Quote:
Originally Posted by Brigham
Even the name of the earth pin has been changed; it's now the 'insulated (of course) shutter-opening device', or some such.
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I can assure you that the name of the earth pin has not been changed! What did change, in 1994, was the introduction of "Non-Rewirable 13A Plugs with Plastic Socket Shutter Opening Pins". This was done by means of a Product Approval Specification from BSI, numbered PAS 003:1994. In 1995 the plastic pin was incorporated into the revised standard, BS 1363-1:1995 and renamed as an "Insulated Shutter Opening Device (ISOD)" which is defined in clause 3.23 as: "protrusion from the engagement surface of the plug, in place of a brass earth pin, made of insulating material having dimensions similar to those of a brass earth pin". The use of an ISOD is permitted only for "non-rewirable plugs for class II applications". The description and restrictions remain in the latest version of the standard: BS 1363-1:1995 +A4:2012. An earth pin is still an earth pin.
Getting back to the original point about the hole, clause 15 of BS 1363:1947 is quite clear, it states "The connection of the flexible conductor to the earthing plug pin shall be visible when the cover of the plug is in position". I can confirm that I inspected a copy of BS 1363:1947 held in the National Library of Scotland earlier this year, and took notes on that very point.