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International plugs and sockets

Chris Pearson
As we leave the EU, with all its standardization, I am bound to wonder why plugs and sockets have not been subject to this process. It isn't even that we have our funny square pins and the rest have round ones. Type C (2 pin) is common, but earthed plugs are mostly type E or F. IEC site.


Oh well, too late now!
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    Indeed we came across a situation like this on a site we're working on. We're rewiring a 170 year old listed building, everything existing is dead, save for 2 runs of lights we're feeding from a flex temporarily,  and we have a temporary board in place, with 2x 32 amp circuits, 6mm feeding a couple of double sockets each. all RCD'd of course.


    The builders simply ran one lead (1.5mm2) from the 2nd floor sockets because it was easier to drop down the stairwell. One 13 amp fuse was handling a microwave, about 7 drill chargers, a 2kw fan heater, and a kettle. The only victim was the plug and socket.  Note that the damage is on the neutral. Presumed loose contact. The fuse itself was intact.


    Edit: It was nice to see a builder's extension lead with no primary insulation showing ?
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    MHRestorations:

    The only victim was the plug and socket.  Note that the damage is on the neutral. Presumed loose contact. The fuse itself was intact.




    I have one a bit like that, but both live pins have over-heated. My assumption was that the plug was not fully inserted, either because whoever did plug it in had not done so fully, or perhaps somebody had tripped over the flex. With partial engagement, there could have been arcing, which would have overheated the pins. With a moulded plug, it is difficult to see how the contact within could have been poor, but I have never sectioned one to see whether that could be so.


    Will take a photo if anybody is interested. 

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    Overheating of the connections to the fuse in a BS 1363 plug is quite common. The fuse disapates some heat in normal use and if the spring clips are not good there is also heat from the contact resistance. In the worst case with thermoplastic bodied plugs the live pin, with or without the fuse, remains in the socket when the plug is pulled out. The attached report from the Electricity Safety Council shows some examples.





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    Melting plus doesn't seem to be the preserve of BS 1363 though - it seems to be an international problem (even with their unfused plugs) - try googling images for "prise fondu" or "geschmolzener Stecker"

       - Andy.
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    AJJewsbury:

    Melting plus doesn't seem to be the preserve of BS 1363 though - it seems to be an international problem (even with their unfused plugs) - try googling images for "prise fondu" or "geschmolzener Stecker"

       - Andy.




    Agreed ... I didn't say that the internal fuse makes the plug melt, rather the internal fuse makes the plugs and pins potentially rather large.

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    The maximum diaspation from a BS 1362 fuse is 1W which is not in itself a problem. The two additional spring contacts are a more likely cause of the melting around the live pin.

    Best regards

    Roger
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    Roger Bryant:

    The attached report from the Electricity Safety Council shows some examples.




    My only problem with the report is that the fuses in the plugs they were testing look suspiciously like counterfeit ones. (Doesn't invalidate the final conclusion of the report which was related to the use of common tools, but if the fuses are counterfeit, I am not surprised there is overheating).

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    There are some cheap nasty plugtops on the market too. Counterfiet or not. Mind you ditto with sockets and switches too
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    According to the report, all the fuses "appeared" to be genuine.

    a19bce0b9dd411d125ae1733eba1f636-huge-3.9-fuses.jpg

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    Re my comment about the fuses looking rather like counterfeits was based on the fuse clearly shown in the picture in clause 3.6.2 which compares with the fake fuse shown on https://www.pat-testing-training.net/articles/fake-fuses.php and meets the description "The shiny metal end caps are also a good indicator that the fuse is not genuine. Genuine Bussmann fuses have a dull matt end cap. This fake fuse also has a larger than normal dimple in the end of the cap."

    Of course this is not definitive so I am not going to make any definite claims.

    Alasdair

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