To change plugs or not?

[Richard_FM]

Recently I was looking at all the electrical equipment I have that didn't come with a pre-fitted plug. Many of them have unsleeved pins (thanks to my Dad recycling plugs when old devices were disposed of), & I was wondering it it's worth swapping them for more up to date plugs.

Most of them are either plugged into the wall & rarely removed, or things I only occasionally use so there is little chance I might accidentally touch a live pin.

[G6Tanuki]

I wouldn't bother: to be honest I suspect that in most cases a 1960s plug with unsheathed pins from a decent manufacturer [MK, Crabtree, Volex, GEC] would be safer [particularly at high current] than a modern cheapie from a typical high-street D-i-Y 'shed' even if it did have shielded pins.

If you must swap, go for a decent manufacturer - I'm a fan of the "MK646" plugs even though they're 3 or 4 times the cost of a cheap-and-nasty no-name equivalent.

For things that are rarely removed [like fridges/freezers/laundry-appliances] I prefer fused connection units ['fused spur' outlets] over plugs-and-sockets wherever possible.

[TonyDuell]

I often do replace the mains plug when restoring something (for my own use) but not because the old one has unsleeved pins. The sockets here are switched, and I turn off the switch before pulling the plug out. And to be fair I've been using 13A plugs since long before they had sleeved pins and never got a shock by touching said pins.

No, I replace no-name plugs (whether sleeved-pin or not) with decent brand ones (MK if I am fitting a new one). The extra cost is minimal compared to the other bits of the restoration, and the risk of the plug overheating or the isulation tracking is a lot higher than the risk of me touching the unsleeved pins.

With relation to G6Tanuki's last point, I prefer a plug and socket for things like the washing machine. Mainly because when I am repairing said washing machine, I can pull the plug out and there is no way the appliance can then become live. A switch can get knocked, or break down. Very unlikely I know, so perhaps I am being over-cautious, but anyway.

[paulsherwin]

The only exception to that advice is if there are young children around. I normally fit sleeved plugs now, but I wouldn't go around changing all the existing unsleeved ones.

[Richard_FM]

Thanks for the advice, one of the appliances is a tumble dryer which is normally plugged in at all times, & I turn the socket off when not in use.

As my flat is part owned I don't think I'm allowed to change any fittings without permission.

The socket for the fridge freezer is remotely switched so I can turn it on & off without needing to get to the socket behind it.

There is also one for a dishwasher wired up in one of the cupboards, but I don't have a dishwasher installed.

[Station X]

Some local authorities insist that electrical appliances supplied to tenants in Houses of Multiple Occupation (Bed sits) must be fitted with plugs having sleeved pins.

At home I just use plugs with well known names such as MK, sleeved or not. Some of them must be nearly as old as me. I've scrapped a lot of no name modern plugs with sleeved pins.

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by TonyDuell

Very unlikely I know, so perhaps I am being over-cautious, but anyway.

No such thing as over cautious, we're only equipped with one life, and there are no refunds.
I binned the usual accumulation of assorted old plugs some time ago, but as above a few MKs survived. As they surface I change non-sleeved ones, but haven't deliberately searched for them.

[Sideband]

Just for info, unsleeved plug pins are still acceptable and legal for your own home use and don't need to be changed (as long as they are in good condition). It's illegal to sell them as they don't meet modern standards and should be removed from any appliances that are sold/passed on.

[emeritus]

I remember that when the regs changed, I bought some cheap sleeved plugs, only to find they were ordinary plugs with short lengths of very thin black plastic sleeving slipped over the pins! The sleeving soon split and fell off. I binned them.

[Phil G4SPZ]

My local friendly PAT tester tells me that, where appliances are used 'at work', he is obliged to replace any plugs with unsleeved pins for the fully compliant type.

Some years ago I remember a scare where a batch of plugs had a defect - the top cover would come off when attempting to remove the plug from the socket, leaving the live connections exposed

[winston_1]

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

My local friendly PAT tester tells me that, where appliances are used 'at work', he is obliged to replace any plugs with unsleeved pins for the fully compliant type.

Regulations are not retrospective, so I doubt if that is true. Maybe the company he works for requires it but that does make it a legal requirement.

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by Phil G4SPZ

Some years ago I remember a scare where a batch of plugs had a defect - the top cover would come off when attempting to remove the plug from the socket, leaving the live connections exposed

And that to me is a much greater danger than unsleeved pins. I have seen some modern cheap no-name plugs where the cover is held on by a self-tapping screw into quite soft plastic I feel that is likely to pull out.

As I said earlier, I'd much rather use a non-sleeved known-brand (MK, etc) than one of those.

[TonyDuell]

Originally Posted by Sideband

Just for info, unsleeved plug pins are still acceptable and legal for your own home use and don't need to be changed (as long as they are in good condition). It's illegal to sell them as they don't meet modern standards and should be removed from any appliances that are sold/passed on.

Is there any (portable) electrical device that is illegal to use in your own home for reasons of safety? It may invalidate your insurance, but I don't think it's illegal to plug just about anything in.

For example, it's (rightly) illegal to sell an electrical device with exposed live parts. But if it's illegal to have exposed live parts at home than just about all of us break the law at some point when doing repairs.

[Phil G4SPZ]

Not illegal as such, but as has been pointed out, your home insurance policy or even life assurance policy may have some relevant clauses in it - worth checking.

[Station X]

Originally Posted by TonyDuell

For example, it's (rightly) illegal to sell an electrical device with exposed live parts.

What about a table lamp not fitted with a bulb?

In my opinion people are unduly concerned about the perceived dangers of mains plugs and sockets, to the extent of buying dummy plastic plugs to fit in the sockets, but never consider the real danger presented by lamp holders.

http://www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

[ms660]

If a table lamp isn't fitted with a bulb would it be classed as faulty?

Lawrence.

[Refugee]

We need to avoid talking about table lamps or else we will end up having to change them all for ones with non replaceable bulbs.

[GrimJosef]

Originally Posted by Station X

What about a table lamp not fitted with a bulb? ...

This is a very good point.

When I spoke to Trading Standards about this (admittedly quite a few years ago now) they explained that the law only requires equipment to be 'safe' when it is sold, and that ultimately the decision about whether it is safe or not rests with the courts. Within the restrictions of the UK's legal system (precedent etc) the courts are free to make those decisions on a case-by-case basis. So they are free to decide that a table lamp without a bulb is safe (enough) and that another piece of equipment which you or I decide is equally safe is actually not safe (enough). It's their decision, and no-one else's.

There is of course a good deal of more detailed legislation which covers certain areas. Since the 1980s new equipment and 'remanufactured' equipment, for example, has to be CE marked which involves an assertion by the manufacturer that the equipment is compliant with the 'harmonised standards'. Manufacturers are also obliged to support that assertion with evidence. But CE marking is not required for equipment which predates its introduction. That equipment is only required to be 'safe'.

Trading Standards did explain that if a seller was to modify a piece of equipment so that it met the current harmonised standards and was to present evidence to this effect to the court then that would constitute a very strong defence against a claim that they'd sold something unsafe.

But it seems to me that doing any sort of half-way job in this respect would need careful thought on the part of anyone who wanted watertight protection. They would need to be confident that, among other things, a) they could convince a court that by changing the kit they hadn't 'remanufactured' it (this is to do with making material changes) and b) by making things 'more safe' they hadn't misled the new owner into thinking that the kit was now 'safe to modern standards' which it still might not be.

Cheers,

GJ

[kalee20]

New equipment has to be sold with a plug fitted, and it has to be a sleeved-pin plug. That's law.

If the equipment is a table lamp, that you can remove the bayonet bulb from without the use of tools, stick your fingers in and get a belt, yes that's legally allowable but the plug still needs to be sleeved pins.

It sounds a bit inconsistent, and it is. Though it's probably more likely that someone would inadvertently wrap their fingers around the plug and contact the pins while pulling it out / pushing it in, than remove the bulb and touch the live contacts. (I don't think I've done either, by the way).

My own equipment? All the 'old stuff,' I try to get decent MK Bakelite plugs for, and fit them. I hate the rubber plugs, which seem to distort, they were never very good. Modern stuff, I stay with whatever's fitted!

[Richard_FM]

I remember my Mum's Kenwood mixer was the first thing we had with a moulded on plug.

Once it went to be fixed & came back with a different plug on because the engineer couldn't sign it off with unsleeved pins.

Talking of rubber plugs, the one on a Trio amplifier I have is looking a bit past its best so I might go and replace it to be on the safe side.