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Old 31st Oct 2018, 3:31 pm   #81
bikelectro
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

Were they not the first to have shrouded pins? Which then became a requirement on all 13A plugs.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 3:54 pm   #82
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

'Safety plug'... I think it's simply an assertion of their better than average build quality and durability over cheaper plugs, hence more safe... we hope!
I thought the sleeved pins was an update to the general British Standard BS1363 for mains plugs, hence all plugs required sleeved pins.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 4:08 pm   #83
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

I don't think it was just the sleeved pins; I vaguely remember trade advertising which promoted the difficult-to-get-wrong cord-grip arrangement (in the past it was quite common to see plugs fitted with the card-strip-and-screws style cord-grip not tightened) and how it was easier to wire correctly because you could cut all three conductors to the same length rather than fiddling around with making each one a different length as was normal for other plugs.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 4:55 pm   #84
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

My primary school had them throughout (late 1970s, early 1980s). One of the teachers told me that the education authority (ILEA) specified them because the design of the cord grip effectively blocked any gaps around the flex where it entered the plug, reducing the risk of kids inserting metallic things into the plug.

N.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 5:19 pm   #85
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

It's interesting to note that there are 2 distinct 'generations' of the MK SafetyPlug.

The original version [see attachment] had brass 'bus-bars' riveted to the N/E pins and the fuse-holder and the wiring terminals were fitted to these bus-bars. This allowed you to use equal-length-cutting/stripping when wiring (which was a feature promoted in the earlier ads).

Later versions don't have these 'bus-bars' and the wiring instructions on the card fitted round the pins explicitly shows the wires cut to different lengths.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 5:36 pm   #86
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

So was it an early H&S procedure to replace all the plugs in a school at one fell swoop?

When that electrician came in and started removing perfectly sound plugs, I was astonished. As much as I love the Legrand plug (and, believe me I do! My ex-sister-in-law worked in Blackburn's premier ironmongers shop in 1980, and I bought lots using her staff discount!) That electrician actually removed a couple of MK SafetyPlugs from the (new, hi tech!) ITT video recorder and CRT TV set.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 5:37 pm   #87
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

I have seen one of those plugs with the grip flaps pulled out so that it could be fitted without the cable being retained.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 5:58 pm   #88
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

How do you mean exactly, Refugee? I can't quite visualise what you are describing.

Maybe take a breath and re-word your enquiry with a bit more detail. ��
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 10:36 pm   #89
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

They had just grabbed the cord grip flaps and pulled them out with a pair of pliers and then thrown them away.
They were just simply missing.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 11:05 pm   #90
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

Quote:
Originally Posted by AC/HL View Post
To get back vaguely on topic, I'm intrigued as to why these are referred to as safety plugs. They are, or were, of good quality, but in their standard form they're just 13A plug (tops)?
Not just plug tops, but complete plugs! One has plugs and sockets, plug tops are merely the top of the plug waiting to be screwed back to the body.
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Old 31st Oct 2018, 11:38 pm   #91
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

When I was at college the lecturer said one of the past exam questions was to draw a picture of a correctly wired plug. The student had drawn a very intricate picture of an MK Safety Plug complete with busbars and cable guides, which had confused the examiner enough to fail the question. The lecturer told us if ever we had the same question, to just draw a 'normal' plug and be satisfied.
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 12:36 am   #92
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

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Originally Posted by Refugee View Post
I have seen one of those plugs with the grip flaps pulled out so that it could be fitted without the cable being retained.
It's the only way to get 2.5mm T&E neatly into one!

Gets a good solid 13A supply to various sheds in darkest Herefordshire......
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 1:25 am   #93
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

A common bodge that has been seen by many of us.
My worst sighting of this had a plug on both ends of the bit of T&E.
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 1:50 am   #94
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

Only done that as a temporary fix with plenty of gaffer tape and a dire warning notice, whilst yet another shed was being built between the house and the original shed.....
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 3:51 am   #95
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

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Originally Posted by Herald1360 View Post
Only done that as a temporary fix with plenty of gaffer tape and a dire warning notice, whilst yet another shed was being built between the house and the original shed.....
Did it have a plug on both ends of the bit of T&E?
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 11:16 am   #96
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

Well, no. That particular bodge used properly wired plugs and a length of 1.25mmsq PVC flexible. Not sure the plugs were even MKs. It's all gone now, just the 2.5 T&E and MK plug in a hard to get at socket feeding the mower shed, feed store and three stables.
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 11:44 am   #97
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

Quote:
Originally Posted by G6Tanuki View Post
Yes heating of the fuse is _very_ common in 13A plugs (one of the reasons I dislike the things...)...

...For high-current stuff I still like the old BS546 15A round-pin sockets, which are available in a nice dual-outlet metalclad version if you know where to look.
Me too.

I've found a source of switched single-outlet ones (Branded JoJo), but I've not seen duals.
Any chance of a subtle nudge in the right direction?
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 6:31 pm   #98
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

Oh yes! My brothers did that in the late 1970s when they had an obsession with old motorbikes. They built what they laughingly called a 'garage' out of any old manky bits of wood and boarding they could get their hands on.

Then, to enable them to tinker with the bikes on long winter evenings, they drilled a hole in the kitchen window frame and strung 20ft of 2.5mm T&E from the house to the 'garage'
Without any catenary support!

Inside the kitchen was an MK Safety Plug, with it's cord grip fins removed to accomodate the T&E. At the other end was a double surface mounted socket, powering a 6ft fluorescent strip, a radio and a fan heater. I remember the radio didn't have a VHF band, so it was always Radio One on medium wave - with abysmal reception after dark.

It wasn't perfect - and certainly wasn't going to win any prizes for good electrical practice - but it worked for quite a few trouble-free years quite happily. And nobody ever got an elecric shock.

Sorry, I'm rambling again.....
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 8:28 pm   #99
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

When I recently had to make a temporary fixed extension with 2.5T&E, I ran the T&E to a spare single box, which I screwed to the wall near a 13A socket and fitted it with a 20A flex outlet plate, a short length of flex and a proper vintage MK plug which I plugged into the 13A socket.
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Old 1st Nov 2018, 8:58 pm   #100
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Default Re: Modern MK Safety Plug. Not impressed

I do recall being told that the reason for the lengths of the wires being different was to encourage the live to let go first, and the earth last...

That said, if someone isn't going to fit the cord grip properly, will they trim the wires to the right lengths, or will they just "coil 'em all in"?
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