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Old 16th Aug 2017, 9:46 am   #1
Diogenes
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Default Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

I was interested in building a lamp limiter. Where I am in Germany the electrical sockets are the Schuko type. There is the ground clips on the outside, but a plug can be placed in one way, or upside down. How will this effect the construction or performance a lamp limiter?

A small portion from Wikipedia:
The CEE 7/3 socket and CEE 7/4 plug are commonly called Schuko. The socket (which is often, in error, also referred to as CEE 7/4) has a predominantly circular recess which is 17.5 mm (0.689 in) deep with two symmetrical round apertures and two earthing clips on the sides of the socket positioned to ensure that the earth is always engaged before live pin contact is made. The plug pins are 4.8 by 19 mm (0.189 by 0.748 in). The Schuko connection system is symmetrical and unpolarised in its design, allowing line and neutral to be reversed.
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Old 16th Aug 2017, 10:35 am   #2
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

It will have no effect on operation. It doesn't matter if the lamp is in the line or neutral circuit. You will obviously have to use appropriate safety measures, but the lamp is irrelevant to that.
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Old 16th Aug 2017, 10:49 am   #3
Diogenes
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

Ok, great. I will see if I can collect some parts to build one.
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Old 16th Aug 2017, 11:43 am   #4
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

A polarity indicator could be added by using two neon bulbs with series resistors wired to the earth pin. They are modest enough that the RCCD aught not to trip.
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Old 16th Aug 2017, 6:17 pm   #5
Diogenes
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

Nice idea. If I come across any neon bulbs I would likely add that. What value resistors do you think?
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Old 16th Aug 2017, 8:44 pm   #6
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

Hi, with the small wire ended Neons normally used any thing from 220K to 1M should be fine. Lower values brighter neon.

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Old 17th Aug 2017, 4:57 am   #7
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

Old jug kettles usually yield a wire ended neon with a resistor already fitted in a sleeve.
Those kind of kettles usually fail well before the neon starts to get black.
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Old 17th Aug 2017, 12:09 pm   #8
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Default Re: Lamp limiter and nonpolarized plug?

If you can't source a neon use a couple of LEDs in inverse parallel plus a 220K 0.5W series resistor. The LEDs may be a bit dim, but should be visible at 1mA or so.
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