Hein Gericke battery optimiser deal

[sure2ride]

Go to the HG site to check the specs, but it seems a good one to me. £29.99 (alegedly from £49.99), BUT, when I went to local store to get one (not available on line) I got £10.00 off if I spent more than £30.00. So.....got some chain cleaner which I neded anyway, and effectively got the charger for £19.99.  Not Bad....only point to note is that mains connection is via a 2 pin plug so you either need a shaver adapter plug, or I guess you can cut the cable and put an ordinary plug on. ( It does say in instructions that mains cable can be replaced if damaged, so I guess cutting it counts as damage 
 
Anyway, I think it seems a good charger and a good price. Check out your local store for availabilty if interested, I phoned mine first and they had plenty.

[Fazerider]

Odd... I thought it was a legal requirement for domestic electrical equipment to be sold with the correct plug these days.

[stevierst]

Probably why they're so cheap! :

[Andy FZS]

If the charger is double insulated and hence has no earth connection then it is the correct plug, but that not to say you couldn't connect it to a standard 3pin plug and not connect the earth as there will not be one.

[Fazerider]

If the charger is double insulated and hence has no earth connection then it is the correct plug, but that not to say you couldn't connect it to a standard 3pin plug and not connect the earth as there will not be one.

Class II equipment is not exempt from the UK requirement for having a fused plug that meets BS1363, it still needs an earth pin (doesn't need to be of conducting material) to open the shutters on UK sockets. Pretty sure HG are breaking the law unless the charger was marked with a "not suitable for UK" warning or supplied with an adaptor.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Don't think that would be a problem as a 3 pin adaptor would probably be fitted with a fuse - can't use it in the UK without one...

[Andy FZS]

Selling items with a two pin plug if not is problem if it was then your toothbrush razor etc couldn't be charged and yes  I know there fed from a bespoke socket that's isolated from earth etc.

[Andy FZS]

Typo......should be is not

[sure2ride]

Well I have just checked the packaging, does'nt say it can't be used in UK, and the writing on the packaging is mostly German .
Still, I think the charger is a good one for the dosh, and I can easily put a 3 pin plug with a 5amp fuse so I still think it was a good deal for £20 , ...as it is an optimiser rather than a straight charger. Plus...it has some cool lights on it.
 
Might just phone HG head office on Monday just to check if they should have provided an adaptor and see what their response is... just out of interest really
 
Only started this post to let forum know that I thought it was good, but all the comments have been interesting, thanks.

[Andy FZS]

It seems toothbrushes etc are exempt and other items are only allowed to use a two pin plug if it is fitted to an adapter and can only be removed with the use of a tool. Others may have a better explanation.

[elbrownos]

You need something like this
http://www.maplin.co.uk/euro-convertor-white-19246
European appliances sold in the UK usually come with one.
Don't buy it from Maplin though. £6.49 is a ripoff

[sure2ride]

I phoned Hein Gericke customer services this afternoon, and they told me that the adaptors were in stores and that I should have been given one for free when I bought the optimiser.  They will be sending one out in the post today.
Top stuff   
 

[sure2ride]

UPDATE.....Adapter received in the post today. It's a pukka one that you fit the two pin plug into and then screw the adapter together so that it looks just like an ordinary 3 pin plug.
HG still have the deal running, so if you want an optimizer at a really good price (£20 if you use the voucher) then check it out.   But make sure you pick the adapter up when you visit the store to buy the item !