by TassieStiller » Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:47 am
For anyone else that reads this thread, just a bit of info from an electrician.
10A powerpoints are different to 15A ones. the 10A ones are rated to 10A (2400W) as the connections are made to run that current as a maximum. Any more, and you will run more power through it than designed, causing it to heat and eventually burn out. If you are lucky, just the switch will fail and it simply will not work anymore. If you have karma against you, the powerpoint will melt, the wires int he back of it will melt its insulation off and become a risk for fire. If that was the case, your friendly electrical inspectors would be called to your house fire and see where the fire originated from (it really isn't too hard to work that out). Once they find a 10A powerpoint that ran a device over-rating it, you can say goodbye to your house insurance.
So, it is very simple to cut a 15A plug off, and put a 10A one in its place to use something, however the risk is too big.
It will cost a little bit, but get your friendly sparky in to wire up a nice new 15A power point and you can rest at ease that everything is running as it was designed to. 15A power points are heavier duty components designed to run the extra load and maintain normal operating temperature.