Fun With British Electrical Plugs

Electricity Sri Lankan style, British style plugs. Big old 3 prong connectors. Some jacks look like the one above, others have 3 round holes. Now most 220 voltage appliance that you purchase have the European style plus on them, that being 2 round prongs on the end. The Brit's had to make everything difficult and up it one prong. So there are two ways of utilizing a two pronged device, purchase an adapter. There are many different flavors of adapters, most also accept U.S. style pronged devices as well. The other way, my favorite, is to stick a screwdriver in the top hole simultaneously pushing the plug into the bottom two holes. It seems preposterous. Chris thought I was crazy, she swore she would never do it but she has become old hand at it. I was introduced to the screwdriver method in Baghdad by a coworker. Iraq uses British style plugs as well.

We have learned to bring or own adapters both traditional and round holed when we go out of town. Although most places have courtesy adapters to use, it saves us a call and you never know what shape they are in.