A socket which is also exactly the same as a 10A socket except that the earth pin is wider. All 10A sockets are wired to a 16A circuit breaker so the only possible problem would be the cable from the plug to the machine, if it is too thin it will get hot. Easily fixed.

Thanks, that's what Twitter is telling me also. So it's not a dealbreaker or won't require expensive rewiring or be a fire risk or anything.

3hp = 2.4kW the amp draw will be on side plate of motor, however typically a 3hp motor will draw more than 10amps and the start amps is generally 3-5 times run amps. Highly likely that it may have originally had a 15amp plug but was changed to a 10amp, another common practice was to file the larger earth pin down enough so it fitted a 10 amp power point.
there is a “all care but no responsibility” disclaimer that appears on posts with electrical advice.
I live in a relatively new house where there wiring is current standard and with rcd and trip circuit breakers. I would be asking a local sparky for a price on a 15amp power point. Once you have checked the motor plate for amp draw you can make your choice from there.
cheers

If the original item was supplied AS2000 compliant with a 10A plug there is no need to add a 15A outlet to your wiring. If it is now sold with a 15A my thoughts would be that the motor has been changed to one with a higher starting current. Depending on the type, build quality and starting load an AC induction motor can draw up to eight times the nominal running current on start up.

Originally Posted by NathanaelBC

Thanks, that's what Twitter is telling me also. So it's not a dealbreaker or won't require expensive rewiring or be a fire risk or anything.

Twitter doesn’t have an electrical license to my knowledge and as for the next sentence I think the response is no, maybe and maybe.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

If the original item was supplied AS2000 compliant with a 10A plug there is no need to add a 15A outlet to your wiring. If it is now sold with a 15A my thoughts would be that the motor has been changed to one with a higher starting current. Depending on the type, build quality and starting load an AC induction motor can draw up to eight times the nominal running current on start up.

That's also happened with the Sherwood 10" Combo machine.
Mine (15 years old) has a 2HP motor with a 10A plug. The latest ones have a 3HP motor with a 15A plug

I have one of these to plug the 15amp caravan plug.
Ampsafe Caravan To Home Electrical Adapter | Bunnings Warehouse

Of course if that keeps tripping then a proper 15amp outlet would need to be installed.
Regards
John

Thanks everyone, I have 15A powerpoints - paid $1,000 to have 32A run out to the garage couple years ago. So the supply and sockets aren't a problem.