Old Spanish 3-pin socket
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Hi there,
Our dishwasher died :( The landlady has very nicely replaced it, but the new dishwasher has the new EU 2-pin plug and the socket is an old 3-pin spanish plug...I don't want to change the socket, just get an adaptor, if possible...is that possible? If so, where from - we have been in 5 different shops now :(
Thanks!
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I don't know if it is same thing but if it is the larger 3 pin type plug these were commonly used for high use items such as cooker and ovens and the pins are not the same length so that the live always lines up correctly.
If I were you I would change the plug on the dishwaher and put the live on the correct pin.
You can buy these plugs in Leroy Merlin or tke the plug from your old dishwasher if you still have it.
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As Faro says, the easiest thing to do would be to cut the plug from the old appliance and connect it to the new appliance.. Although, it is not difficult (normally) to change the wall socket, which is what I would do..
Spanish plugs can be plugged in either way so negative and positive don't normally apply in Spain.
Sometimes one can get a shock from an the casing of an appliance, if that case turn the plug over so the pins 'go in the opposite holes’.
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That's not necessarily correct as some items only have a singe pole switch and others a doube pole switch which is why it is important to have the live correct.
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In Spain there is no convention on which pin is live and which is neutral, thus one can put a plug into the socket with either of the two pins in the live or the neutral. The only exemption is with a three pin plug, which can be ‘controlled’ as to which is connected.
It is completely different from the conventional UK system where there are three pin plugs which ensure which way an appliance is connected, that is, you cannot plug the live pin into the negative socket.
However, that said, this has nothing to do with the question which was posted on this thread as the poster said they had a two pin plug on the
appliance and thus it could be connected either way.
This message was last edited by johnzx on 11/11/2011.
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sorry to retro-post on a very old thread, but this question may still be pertinent to some. And it took me some time to work this out, so I hope my experience may be of benefit to others.
The Spanish plugs as used in and around the 1970s that have three round pins 4mm in diameter (thus slightly thinner than the Euro standard or Schuko plug pins) and arranged in a sort of flattened triangle and that can still occasionally be found in homes of that period today (but getting quite rare now), are completely identical to the Swiss T12 standard that is still being manufactured today. This was confirmed to me by a qualified (albeit retired) Spanish electrician.
T12 to Schucko adapters can be bought online as well as from larger DIY stores, better equipped ferreterias (or even from some Chinese stores) with prices starting at about 2 Euros or slightly less if you get lucky. You can also get T12 to UK three prong adapters (with built-in fuse). An adapter may be a preferable option to changing a plug, especially if you're not sure of what you're doing or if it might void your warranty.
This message was last edited by amogles on 8/4/2025.
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Thanks for sharing this detailed info — definitely not a problem retro-posting when the content is still so relevant! I’ve come across those old plugs in a family home in Spain and had no idea they matched the Swiss T12 standard. The tip about T12 to Schuko adapters is super helpful and reassuring for someone who’s more comfortable dodging obstacles in Snow Rider than rewiring anything electrical.
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