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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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15th Apr 2013, 3:56 pm | #181 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 88
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
I work in live events and the 15 amp splitters are still known as grelcos. I'm in the process of changing something like 500 15 amp ends to 16, and even the 16 amp splitters are still referred to as "grelcos" by some people.
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16th Apr 2013, 9:57 pm | #182 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.)
Posts: 3,183
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Hi,
I found this item t'other day. It's an adapter to allow a European two pin plug to be used in a South African 16amp socket (the former BS546 15amp UK socket). It's nearly new and I was surprised to see that it was made by Crabtree, and that it also carried a South African approval mark. I didn't realise that Crabtree still made plugs, haven't seen one for years! Cheers, Pete
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16th Apr 2013, 10:24 pm | #183 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Willand, Devon, UK.
Posts: 1,023
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
The construction looks a bit poor for Crabtree.
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16th Apr 2013, 10:36 pm | #184 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,535
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Are those L&N pins hollow?
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17th Apr 2013, 9:30 pm | #185 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.)
Posts: 3,183
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Hi,
The adapter is rated at 10amps and is SABS approved. The L&N pins are hollow, being made from brass tube. Crabtree are a big concern in South Africa these days judging by their website & product ranges. Not sure how big they are in the UK though. The construction of the adapter looks a bit 'plasticky' to me as well but the Euro two pin plug is a good firm fit. I had to smile at the idea of a Brit (me) buying a South African fitting from a Dutch couple in France. Cosmopolitan, or what? Cheers, Pete
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19th Apr 2013, 10:29 am | #186 |
Hexode
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London, UK.
Posts: 498
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
One has to ask why on earth there isn't a brass earth pin and side earth contacts in the socket end.
As it is it is dangerous as it looks as if it will take a schuko plug but not earth it. Shame on Crabtree. |
19th Apr 2013, 12:23 pm | #187 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,535
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Not just Crabtree I suspect. We gave up at work trying to find a replacement multicountry travel adaptor that carried the earth through properly when the one we had been supplying went obsolete. Luckily it wasn't critical for the application.
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19th Apr 2013, 12:40 pm | #188 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.)
Posts: 3,183
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Hi,
It won't accept a Schuko plug as the plastic projections at the top & bottom are too narrow to allow the plug to enter (I've tried!) I imagine there's an earthed version for a few rand more. We have an adapter here in France that allows unearthed 16amp plugs (on power drills, vacuum cleaners, etc.) to be used in 6amp two pin sockets. They too have the plastic detents, but some folk cut them out to allow Schuko plugs to fit. Now that IS dangerous! Cheers, Pete
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19th Apr 2013, 1:07 pm | #189 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,846
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Crabtree certainly still exist in the UK market too, though whether they're just a "name" owned by someone else, I don't know. For example:
N. Last edited by AC/HL; 20th Aug 2015 at 12:41 am. Reason: Link dead |
19th Apr 2013, 3:26 pm | #190 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,998
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
In the UK, the Crabtree, Wylex and Volex brands are now all part of a holding company called "Electrium" which is in turn owned by the Siemens group.
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19th Apr 2013, 7:11 pm | #191 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wimbledon, London, UK.
Posts: 1,465
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
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19th Apr 2013, 7:22 pm | #192 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
USA type outlets, but sold in the UK and designed to fit UK mounting boxes are made by Crabtree.
Although intended to take USA plugs, these outlets are very different in design to those normally installed in America. The Crabtree twin outlets have only one set of terminals, it clearly being intended that the cables would be looped via these terminals onto the next outlet just as with a twin 13 amp socket. In the USA this is prohibited "one wire in one terminal" and outlets invariably have two sets of terminals to allow through wiring. Must be a limited market for these Crabtree outlets since they are not allowed in the USA nor likely to be used in the UK. Possibly used in the Middle East ? |
19th Apr 2013, 11:04 pm | #193 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,339
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
A hotel I stayed in near Gatwick Airport last year had UK, Schuko and US mains sockets in the room.
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23rd Apr 2013, 3:21 pm | #194 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wimbledon, London, UK.
Posts: 1,465
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
This sounds sensible and logical until you think of wiring regulations. I would guess that these had to be all on their own circuits to meet the UK regulations. It sounds expensive.
Colin. |
23rd Apr 2013, 3:24 pm | #195 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,871
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
You could connect the Schukos on fused spur fittings.
I assume the US sockets get a volttage reducing transformer? Still expensive! David
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28th Apr 2013, 10:29 pm | #196 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
USA mains plugs have become an unofficial standard in the UK for 12 volt circuits in off grid homes.
The convention seems to be 12 volt DC=USA type mains plugs 24 volts DC= old type UK round pin plugs, 5 amp or 15 amp according to load. 240 volts AC but of restricted capacity= MK non standard 13 amp plugs. |
29th Apr 2013, 12:01 am | #197 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,339
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
When I first went to Spain on holiday in 1973 (to Palamos on the Cosa Brava), our apartment (built in the late 1960's) had the standard European-gauge 2 pin sockets (4mm pins) for 6A circuits, and a US-type 2 pin plug and socket providing a 10A circuit for the water heater in the kitchen. The supply was the normal 220V AC.
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30th Apr 2013, 8:27 pm | #198 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.)
Posts: 3,183
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Hi,
Most UK touring caravans use the US two pin non reversible plug & socket for their 12volt DC outlets. Our 'van had one which was made by Clipsal, as were the rest of the wiring accessories. Cheers, Pete
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30th Apr 2013, 9:36 pm | #199 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,998
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
In the context of caravans, does anyone remember an immediately-post-WWII plug/socket used for loudspeaker-distribution systems in schools etc. that looked rather like this connector
http://www.caravanparts.co.uk/images/soct2pin138536.jpg which is now widely used for 12V distribution in caravans/motorhomes? |
30th Apr 2013, 11:30 pm | #200 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.)
Posts: 3,183
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Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions
Hi,
I've got a socket that sounds similar to what you describe. I'll dig it out and post a photo tomorrow. Cheers, Pete
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