UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items

Notices

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.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 13th Oct 2015, 8:29 pm   #181
AndiiT
Octode
 
AndiiT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Saltburn-East, Cleveland, UK.
Posts: 1,784
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Hi,
There is quite an in depth thread here which cover quite a bit of information about Dorman & Smith 13 Amp plugs in a few of the later posts.

Post #19 is very informative on a number of plug and socket manufacturers.

Regards

Andrew
AndiiT is offline  
Old 13th Oct 2015, 11:55 pm   #182
Peter.N.
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Middle picture shows plugs of the type installed on the Coppice Estate Bromley in the late '40s.

Peter
Peter.N. is offline  
Old 14th Oct 2015, 10:07 am   #183
Tractorfan
Dekatron
 
Tractorfan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.)
Posts: 3,177
Smile Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Hi,
Some pics of MK fused round pin plugs; 2,5,& 15amps. Each has a space for a spare BS646 fuse on the left hand side.
Cheers, Pete.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Fused plugs (3).jpg
Views:	340
Size:	52.9 KB
ID:	114265   Click image for larger version

Name:	Fused plugs (2).jpg
Views:	317
Size:	61.4 KB
ID:	114266   Click image for larger version

Name:	Fused plugs (4).jpg
Views:	357
Size:	72.3 KB
ID:	114267  
__________________
"Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."
Tractorfan is offline  
Old 14th Oct 2015, 6:16 pm   #184
dseymo1
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 3,051
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

What a sensible idea!
Goes a long way to ensuring the correctly rated fuse is used for replacement (at least the first time).
dseymo1 is offline  
Old 14th Oct 2015, 7:47 pm   #185
broadgage
Nonode
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

I installed huge numbers of those fused 15 amp plugs when working in a department store.
Large multi lamp fluorescent lights had been installed connected by unfused 15 amp plugs to the fixed wiring.

After a few minor ballast fires, the instruction was given to replace all the 15 amp plugs with fused ones containing 3 amp fuses.
Failing ballasts still caught fire because the current drawn by a faulty ballast was insufficient to blow a 3 amp fuse.
broadgage is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 5:10 pm   #186
Brigham
Octode
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Co. Durham, UK.
Posts: 1,111
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

I didn't know unfused 13A BS1363-style plugs existed. They must be out-of-spec., surely?
Brigham is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 5:43 pm   #187
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

They are. As far as I know, they only exist on particularly nasty plug in flexes supplied with cheap power supplies or other tat. They don't conform to any flavour of 1363 whatsoever.
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is online now  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 5:56 pm   #188
broadgage
Nonode
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North Somerset, UK.
Posts: 2,129
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brigham View Post
I didn't know unfused 13A BS1363-style plugs existed. They must be out-of-spec., surely?
For general use, yes they are potentially dangerous, are not in conformance with the relevant standards and should not be used.

I have however seen some good quality UNFUSED 13 amp plugs used under competent supervision in the NHS.
They are sometimes used for portable X ray machines, intended that a patient may be X rayed in any ward equipped with standard outlets.

Use of such a plug considerably overloads the socket, but this is considered acceptable for this specialist application, remembering that the overload is very brief whilst the X ray exposure is made.
Indeed the overload is so brief that a 13 amp plug fuse MIGHT survive, but not reliably or repeatedly.
These "X ray plugs" are safe for very short term use under skilled control, IIRC they are specially manufactured for the NHS by a reputable company and are not to be compared with the Chinese rubbish noted above.
broadgage is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 6:13 pm   #189
TonyDuell
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,188
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

An unfused 13A-type plug, fitted to cable that would carry 13A and then plugged into one of those 4-way splitter boards fitted with a 13A fuse (which protects the sockets on that board) should be safe. On the other hand the potential for misuse is so great (you might forget and plug it directly into the wall) that I am glad such things are not approved..

I read that at one time there were solid metal links 1" long by 1/4" diameter to put in the fuseholders of plugs on portable Xray sets (due to the high pulse current drawn by such devices as you say). Needless to say those would be lethal in the wrong hands too...
TonyDuell is online now  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 8:41 pm   #190
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyDuell View Post
I read that at one time there were solid metal links 1" long by 1/4" diameter to put in the fuseholders of plugs on portable Xray sets (due to the high pulse current drawn by such devices as you say). Needless to say those would be lethal in the wrong hands too...
AKA an inch of pot spindle. Very useful in the mains plug fitted to an old Farnell H60/50 DC PSU just to get the thing turned on. It did have its own 15A breaker as a mains switch on the front panel.......
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is online now  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 10:11 pm   #191
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

When I tortured that Chinese fuse-less fire cracker had such thin wire in it that it got quite hot and I worked out that it was dissipating about 30W during the test.
That was just one conductor so that would double if it were used.
It was marked 10 amps
Refugee is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 11:32 pm   #192
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

I’ve been out in the workshop and found some new boxes of old plugs, bought years ago and never used.

Note the picture of one of the plugs from the box of four RS plugs (that I’ll have to show in the next post after this one), that’s never been touched or opened since new in the 70s. The fuse ends have gone completely black, as has been mentioned as regards these plugs in a post earlier. Also a later black RS plug that’s been used, but the fuse contamination is certainly nowhere near as bad.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080357.jpg
Views:	379
Size:	51.1 KB
ID:	114305   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080358.JPG
Views:	403
Size:	165.8 KB
ID:	114306   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080360.JPG
Views:	394
Size:	165.4 KB
ID:	114307   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080361.JPG
Views:	376
Size:	171.8 KB
ID:	114308  
Techman is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2015, 11:35 pm   #193
Techman
Dekatron
 
Techman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Lincolnshire, UK.
Posts: 4,985
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

RS plugs - 'black' fuse ends:-
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080359.JPG
Views:	374
Size:	157.9 KB
ID:	114309   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080363.JPG
Views:	384
Size:	172.7 KB
ID:	114310   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080362.JPG
Views:	349
Size:	160.7 KB
ID:	114311   Click image for larger version

Name:	P1080364.JPG
Views:	383
Size:	167.9 KB
ID:	114312  
Techman is offline  
Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:17 am   #194
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

That is a good example of the black fuse end problem.
Refugee is offline  
Old 16th Oct 2015, 11:06 pm   #195
stacman
Hexode
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 278
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Found this in the garage the other day, I think dad bought it from Woolworths in the 70's, the red tab in the lid says 3a, seem to recall they did one with a brown tab that was 13a. The lid of the plug had to be thread through the flex first before attaching the plug, mind you many were cut through.
Also a shaver adaptor, a few years old, no sleeves on the pins, still in use today, think it's a Marbo brand.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Plug (1).jpg
Views:	422
Size:	57.4 KB
ID:	114348   Click image for larger version

Name:	Plug (2).jpg
Views:	352
Size:	51.1 KB
ID:	114349   Click image for larger version

Name:	Shaver ad' (1).jpg
Views:	320
Size:	17.6 KB
ID:	114350   Click image for larger version

Name:	Shaver ad' (2).jpg
Views:	293
Size:	14.6 KB
ID:	114351  
stacman is offline  
Old 17th Oct 2015, 11:02 am   #196
Peter.N.
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Many of those plugs were cut through the entry on account of people forgetting to thread the cable through first and not wanting to take the plug off again or sometimes because there wasn't time - that's my excuse anyway. I still have one or two extension leads fitted with those plugs.

Peter
Peter.N. is offline  
Old 17th Oct 2015, 1:28 pm   #197
Herald1360
Dekatron
 
Herald1360's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

I know that sinking feeling very well

Now think of an early Cannon 37D with a non split backshell.......
__________________
....__________
....|____||__|__\_____
.=.| _---\__|__|_---_|.
.........O..Chris....O
Herald1360 is online now  
Old 17th Oct 2015, 10:05 pm   #198
stacman
Hexode
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 278
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Apologies if this has been posted already, found this on an old extension lead, pretty obvious of it's initial origin, Mk brand.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Gplug1.jpg
Views:	412
Size:	33.3 KB
ID:	114396   Click image for larger version

Name:	Gplug2.jpg
Views:	337
Size:	28.4 KB
ID:	114397  
stacman is offline  
Old 17th Oct 2015, 10:36 pm   #199
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

I have got several of those MK plugs with the flipper type cord grip.
They are quite common.
Refugee is offline  
Old 17th Oct 2015, 11:17 pm   #200
turretslug
Dekatron
 
turretslug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Surrey, UK.
Posts: 4,385
Default Re: 13A Plugs old and not so old

Amongst the types that I prefer, and available with the logos of quite a few well-known institutions! The wrap-round terminals and the flipper-grip that tightens as the lead is stressed are good features- yet another example of a connector that leaves you thinking, why weren't more of them like this? They are quite brittle, though- it's rare to find a used one without ragged edges, sometimes even internal fractures.
turretslug is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:32 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.