Bulgin mains plug - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

rharness · 16th Apr 2009, 1:38 pm

Hi, I have a bulgin 3 pin mains plug and there's no clamp for the cable inside the plug, any suggestions apart from tying a knot in the cable.

Robert

AlanBeckett · 16th Apr 2009, 1:41 pm

Robert,
I usually use cable ties, or if it's round, and there's room, a grommet and a cable tie.
Alan

dallaslaff · 16th Apr 2009, 1:41 pm

Hi, A cable tie pulled tight around the outer insulation, making the diameter too big to pull through?
Les

julie_m · 16th Apr 2009, 1:49 pm

What the others said.

Also, cut the green and yellow wire a few centimetres longer than the brown and the blue, and bunch up the excess inside the plug. That way, even if the cable is pulled hard enough to bring the Live or Neutral wire out of its screw terminal (which you will notice as soon as it happens), the Earth wire (whose disconnection you won't notice until it's too late) hopefully will stay connected.

rharness · 16th Apr 2009, 10:53 pm

Thanks for the tips but I'm afraid it's too late for the green wire as it's already pumped a few extra volts into my system.

Mr Moose · 17th Apr 2009, 1:59 am

Hello,
As well as the other sensible suggestions, if you can, you could also try to use a thicker cable which is less likely to break and pull out even without a cord grip.
Yours, Richard

pmmunro · 17th Apr 2009, 12:57 pm

I dont know if you've seen the original cord grip for this type of plug. It was a pair of discs of grey fibrous sheet similar the material of fibre washers or Presspahn insulation. The discs were hinged together at one edge. The outer one was an annulus, like a washer and the inner one was a disc with three small semi-circular notches at the edge set at 120 degrees.

The weakness of the arrangement was that only a very short length of the outer sleeve of the cable could be inside the plug cap - usually the insulation of the cores would be exposed. One way round this is to fit a sleeved grommet, as on the miniature version of the same plug, but the thickness of the cap is increased around the central hole making it difficult to fit a grommet.

PMM.

ppppenguin · 17th Apr 2009, 1:30 pm

The best answer is the rather rare right angled version of the plug which has a proper cord grip. I have a few of the mini versions (used by the BBC with many of their white front units) and just one of the full size version.

16th Apr 2009, 1:38 pm	#1
rharness Tetrode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston, Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 54	Bulgin mains plug Hi, I have a bulgin 3 pin mains plug and there's no clamp for the cable inside the plug, any suggestions apart from tying a knot in the cable. Robert

16th Apr 2009, 1:41 pm	#2
AlanBeckett Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Burton upon Trent, East Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 1,686	Re: Bulgin mains plug Robert, I usually use cable ties, or if it's round, and there's room, a grommet and a cable tie. Alan

16th Apr 2009, 1:41 pm	#3
dallaslaff Pentode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 141	Re: Bulgin mains plug Hi, A cable tie pulled tight around the outer insulation, making the diameter too big to pull through? Les

16th Apr 2009, 1:49 pm	#4
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Bulgin mains plug What the others said. Also, cut the green and yellow wire a few centimetres longer than the brown and the blue, and bunch up the excess inside the plug. That way, even if the cable is pulled hard enough to bring the Live or Neutral wire out of its screw terminal (which you will notice as soon as it happens), the Earth wire (whose disconnection you won't notice until it's too late) hopefully will stay connected. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

16th Apr 2009, 10:53 pm	#5
rharness Tetrode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston, Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 54	Re: Bulgin mains plug Thanks for the tips but I'm afraid it's too late for the green wire as it's already pumped a few extra volts into my system.

17th Apr 2009, 1:59 am	#6
Mr Moose Octode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 1,043	Re: Bulgin mains plug Hello, As well as the other sensible suggestions, if you can, you could also try to use a thicker cable which is less likely to break and pull out even without a cord grip. Yours, Richard

17th Apr 2009, 12:57 pm	#7
pmmunro Octode Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dundee, UK. Posts: 1,813	Re: Bulgin mains plug I dont know if you've seen the original cord grip for this type of plug. It was a pair of discs of grey fibrous sheet similar the material of fibre washers or Presspahn insulation. The discs were hinged together at one edge. The outer one was an annulus, like a washer and the inner one was a disc with three small semi-circular notches at the edge set at 120 degrees. The weakness of the arrangement was that only a very short length of the outer sleeve of the cable could be inside the plug cap - usually the insulation of the cores would be exposed. One way round this is to fit a sleeved grommet, as on the miniature version of the same plug, but the thickness of the cap is increased around the central hole making it difficult to fit a grommet. PMM.

17th Apr 2009, 1:30 pm	#8
ppppenguin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: North London, UK. Posts: 6,168	Re: Bulgin mains plug The best answer is the rather rare right angled version of the plug which has a proper cord grip. I have a few of the mini versions (used by the BBC with many of their white front units) and just one of the full size version.