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Old 13th Nov 2015, 1:14 am   #229
emeritus
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
Default Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions

Following on from #228, last week we had a midweek break at Warners on the IOW. Our bedside lights were connected via the old style 3 pin 5A plugs and sockets. I have previously found these used in hotels to allow standard lamps to be controlled via wall or bedside switches, but in this case the (unswitched) sockets were not controlled by wall switches, the lamps being switched by in-line flex switches. No fuse box in the chalet, so I couldn't check the fusing arrangements!

We could have done with a couple of incandescents: the bedside lamps were fitted with base-down ES-base GLS LED lamps, made by BELL. No problem with RFI on any band until my radio got closer than 4" (Spain came through loud and clear on medium wave), but as bedside lamps they were dire. This type of lamp is evidently designed for burning base up in a ceiling light fitting as light is only emitted from the hemisphere opposite the base. As a consequence, while the light reflected from the ceiling made the room bright enough, very little light came down where it was needed to read in bed. Rough measurements with the exposure meter of my camera indicated the downward illumination was less than 20% of the upward. Must remember to bring a couple of my own tungsten lamps in BC and ES bases with me next time we go away.
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