(1) Can one ordinarily buy BS1363-type plugs with a plastic "Earth" pin, for fitting to a user-supplied two-core cable and a double-insulated device?
(2) Page
__ SL
Never seen them for sale. In fact I think the only ones i've seen have been either moulded onto the cable or as part of a wall wart. Why not just use standard ones?
no
NT
What would be the point? The only ones like this I've ever seen are those which clamp a 2 pin Euro mains plug within them. Brian
I wouldn't have thought so, think about it.
Presumably the ready-fitted ones are sufficiently cheaper to save the manufacturer money on a large production run, but no-one would save enough from ones for user fitting.
-- Richard
You don't want them to be available for users to fit. Sooner or a later some twit who doesn't understand what the third pin is for will fit one to an appliance that needs an earth because they found the plug in a drawer and it was the only one available.
G.Harman
In message , Richard Tobin writes
And I don't think they should be available for sale anyway (maybe they aren't allowed to be?). Sooner or later someone would fit one to an appliance that should be earth
In message , snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk writes
A bit of a long drawn out and somewhat indiscriminate way of proving Darwin correct though. Especially if they come fitted with a 13A fuse by default.
I hope not, the factory fitted ones are pretty poor without letting everyone else loose on them.
Fit a proper plug.
I've recently read about those, but I've never seen one AFAIR.
I've recently seen an immigrant's iron, which has been used with a two-pin CEE plug in a BS1363 socket. I've also seen their computer's CEE 5-socket two-pin no-earths adaptor, which had a two-core cable to a new ordinary BS1
363 plug. So I thought that if I were only fitting a British plug to the i ron, I would like to use one with a plastic earth pin to symbolise no-earth ; and I could likewise change the plug on the adaptor.But the iron has a user-recognised fault, which is that its cable's woven h eat-resistant (at least symbolically) outer covering is worn apart. My int ent is to replace the foreign 2-pin plug and cable with a BS1363 plug and a proper British cable (thicker, I fear), and to attach the third core to th e metalwork of the iron. Or to get a new iron bought, and the old one scra pped.
I have vetoed the foreign adaptor, supplying a pair of UK IEC cables and a UK three-socket adaptor from P.......d - which while BS1363-compliant is co ntrary to the last section of the previously-cited Web page.
For myself, I still have a number of items with the "figure-8" two-core cab le; if I changed them to BS1363 I'd prefer to use plastic-Earth.
Old sawn off bolt.
The brass shafts off old potentiometers were just the right dia'
+1
The use of a plastic 'earth' pin is only allowed on the likes of wallwarts where the only user accessable cable is the low voltage output lead connected to the smpsu or transformer which has the necessary isolation built in.
It only makes any sense in these circumstances when such devices are double insulated and an actual earth connection is an unnecessary (and unwanted) luxury where the only remaining requirement is to operate the safety shutter in the socket which can be equally served by use of a cheaper plastic pin formed as a consequence of the moulding process for the plug side half of the wallwart.
The only major objection being that the plastic pin is not as robust as a brass pin and they can all too easily be snapped off. You really, really don't want a plug with a plastic earth pin, trust me on this.
What's the point? Use a normal plug.
But why? Is it not just a little bit pedantic? The clamp devices seem to be standard on many Sony Hi FI units with two core mains leads. Do you really think people actually notice if the earth is plastic or not?
Brian
Maybe there is a cottage industry opening here for plastic pins for putting in existing plugs.. Brian
No.
A plastic "Earth" pin (technical name "ISOD" - Insulated Shutter Opening Device) is only allowed on non-rewirable plugs (and then only for Class II double insulated appliances). It's not allowed by BS1363 for rewirable plugs.
In message , Chris French writes
I don't see any benefit when you can buy a standard plug even in B&Q for about a quid.
Talking of which - was in B&Q grabbing a bit of earth sleeve today. Wanted to get a couple of MK plugs (the traditional type 646, I like them).
All B&Q had on the shelves was endless stuff branded "Diall".
What the hell is that, I thought?
Well,
says: "Diall is the functional brand that guarantees a safe and reliable foundation for any project."
WTF? Why not just brand it B&Q?
And more to the point, that is a load more stuff I won't be buying from them. I have come across enough shitty plugs and sockets and I am brand fussy.
Ditto LED and CFL bulbs (again, it's all "Diall").
Nope - I want to know what I'm buying, not buy a total unknown that may even morph each month.
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