Electrical sold without plug fitted

[pipemajor]

Friend of mine sent off for a garden pond pump on e-Bay. The pump was advertised as new and the price was right. When he received it this morning and opened the package, he was surprised that there wasn't a moulded 3 pin plug fitted and said it was against the law for retailers to sell them like that.
Is he right?

 

[lymmranger]

Actually when I used to build ponds they never came with a plug

...this is because how can you draw the cable through underground trunking or similar if it has a plug on it?

...a TV would be a different matter

 

[flameport]

said it was against the law for retailers to sell them like that.
Is he right?

Yes. Fitted plugs are required.
The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

 

[Click-Sure]

I find it on a regular basis with kitchen extractor hoods.

 

[mfarrow]

Yes. Fitted plugs are required.
The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994

Can you point me towards the regulation please flameport? The regulations to me seem to imply what each socket plug etc should be (i.e. 1363/1362) but I can't find any reference to equipment needing to be supplied with one.

 

[flameport]

Part II, Section 12
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1994/1768/regulation/12/made

12.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, no person shall supply, offer for supply, agree to supply, expose for supply or possess for supply any appliance unless that appliance is correctly fitted with a standard plug which–

(a)complies with the requirements of regulation 8 above; and

(b)is fitted with a fuse link which conforms to BS 1362 and is rated in accordance with the appliance manufacturer’s instructions, provided that in the absence of such instructions the fuse link may be rated in accordance with Table 2 of BS 1363.

 

[foxhole]

Would appliance not refer to an item that does not require fixed installation [like pump or cooker hood]?

 

[electronicsuk]

There is an exception provided:

Any appliance which is intended to be permanently connected to the fixed wiring of the mains system other than by means of a plug and socket.

So perhaps the manufacturer intends connection by a means other than plug and socket? What do the instructions say?

 

[mfarrow]

Would appliance not refer to an item that does not require fixed installation [like pump or cooker hood]?

Indeed, so if you read Regulation 11, it seems to me that if you do not design an appliance to connect to a socket conforming to BS 1363 then you can ignore Regulation 12.

By manufacturers not fitting a plug, they have implied by their actions that the product is not designed to connect to a BS 1363 socket.

Whether the user subsequently chooses to add a plug to the appliance is up to them.

 

[Schmill]

Had a pond for several years at a previous property and never were the pond pumps supplied with a plug. Water features on the other DO seem to be.

I think the difference is that a water feature is intended as a mobile item, you may want to reposition it in the garden etc. However a pond pump is usually intended to be a 'permanent' installation, and as such is usually hardwired in. Most the time pond pump cables are buried in conduit (as the cables themselves are not armoured), or are rasied above ground level, then run into an external weatherproof switch box.

 

[wingcoax]

Most of the cooker hoods i have seen/installed have been connected to a connection plate or sfc. so a plug would be a waste of money.

 

[pipemajor]

Thanks to all for attempting to sort the quandary out. I'm still none the wiser, because there dosen't seem to be a definite answer.
One of the reasons I put the question up, was because a year or two back, EU/local councils/Health & Safety Exec., deemed it unsafe/illegal for a householder to fit plugs to electric appliances and a neighbour, who is a time served spark, but works on industrial 'lecky' doors, says he doesn't have the certification to to do electrical work in the home. Bit of a mix-up somewhere.

 

[Inky Pete]

EU/local councils/Health & Safety Exec., deemed it unsafe/illegal for a householder to fit plugs to electric appliances

What makes you say that? It is, and always has been, perfectly legal for any competent person - including a householder to fit plugs to appliances. A householder can also replace sockets, lightswitches and light fittings within their home and (within certain limitations) add new sockets and lighting points to their installations.

and a neighbour, who is a time served spark, but works on industrial 'lecky' doors, says he doesn't have the certification to to do electrical work in the home.

For basic tasks he doesn't need any.

 

[pipemajor]

I am not saying anything in an authoritive note, I asked the question and if you read the responses you will agree that it is all down to pesonal interpretation, although each person is convinced he is correct.
I haven't any knowledge of regulations so I am not pushing my opinion. I am seeking clarification.

 

[Grizzly]

... because a year or two back, EU/local councils/Health & Safety Exec., deemed it unsafe/illegal for a householder to fit plugs to electric appliances...

Complete cobblers.
Please point us towards where you've gleaned this gem of information from.

... and a neighbour, who is a time served spark, but works on industrial 'lecky' doors, says he doesn't have the certification to to do electrical work in the home. Bit of a mix-up somewhere.

He's most probably right.
Read the wiki to see what he's talking about, and how it bears no relation to your first point: electricsart_p