Old lamps and sockets in Ireland - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Andy Green · 28th Jul 2014, 9:11 pm

Hi All,
The republic of Ireland shares many electrical similarities to the, like using th esame square pin plugs, and ring mains. However, most fuse boxes before modern MCBs were round 'continental' style fuses, not rewirable cartridges as in the UK

Before the standard 13 amp sockets were common, it seems that two pin soclets were the norm.
Most of Ireland was electrified during the early years of the state, lat e30's and 40's, finishing in thearly 50's, following the Shannon Hydro electric scheme, using AC rather than DC (there was some DC in use in certain towns before this.in fact there is a very interesting book about this called 'The quite Revolution' by Michael Shiels - ( I read it about 15 years ago)
Anyway I found these wall lamp holders and sockets still in place in a house in Tramore that has been non residential for many years (it is over a shop). They are no longer live, the new wiring is standard 13 amp sockets and normal bayonet ceiling roses, but interestingly most of the old sockets and lampholders are in place. Sadly the switches are gone, but the round wooden bases are syill on the wall.
Anyone care to date them or comment on the make or models?

julie_m · 28th Jul 2014, 9:25 pm

That's a "Schuko" socket, with two spring-loaded earth contacts, above and below the pins. Originated in Germany, now used on most of the Continent (except France, Switzerland and parts of Italy). Most appliances have moulded plugs that will be correctly earthed in either a Schuko or French-style (protruding earth pin) socket.

Was there some Continental involvement in the electrification of Ireland?

Andy Green · 28th Jul 2014, 9:58 pm

Yes I thought Schuko myself. Yes there was co-operation between a Norwegian company to build the distribution transformers, no doubt it had an influence on the sockets and fuses etc. a lot if detail in that book I mentioned, it's a long time since I read it though ( I got it in the library)

Tractorfan · 28th Jul 2014, 10:03 pm

Hi,
My wife's family on her mother's side are Irish and I remember us staying with one aunty who's farm near Carlow had a mixture of 13amp and 15amp round pin sockets. They had those continental 'bottle' shaped fuses too, held in with a ceramic screw cap. Another aunty who lived in Cobh had schuko type sockets. This would be 36 years ago now.
Cheers, Pete.

Nickthedentist · 28th Jul 2014, 10:07 pm

Yes, the whole set-up sounds distinctly Continental. Surprising to me.

Nick.

paulsherwin · 28th Jul 2014, 10:15 pm

So did the Republic go straight to BS1363 without going via BS73 or BS546 first? If there was widespread use of Schuko I'm surprised they went for BS1363 at all, unless it was for compatibility with Northern Ireland (which seems unlikely).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_powe..._related_types

De Valera wasn't exactly a fan of the British though, so I can see why continental rather than British standards were adopted in the 30s.

Andy Green · 28th Jul 2014, 10:46 pm

I've been in quite a lot of old (often disused) buildings in my 35 years living in Ireland and it strikes me that although there was some instances of 5 a and 15 A round pins plugs and sockets, it's mostly 'schuko' then 13 amp BS1363 type sockets dating back to around the late 50s / early 60s as far as I can tell.
In the uk there were a lot more round pin installations still in service during the 1970s as I recall. Very occasionally you'd see two pin sockets though they weren't Schuko style from
what I recall

paulsherwin · 29th Jul 2014, 12:35 am

My parents' 1935 house had BS73 two pin plugs until it was rewired in the late 60s, and I think this was pretty typical for 1930s housing. I guess Ireland used both Schuko and the early British standards before moving to BS1363.

Older UK buildings electrified in the 20s and earlier sometimes had a horrible mixture of sockets though BS73 was most common. Often there was officially only a lighting circuit leading to all sorts of dangerous bodges.

cmjones01 · 29th Jul 2014, 3:57 pm

The Shannon hydroelectric scheme, built in the 1920s and the dominant supplier of electricity in Ireland at the time, was designed and built with the heavy involvement of Siemens. That might explain a certain German character to older electrical installations, namely the Schuko sockets.

Chris

camallison · 30th Jul 2014, 11:12 am

In the area to the south of Dublin, particularly the Wicklows and the Currah (sp?), most installations pre-1970 were with Siemens and Shuko gear. An ex-colleague of mine ran an electrical business with his father there and also in Mallow, and he confirmed this for me. It was in the 70s that he began putting in BS gear as replacements or new install.

Colin

Maarten · 3rd Aug 2014, 8:48 pm

The Schuko on the picture looks like it is from the 1930's roughly.

28th Jul 2014, 9:11 pm	#1
Andy Green Hexode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Waterford, Republic of Ireland Posts: 259	Old lamps and sockets in Ireland Hi All, The republic of Ireland shares many electrical similarities to the, like using th esame square pin plugs, and ring mains. However, most fuse boxes before modern MCBs were round 'continental' style fuses, not rewirable cartridges as in the UK Before the standard 13 amp sockets were common, it seems that two pin soclets were the norm. Most of Ireland was electrified during the early years of the state, lat e30's and 40's, finishing in thearly 50's, following the Shannon Hydro electric scheme, using AC rather than DC (there was some DC in use in certain towns before this.in fact there is a very interesting book about this called 'The quite Revolution' by Michael Shiels - ( I read it about 15 years ago) Anyway I found these wall lamp holders and sockets still in place in a house in Tramore that has been non residential for many years (it is over a shop). They are no longer live, the new wiring is standard 13 amp sockets and normal bayonet ceiling roses, but interestingly most of the old sockets and lampholders are in place. Sadly the switches are gone, but the round wooden bases are syill on the wall. Anyone care to date them or comment on the make or models? Attached Thumbnails

28th Jul 2014, 9:25 pm	#2
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland That's a "Schuko" socket, with two spring-loaded earth contacts, above and below the pins. Originated in Germany, now used on most of the Continent (except France, Switzerland and parts of Italy). Most appliances have moulded plugs that will be correctly earthed in either a Schuko or French-style (protruding earth pin) socket. Was there some Continental involvement in the electrification of Ireland? __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

28th Jul 2014, 9:58 pm	#3
Andy Green Hexode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Waterford, Republic of Ireland Posts: 259	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland Yes I thought Schuko myself. Yes there was co-operation between a Norwegian company to build the distribution transformers, no doubt it had an influence on the sockets and fuses etc. a lot if detail in that book I mentioned, it's a long time since I read it though ( I got it in the library)

28th Jul 2014, 10:03 pm	#4
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,184	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland Hi, My wife's family on her mother's side are Irish and I remember us staying with one aunty who's farm near Carlow had a mixture of 13amp and 15amp round pin sockets. They had those continental 'bottle' shaped fuses too, held in with a ceramic screw cap. Another aunty who lived in Cobh had schuko type sockets. This would be 36 years ago now. Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

28th Jul 2014, 10:07 pm	#5
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,864	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland Yes, the whole set-up sounds distinctly Continental. Surprising to me. Nick.

28th Jul 2014, 10:15 pm	#6
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,970	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland So did the Republic go straight to BS1363 without going via BS73 or BS546 first? If there was widespread use of Schuko I'm surprised they went for BS1363 at all, unless it was for compatibility with Northern Ireland (which seems unlikely). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_powe..._related_types De Valera wasn't exactly a fan of the British though, so I can see why continental rather than British standards were adopted in the 30s.

28th Jul 2014, 10:46 pm	#7
Andy Green Hexode Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Waterford, Republic of Ireland Posts: 259	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland I've been in quite a lot of old (often disused) buildings in my 35 years living in Ireland and it strikes me that although there was some instances of 5 a and 15 A round pins plugs and sockets, it's mostly 'schuko' then 13 amp BS1363 type sockets dating back to around the late 50s / early 60s as far as I can tell. In the uk there were a lot more round pin installations still in service during the 1970s as I recall. Very occasionally you'd see two pin sockets though they weren't Schuko style from what I recall

29th Jul 2014, 12:35 am	#8
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,970	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland My parents' 1935 house had BS73 two pin plugs until it was rewired in the late 60s, and I think this was pretty typical for 1930s housing. I guess Ireland used both Schuko and the early British standards before moving to BS1363. Older UK buildings electrified in the 20s and earlier sometimes had a horrible mixture of sockets though BS73 was most common. Often there was officially only a lighting circuit leading to all sorts of dangerous bodges.

29th Jul 2014, 3:57 pm	#9
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,681	Re: Old lamps and sockets in ireland The Shannon hydroelectric scheme, built in the 1920s and the dominant supplier of electricity in Ireland at the time, was designed and built with the heavy involvement of Siemens. That might explain a certain German character to older electrical installations, namely the Schuko sockets. Chris __________________ What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/

30th Jul 2014, 11:12 am	#10
camallison Heptode Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Yarm, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 535	Re: Old lamps and sockets in Ireland In the area to the south of Dublin, particularly the Wicklows and the Currah (sp?), most installations pre-1970 were with Siemens and Shuko gear. An ex-colleague of mine ran an electrical business with his father there and also in Mallow, and he confirmed this for me. It was in the 70s that he began putting in BS gear as replacements or new install. Colin

3rd Aug 2014, 8:48 pm	#11
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,203	Re: Old lamps and sockets in Ireland The Schuko on the picture looks like it is from the 1930's roughly.