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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:12 pm   #1
frankmcvey
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Default Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Still sorting through a bunch of components from Woodchips. I have a number of these plug/socket pairs. They're metal/phenolic, high-quality, 3-pin and have a a part number which appears to be RS, but isn't recognised by the RS website (perhaps obsolete). I presume they're mains plugs - the socket has L, N and the Earth symbol on its mating face, with the words "Swiss Made"

I've found similar looking Cannon connectors alleged to have been used by the BBC.

Anyone recognise them?

Cheers,

Frank
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:18 pm   #2
mole42uk
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Typical use is mains input, most of the BBC AM8/16 amplifiers I've seen have these installed.
They are not up to 18th Ed. regs though.
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:21 pm   #3
yestertech
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Yes, CANON 'LNE' ( as opposed to XLR) I think they were called - much loved by the Beeb for equipment mains connections. The pair in your pic are actually the 'mains out' version although I don't recall seeing the out version used that much. Useful for looping low current mains supplies between equipment I guess.

Andy
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:25 pm   #4
frankmcvey
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Gosh, that was fast - thank you, gentlemen!
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:28 pm   #5
emeritus
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

A 1970's Canon catalogue mentioned that this line had been specially deslgned for the BBC to the BBC's specification. I guess the BBC needed a particularly rugged connector, judging from what I saw when a camera crew came to film a piece of equipment being demonstrated at my college in the late 1960's: when filming was finished, the cameraman didn't bother unplugging the cable that connected it to another piece of equipment. He just walked away with the camera (a 16mm Arriflex) and tripod over his shoulder, disconnecting the cable by giving the camera an almighty jerk when the cable got taut.

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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:36 pm   #6
dazzlevision
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Although supplied by RS Components, the logo in the second photo is Neutrik of Liechtenstein.
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:41 pm   #7
gingpeakin
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Yes indeed they are XLR LNEs made by Cannon, Nuetrik et al. The chassis connector is the mains output in your first picture. This was at least what we used at the BBC. I think others may have used then the other way around as you can get a screwdriver into the socket quite easily. At least these locked in place unlike their successor the IEC 'kettle' plugs which didn't naturally.

Ging
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 2:49 pm   #8
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

I think they are great, pity they didn't catch on. We are having a works refurb. and last week we chucked a box (48 I think) of each into the skip, both boxes unopened.
 
Old 28th Jun 2020, 3:26 pm   #9
emeritus
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

The early 1970's RS catalogues only list the mains input version, said to comply with BS 415 for creepage, clearance and breakdown for 250V working. The summer 1980 RS catalogue has the same information, lists both mains in and mains out types, but advises that "These connectors are not suitable for making external connections to equipment for domestic use as defined in The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1975" . They are rated at 5A.
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 3:38 pm   #10
barrymagrec
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

They were (and are) excellent connectors, used as standard on most BBC equipment from the early / mid sixties, as well as much other studio and broadcast equipment.

I seem to remember that they did not meet later regulations for some reason and were generally replaced by IEC types.

There was also a mains version of the Cannon EP series connector.
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 3:49 pm   #11
dglcomp
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Adding to this, if they need replacing on a bit of gear then PowerCon 20A or the 16A PowerCon True 1 connectors should fit in the same "D" cutout. They also lock in place.
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 10:42 pm   #12
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

As with every other equipment mains connector in the history of mankind, it's a bit of a curate's egg. The earth pin is thin, fragile and can occasionally get left behind in whatever it was last mated with- and not be noticed when subsequently used with other devices. To compound the hazard, the interface between the brass countersunk shell bonding screw and the monkey-metal shell can corrode and go high-resistance enough to negate this second line of earthing continuity. The first of these is fairly unusual, the second more frequent, together they are a nasty drawback. The BBC (who always knew better) used these the "wrong way round" by the normal convention of avoiding sensibly accessible live pins- to compound the puzzle, there was an "EP-LNE", essentially a scaled-up version of this connector style that they used the opposite (conventional wisdom) way round. The Neutrik type uses a Nylon-like cable clamping collet- this collet goes brittle and the fact that these connectors are somewhat longer than the original Cannon type means that they are prone to being snapped off by the clumsy. The release tab can sometimes fail to unlatch the connector, necessitating shoving a small screwdriver into the gap. Fine in a controlled environment with restricted users, but not as robust as their chunkiness might suggest. As said- no equipment mains connector seems to be above reproach in some way.
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Old 28th Jun 2020, 11:24 pm   #13
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

There was a type that looks like or is like those where cabinet inputs were opposite gender so that it was possible when wiring up in a hurry to end up connecting two live cables together and shorting out the supply.
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Old 1st Jul 2020, 11:45 pm   #14
McMurdo
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Default Re: Anyone recognise these plugs/sockets?

Quote:
last week we chucked a box (48 I think) of each into the skip
That's a shame, NOS retail at over 20 quid a pop
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