I'm also in agreement that the removal of heat from the fuses is not well handled in some plug designs  - to the point I have seen browning and cracking of the plastics around the live on both plugs and sockets, and on one tumble drier the live pin melted the plastics and fused into the socket and actually stayed there when the rest of the plug was finally prized out with vast force. At which point I decided that isolating the circuit was in order to fit a new socket. The neutral pin, presumably carrying the same current was by comparison unscathed.

Plugs on lower wattage or shorter use devices fare much better, and most seem to last more or less for ever.

I think my concern of corrosion would be amplified with a lead assemby stored in a car boot or on a hook in the average garage, as being likely to oxidise faster than the indoor one even without heating from the load or the fuse.


I'm only half joking about the gold alloy plating - it does wonders for the Mil std connectors,  they really can take the current on much smaller stubbier pins (the souriau 38999 series III are especially impressive you do need the tooling or to be able to solder, but after the initial shock at the price, well worth it in a few critical no expense spared  locations..) 

Mike.

I'm also in agreement that the removal of heat from the fuses is not well handled in some plug designs  - to the point I have seen browning and cracking of the plastics around the live on both plugs and sockets, and on one tumble drier the live pin melted the plastics and fused into the socket and actually stayed there when the rest of the plug was finally prized out with vast force. At which point I decided that isolating the circuit was in order to fit a new socket. The neutral pin, presumably carrying the same current was by comparison unscathed.

Plugs on lower wattage or shorter use devices fare much better, and most seem to last more or less for ever.

I think my concern of corrosion would be amplified with a lead assemby stored in a car boot or on a hook in the average garage, as being likely to oxidise faster than the indoor one even without heating from the load or the fuse.


I'm only half joking about the gold alloy plating - it does wonders for the Mil std connectors,  they really can take the current on much smaller stubbier pins (the souriau 38999 series III are especially impressive you do need the tooling or to be able to solder, but after the initial shock at the price, well worth it in a few critical no expense spared  locations..) 

Mike.