Non-UK & Non-EU Socket Outlets used in the UK

"[Reg] 4.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, this Part [I] applies to the following devices namely any plug, socket or adaptor ordinarily intended for domestic use ..." (my emphasis). It seems fairly obvious that a hotel room is not domestic.

But it doesn't say "applies to the following devices namely any plug, socket or adaptor when used in a domestic environment" - 'ordinarily intended' seems to be referring more to the type of device than where it is actually used.  (Which sort of makes sense when some of the requirements are along the lines what sort of fuse can be fitted to a 13A plug). I still find much of the wording to be as clear as mud.

   - Andy.

"[Reg] 4.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, this Part [I] applies to the following devices namely any plug, socket or adaptor ordinarily intended for domestic use ..." (my emphasis). It seems fairly obvious that a hotel room is not domestic.

Part II applies to appliances only.

Isn't the socket-outlet covered by Regulations 4(1), 5 and 10(1), i.e. standard socket-outlets 'ordinarily intended for domestic use' (as it's put in the legislation) should be to one of the standards in Schedule 2 (items 1 to 3 for socket-outlets of course)?

Hard to be sure - it seems like a particularly opaque bit of writing to me. As far as I can tell so far, while the regulations apply to all domestic sockets, the requirements of the regulations (Electrical devices other than standard plugs- reg 6) only apply to what's listed in column 2 of schedule 3 - and a socket for flat pin AUS/NZ plugs doesn't seem to fit any of those categories.

I'll have to have another go at reading the "The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994" when I've got more time to spare - but my gut feeling is that it can't boil down to "all domestic sockets must be to BS 1363" (or older round-pin BS standards) - otherwise we'd be banned from having LSCs on wall lights or EV charge points at home.

   - Andy.

mapj1 said:

So yes we really do need to support visitors to the UK in a more responsible way. Hotels airports etc need to provide something that avoids the death-adaptors if all possible.

Permanently mounted sockets of the appropriate form of any kind, are a huge improvement. 

Yes indeed, the unshuttered fixed sockets would be better than unshuttered adaptors. There is no reason why the hotels which cater for international travellers should not make adaptors available, though they might disappear. Alternatively of course, the hotels could sell approved adaptors themselves.

gkenyon said:

Outside the scope of BS 7671.

My apologies, my last was ambiguous. They are included in The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (rather than BS 7671).

In response to Peter69, BS 8546 covers "travel adaptors", which are excluded from the 1994 Regulations in Sch 1.

Peter69 said:

All the big hotel names want them though!

I bet they do - they are far safer than folk using their own plug in adaptors of unverified performance.

In another world, I have been involved with products that need to be used in situations where the infrastructure may be damaged, either by natural disaster or by hostile man-made events.
The approach to these matters for such 'power of opportunity' kit would make a maiden blush - convertors to plugs and sockets of every colour,  flying earth leads, things that look like car  jump leads for tapping overhead lines,  adaptors for M6 wing nuts, vampire clamps to screw into the side of cables..  if you can think it, it has probably been done somewhere. It is quite a challenge to design kit to survive, and ideally work without a hiccup, when the voltage arriving may be 200 -440 and of unknown polarity or relation to earth.  But there are not as many accidents as would make it worth doing any other way.

Mke

I'll take your death adaptor and counter you with an approved? extension..

PDU UNIVERSAL INDIA OUTLET STRIP, (internationalconfig.com)

For the ZA socket, I got them to send me the outlets and I just made a feature in the panel that they could fit onsite.
But that was for a Saudi install. They follow the rules until the rules are no longer convenient.

These types of outlets are what other bigger names in the business offer. but I refuse to sell or incorporate the multinational socket. All the big hotel names want them though!

This is why I need to know if I can use the EU or Australian sockets in the UK

mapj1 said:

well we need to realise that the competition is this disreputable object.

Or other variants ... that are available with the 'CE' mark on them, from countries in the EU (and no different when the UK was in that 'club').

well we need to realise that the competition is this disreputable object.

No fuse, and also available in version with insulation on the earth pin.
Many people do not seem to realise that If you buy on-line, and something is posted to you from abroad you are the importer. This in turn gives the full legal responsibility for electrical safety, and every other standard for that matter,  to 'the importer'  who may just be ordinary folk and inadequately qualified to undertake that role.

So yes we really do need to support visitors to the UK in a more responsible way. Hotels airports etc need to provide something that avoids the death-adaptors if all possible.

Permanently mounted sockets of the appropriate form of any kind, are a huge improvement.  Personally  in the past I have installed, in my own house, shucko sockets in a twin  back box. where the other half of of the box was a fused spur with switch and neon, sidestepping the question of the 30A fusewire, I suggest that installing any unfused connector in that way is sensible. The shutters thing is more interesting and was not applicable at the time I did this, however if a shuttered variant exists it makes sense to use it,

Edit, but I meant to say, and made a hash of the typing, that personally I think even an un-shuttered socket, installed with a  proper fuse, or better an RCBO, and reliably earthed, is a huge improvement over the plug in adapters of doubtful current rating and earthing.

That said,  the IEC 60906-1 supersocket the domestic socket to unite them all (that oddly only seems to be used for real by ZA and Brazil), is not shuttered but instead relies on small recessed holes, and the one folk trail into tents and leave in a puddle on the groundsheet is usually one of the blue ones, also un-shuttered,  -so are the regs out of touch with the small reality of the risk, and accidentally encouraging something far worse?

Mike

Aren't these covered by BS 1363-3 & BS 8546?
I haven't read the BS8546 one. 
IMO if you squint, it maybe outside BS 7671 as gkenyon says, but it is plugged into a BS 1363  so is aligned to BS 7671.
Imo a well consider installation of foreign type sockets is safer then adaptors especially with the 'I'm not responsible' sellers like Ebay, Amazon etc. I prefer to call them eFences!