In message snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)" snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk> writes
Agreed. Our local fire service bods really, really don't like two (or more) way adaptors.
I have to confess to wiring two bedside lights to one standard 13 amp plug, ensuring the cable grip holds both cables and max. 3 amp fuse fitted. So many gadgets these days. Two double sockets, one either side of the bed, two bedside lights, clock radio, electric blanket, phone charger equals five plugs and four sockets.
As might I, if talking to anyone who knew what an IEC connector was. ;-)
Yup, PC and monitor ...
Quite ... and assuming they are legal I'm not sure from a functionality POV fitting two cables into a plug top would be any less so (and have done so myself as a preference to any alternatives).
The fuse still protects the cable(s), the equipment can still be completely isolated from the mains and disconnected from the cord, and as long as the cord grip retains both cords effectively and the wires laid in neatly ... ?
I think it's like many things, a worn out socket with a worn out multiway adaptor will wobble about but a good quality / new one in a good quality / new socket is likely to be pretty stable.
Most of the sockets in daughters flat are 'worn out', possibly because there aren't enough and so those that are get used a lot. Some feel like even a std mains plug would fall out on it's own! (We have replacement sockets in hand, process approved by the landlord).
My university college (student rooms) had, for about 20 years, those 13 amp sockets with ceramic insulation around the holes for the pins. There was a complete ban on 'block' adaptors from the start, due to possible weight issues.
Somewhere between the two. Its not ideal, but certainly not illegal.
Not being able to see it, I can only guess, but assuming the cables are relatively thin and so can be adequately terminated in the single set of terminals, and also the cord grip can function on both, then there is no immediate risk.
The plug fuse should offer fault protection to both leads, so no worries there. There is the operating practical issue of not now being able to isolate one of the bits of equipment alone, making maintenance more difficult, and potentially leading to unnecessary kit being left powered when no longer required.
The common way of dealing with this in wiring cabinets is with a Power Distribution Unit (or "PDU"), which is basically just a posh multiway extension lead - usually with fixing points to allow easy wall or rack mounting, and possibly individual switching per socket. e.g:
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Hacking about with the fixed wiring is unlikely something that most contractors will want to do to in a communal space for any number of reasons. (i.e. I am here to fix the CCTV or door entry system, not rewire the lobby!)
A fire investigator would take a dim view of it though if there was a fire that appeared to have started inside that cupboard.
Might be worth taking it apart to have a look inside.
There is a possibility if the public has access to it that the fuse has been wrapped in Kitkat foil because it kept on blowing. I'd certainly want to see inside it once I was aware that it existed.
The last time I saw something similar was the church's Xmas tree lights for their somewhat oversized tree. Two sets wired into one plug.
You could try leaving it unplugged to see what if anything stops working. It could be for some long since redundant legacy kit.
Can you explain why? Don't see how it is anymore of a fire hazard than two plugs and sockets. Unless the combined load is at the maximum - which in this case it isn't.
But then any fixed appliance shouldn't be on a plug anyway. More so if taking a high load continuously.
You would not have written that if you had seen what it would have to trail into.
A two-way individually switched distribution board screwed to the breeze-block wall above would be better, though I'd choose four-way to allow for possible developments.
If anyone 'stores' anything in a riser cupboard the first thing is to throw it all in the skip. Second thing it to change the lock. Absolutely forbidden. Fire hazard.
The socket is the only likely source of significant electrical power in the cupboard.
Lower down, there is a rat's nest of thin wires presumed to include POTS service and the wiring providing buzzer, two-way voice, and front door release for each residence. That seems to be connected to a strange box, perhaps a UPS, which has an input from the plug, daisy-chaining to an electro-mechanical timer (Sangamo-Weston, IIRC), which probably deals with timed entry, which was removed in 2014. It is, however, still going round and showing about the right time. I wonder what power it consumes!
But there is no need to unplug it; the socket has a switch.
Quite possibly, although in reality two low power appliances on one plug are no more likely to start a fire than the same two appliances on separate plugs.
Again the OP did say low power... if there are a pair of twin 0.5mm^2 flexes going in, its unlikely they are feeding the curtain heaters over the door.
ISTR having done the same here with two sets of lights on one tree.
Yup, its common to find plenty of no longer required kit sat there still powered.
(I managed to reclaim about 6U of space from a 16U cabinet the other day just by pulling out a few bits of old kit including a complete PABX, and a big pile of CAT5 patch leads :-)
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