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Old 25th Jun 2019, 6:35 pm   #61
Biggles
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I have used one for years. Every place I worked in had at least one languishing somewhere in a cupboard. I use mine at home about once every month. They are useful things if used with a little common sense. I have replaced the fuse with a 3 Amp, as I have had on occasion had a bit of a flash and bang when closing the lid, due to some unseen fault. Gives you a bit of a fright. Just don't leave the bare cable tails too long.
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Old 25th Jun 2019, 10:57 pm   #62
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I have one of those Keynector things. I do still use it from time to time.
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Old 25th Jun 2019, 11:36 pm   #63
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

Safeblok brings back memories - when I was an apprentice back in the 1970s, the company I worked for, carried out electrical work at the Rendar factory that made Safebloks and one of the jobs we did for Rendar, was to fit flexes and 13Amp plugs to their Safebloks. The contracts were normally for 100 to 500 Safeblocks at a time! Yes very fiddly, but after doing a few one does get quicker - rather boring though!!

Rendar also made quality control knobs and those fitted to my Hacker radios, look to be similar to those made by Rendar - I wonder whether Rendar supplied knobs to Hacker?
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Old 26th Jun 2019, 12:23 pm   #64
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I haven't used a Safebloc, Quicktest or Keynector ever since I found that I can use a pair of 4mm to croc clip test leads directly in a 13A socket.

Stick one 4mm plug in the earth socket to open the shutters. Then stick the other in the neutral socket - you'll find it is a snug fit and makes good contact. Then withdraw the first from the earth socket (the shutters are now held open) and put it in the live socket. You now have power on your croc clips at the flick of a switch!

Usual caveats apply - do it with an extension lead so you have at least the protection of a 13A fuse upstream. I've never been daft enough to do it in a wall socket with just the 32A consumer unit fuse or MCB.

The slightly more acceptable version: a cut-off mains lead with a moulded 13A plug, salvaged from old equipment, with the open ends terminated in a 3-way piece of choc-block strip. You get your fuse built-in, and connecting your piece of equipment to the choc-block is still pretty quick.

Last edited by kalee20; 26th Jun 2019 at 12:28 pm. Reason: Extra paragraph
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Old 26th Jun 2019, 1:16 pm   #65
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I have got one but it is very rarely used , I have a lovely brass and china 5amp 2 pin socket fixed on the board above my bench that Gerry Wells gave me many years ago and box of 2 pin 5 amp "Clix Plugs" !
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Old 26th Jun 2019, 3:30 pm   #66
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I have got a mains lead from an old washing machine with spade terminals on the other end and also one with a chock block.
They both share there storage space with two original Safeblocks.
When I next see my original home made offering I will post a photo. I have a feeling that the rubber cable will have turned to dust by now though. We will have to have a vote on replacing the mains lead if it turns up
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 7:32 am   #67
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

Never seen a 3 Phase one, one would be very useful at work, do RS sell them, and info on availability.
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Old 13th Jul 2019, 9:36 am   #68
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

Looks like RS do sell the 3 phase version :

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mains...locks/8112274/
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Old 14th Jul 2019, 9:06 am   #69
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

These were widely advertised during the late 50s. [W.W. Oct 1958] but I have never seen one in the flesh. At 35/- [£1.75] it was quite expensive, put in perspective probably a little over half a junior employees weekly wage packet!

The traditional Safebloc was sturdy and well designed, probably taking the lion's share of the market. John.
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Old 14th Jul 2019, 9:45 am   #70
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

The Safebloc came into its own when testing unknown plugless receivers obtained for overhaul and resale. I must admit the good old Clix plug came a good second.
The range of differing mains connectors was quite amazing. Please don't attempt to identify all the various types by make..Maybe a future competition!
These were often just connected to the mains via a Safebloc, the fuse adding a minor degree of safety unless of course it was connected to your 'fit all lead'. John.
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Old 14th Jul 2019, 10:35 am   #71
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

My "go-to" fits-everything connecting method was pink Hellermann sleeves.

When dealing with gear that had one of the multifarious variety of 2-pin chassis-mounted plugs for its power-input I'd pop a suitably-sized Hellermann over each pin, then push the tinned end of a flex-core in so it ran alongside the pin and was kept pressed against it by the elasticity of the sleeve.

[In times-past it was quite common for 'communications' equipment to arrive back at the lab without its associated mains-lead - this usually being wired into a FCU or similar semi-permanent outlet to deter casual umplugging/switching-off-at-the-mains, or alternatively the mains-lead would be securely cable-tied into the rest of the cables round the back of the rack and a pig's-ear to remove without disturbing other stuff. You therefore had to make-do however you could in order to power-up the equipment in the absence of its official cable].

There was _just_ enough room to do the Hellermann trick with a 6-pin 'small' Bulgin connector - I came across quite a few 48V power-units that used these connectors. Why 6-pin, you ask? Well, the supplies had internally a SMPS and were designed to be fed from either 240VAC or 12VDC - either could be fed in through the Bulgin depending on which pins you used. On one occasion my Hellermann trick managed to feed 240VAC into the 12VDC pins
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Old 14th Jul 2019, 11:38 am   #72
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post
These were widely advertised during the late 50s. [W.W. Oct 1958] but I have never seen one in the flesh. At 35/- [£1.75] it was quite expensive, put in perspective probably a little over half a junior employees weekly wage packet!

The traditional Safebloc was sturdy and well designed, probably taking the lion's share of the market. John.
I spotted one of those the other day in a Youtube Video and wondered what it was! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXtP6Qzhvq8
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Old 14th Jul 2019, 8:21 pm   #73
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

Big Clive recently made a video where he used a Chinese knockoff "Wago" style connector instead of his famous "Quicktest"
https://youtu.be/mD4zn9IA5Ec?t=266

his teardown of the connector is here:
https://youtu.be/OP86SxqP7I8
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Old 15th Jul 2019, 7:55 am   #74
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rubberfingers View Post
I spotted one of those the other day in a Youtube Video and wondered what it was!
I suppose it could be confused with an electric milking machine attachment. John.
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Old 15th Jul 2019, 8:59 am   #75
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I was lucky enough to pick up an original safebloc brand new in the RS box from a radio rally for a £5. Then there was they keynector, CPC still do a similar one and we sell them in our online shop.
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Old 15th Jul 2019, 11:12 am   #76
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I still have one in regular use when working on old equipment had it years and cannot remember when I purchased it maybe 40 years ago.
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Old 15th Jul 2019, 2:00 pm   #77
Peter.N.
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I still have a Keynector in the drawer but can't remember the last time I used it, probably about the time that everything had 13A plugs fitted.

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Old 16th Jul 2019, 10:23 am   #78
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

I suppose it was better than sticking the wires in the socket behind a 'Clix' 2 pin plug.

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Old 16th Jul 2019, 10:35 am   #79
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Default Re: Who's still using their old Safebloc?

They were the best type as they had split pins to grip the wires.
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Old 17th Jul 2019, 10:34 am   #80
Peter.N.
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Brilliant plugs!

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