New design of mains plug?

[Roger BParticipant @rogerb61624]

You need to check that none of these are being used:

In my university days it was not unkown to replace the fuse with the barrel of a 1/4" jack plug (~160A) so you could run a lighting rack from a 13A outlet for a short period. We soon discovered that you got less overheating problems if you installed two neutral pins

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Having remote access to a good Library, I have just skimmed through

BS 1363-2:2016+A1:2018 – 13 A plugs, socket-outlets, adaptors and connection units. Specification for 13 A switched and unswitched socket-outlets

It’s a very impressive 92page document, replete with numerous ‘shall’ requirements, and appropriate tests.

I have to wonder how many of the cheap extension leads etc. actually come anywhere near compliance.

MichaelG..

[Clive IndiaParticipant @cliveindia]

Posted by not done it yet on 01/04/2020 13:03:59:

…………. But do remember the fuse in the plug is protecting the connecting lead, not the appliance.

Yes! Most are ignoring this though

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Quality plugs come with a card showing how long to cut each wire, so that if the cable pulls out live comes free first and earth is disconnected last.

Slapped wrist for anyone who ignores this! Check your plugs now!

This pic is clearer:

 

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 01/04/2020 21:01:03

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Neil, did you notice that the second plug is marked fitted with a 3A fuse. That would flummox anyone fitting it to an electric kettle.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Neil, my late elder brother taught me exactly that about 47 years or so ago, and I have always wired them up like that ever since and he always comes to my mine whenever I do wire plugs up. I even wire just a twin wire with a short length live and a longer length neutral.

Regards Nick.

P.S. I think actually it may have been 52 or so years ago.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 01/04/2020 22:06:59

[simondavies3Participant @simondavies3]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 01/04/2020 20:54:20:

Quality plugs come with a card showing how long to cut each wire, so that if the cable pulls out live comes free first and earth is disconnected last.

Slapped wrist for anyone who ignores this! Check your plugs now!

This pic is clearer:

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 01/04/2020 21:01:03

And how many of these plugs have you seen with the card still sandwiched between the plug and socket?

I have often wondered about the potential safety aspects of this card!

BR
Simon

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Simon, personally I see no safety aspects of these cards, the instructions a very clear and any fuse rating on the card only tells you what value the plug is supplied with and can be changed. To be frank, if you can't understand how to fit a plug, then you should not attempt to do it. As far as fitting the plug, the wiring is the same regardless of the fuse rating on the card and the card can and should be removed once the plug is fitted, however I see no risk in leaving it on providing the fuse rating stated on the card is the same as that which is fitted in the plug.

Regards Nick.

[Oven ManParticipant @ovenman]

Please can someone explain why plugs on appliances come with a plastic cover on the pins. Seems like an example of single plastic at its worst.

Peter

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Oven Man on 02/04/2020 10:48:24:

Please can someone explain why plugs on appliances come with a plastic cover on the pins. Seems like an example of single plastic at its worst.

Peter

.

Because the earlier version, with plain metallic pins could allow small fingers to touch live pins if the plug was partially pulled.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: Oops … I was answering the wrong question there ^^^

The answer to your question is: To prevent the pins from scratching the product.

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/04/2020 10:55:58

[Bill Davies 2Participant @billdavies2]

And further to Michael's point, the socket 'safety' covers that people buy to protect children from accessing the sockets can defeat the included safety features. I had some that opened the live and neutral 'gates', but the plastic cover left small gaps around the socket holes that wire or other thin objects could be inserted into.

Bill

[simondavies3Participant @simondavies3]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 02/04/2020 10:41:51:

Hi Simon, personally I see no safety aspects of these cards, the instructions a very clear and any fuse rating on the card only tells you what value the plug is supplied with and can be changed. To be frank, if you can't understand how to fit a plug, then you should not attempt to do it. As far as fitting the plug, the wiring is the same regardless of the fuse rating on the card and the card can and should be removed once the plug is fitted, however I see no risk in leaving it on providing the fuse rating stated on the card is the same as that which is fitted in the plug.

Regards Nick.

Ah, not the point I intended to get across…..duh!

I have no issue whatsoever with the printed content on the card, rather the fact that a piece of cardboard is trapped between the plug body and the socket and wondering if it conforms to all the flash and tracking criteria that I believe apply to the plastics used in the plug bodies.

So, how much of a safety (fire?) hazard is a piece of cardboard especially if it became damp is my amended question.

Simon

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Peter, the covers can also be kept and put back on things that you use occasionally, which are stored away and other items stored with them will be protected and will help keep the pins clean while not in use.

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Simon, like I said, it is removable and should be. Some people just don't get the obvious, but it is a reasonable way of giving instructions without putting excess cost onto the product. You just can't hold everybody's hand in all things. As far as tracking goes, the card fits over the earth pin as well and that is the only one the card will have direct contact with any metal when the plug is in the socket.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 02/04/2020 11:21:30

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 01/04/2020 20:54:20:

Quality plugs come with a card showing how long to cut each wire, so that if the cable pulls out live comes free first and earth is disconnected last.

…

How does this requirement apply to the modern moulded on plugs?

They are neat but often have the wrong length of lead.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by ega on 02/04/2020 11:43:51:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 01/04/2020 20:54:20:

Quality plugs come with a card showing how long to cut each wire, so that if the cable pulls out live comes free first and earth is disconnected last.

…

How does this requirement apply to the modern moulded on plugs?

They are neat but often have the wrong length of lead.

Two points, The relationships of the individual wire lengths are not a 'requirement', they may be a recommendation.

When you say wrong length of lead then if too long it can be shortened, if its too short buy another longer one

Ian P

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi ega, I guess they are rigorously tested, but I doubt that you would be able to pull the flex from a moulded on plug as easily as you can with the type you fit yourself and the flex will probably snap before it pulls from out of the plug.

Regards Nick.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Simon0362 on 02/04/2020 11:08:35:

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 02/04/2020 10:41:51:

Hi Simon, personally I see no safety aspects of these cards, the instructions a very clear and any fuse rating on the card only tells you what value the plug is supplied with and can be changed. To be frank, if you can't understand how to fit a plug, then you should not attempt to do it. As far as fitting the plug, the wiring is the same regardless of the fuse rating on the card and the card can and should be removed once the plug is fitted, however I see no risk in leaving it on providing the fuse rating stated on the card is the same as that which is fitted in the plug.

Regards Nick.

Ah, not the point I intended to get across…..duh!

I have no issue whatsoever with the printed content on the card, rather the fact that a piece of cardboard is trapped between the plug body and the socket and wondering if it conforms to all the flash and tracking criteria that I believe apply to the plastics used in the plug bodies.

So, how much of a safety (fire?) hazard is a piece of cardboard especially if it became damp is my amended question.

Simon

Irrelevant with plugs which have to the live and neutral pins plastic covered at that end, I would have thought.

I thought that all plugs sold separately were required to be fitted with a 13A fuse?

[BC ProfParticipant @bcprof]

In the deep and distant past one of the topics on a year 9 syllabus was how to fit a mains plug .

The Homework as , with the help of an adult , to check the wiring and fuse size in some plugs at home ( an easy on for those who simply claimed that no one would help them !)

Fast forward to a parents evening . Large parent leans across my table and announces one too quietly " You cost me 2 quid. " then sits down laughing . His daughter had bet him 10p for each faulty plug that she could find . " Didn't know that we had that many plugs in the house but is was a cheap safety check " he said as he left ,

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

The plastic covers for the pins of domestic plugs, make excellent fuel tanks for small IC powered, free flight, model aircraft.

There is always a good use for apparently useless things if you think hard enough!

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 02/04/2020 13:58:46

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

While the instruction cards should be removed, leaving one in place is not a significant hazard as the don't touch the conductive part of the live or neutral pin and the thicknes is not likely to significantly affect the contact engagement.
That said, the card in the first picture posted by Neil (black printing) is significantly better thn the second as you have to take the card off to get at the screws. You would have to be very odd to put it bak on when you had finished wiring the plug. Does make you wonder what the designer of the second one (orange print) w thinkingg when he added the three holes for the screws. It probably even added cost.

Robert G8RPI.

[Author]

Posts