Figure of 8 plug for laptop charger

richardrich79 · 19 May 2015

The charger for my chromebook has a figure of 8 plug on the mains leas with a moulded 3 pin plug on the other end.
I want to replace the plug & my question is does it matter which wire connects to the positive and return. The plug can be inserted into the charger either way so I'm guessing it's not crucial but please can someone give me a definitive answer.
Thanks

JohnW2 · 19 May 2015

richardrich79 said:
The charger for my chromebook has a figure of 8 plug on the mains leas with a moulded 3 pin plug on the other end.
I want to replace the plug & my question is does it matter which wire connects to the positive and return. The plug can be inserted into the charger either way so I'm guessing it's not crucial but please can someone give me a definitive answer.

As you observe, since the figure-of-8 plug is reversible, it doesn't really matter. Do I take it that it's the moulded 3 pin plug (not the figure-of-8 one) that you want to replace (and, if so, why?)? If so, and if the cable has brown/blue wires in it, you might as well be conventional and connect brown to the 'live' (fuse) terminal of the plug and blue to the neutral terminal - although, as above, it doesn't actually matter. Don't forget to put an appropriate sized fuse in the new plug (use the one from the moulded plug).

I presume you know that you could get a replacement lead with moulded connectors on both ends (at not much cost) if you wanted?

Kind Regards, John

DetlefSchmitz · 19 May 2015

I think you've answered your own question. No it doesn't matter.

Edit: DOH!

plugwash · 19 May 2015

JohnW2 said:
I presume you know that you could get a replacement lead with moulded connectors on both ends (at not much cost) if you wanted?

But then you couldn't have it in a custom length or thread it through a small hole.

JohnW2 · 19 May 2015

plugwash said:
JohnW2 said:

I presume you know that you could get a replacement lead with moulded connectors on both ends (at not much cost) if you wanted?

Click to expand...

But then you couldn't have it in a custom length or thread it through a small hole.

The latter is certainly true (albeit a fig-of-8 connector is not very large). So is the former, provided that the OP does not require a 'custom length' which is longer than the cable he has

Of course, depending on it's quality, one sometimes gets a shock when one removes the moulded plug and discovers what the conductors in the cable look like!

Kind Regards, John

richardrich79 · 19 May 2015

Thanks to everyone, I should have said it is as plugwash sumised my reason is I have purchased an extra 2m mains lead which I wish to threas through a small opening and the new fig 8 is a right-angle which won't go through the hole the straight one did.

333rocky333 · 19 May 2015

Personally i would do a continuity check between the Fuse holder and the place you cut it, that way you will ensure its the same as it was manufactured

plugwash · 19 May 2015

JohnW2 said:
(albeit a fig-of-8 connector is not very large).

I can drill a hole big enough to take the cable with a basic drill and a regular drill bit. Making a hole big enough for the connector (i'm guessing it would need to be of the order of 20mm, don't have exact dimensions to hand) gets tricker depending on the material the hole has to go through.

JohnW2 · 19 May 2015

plugwash said:
JohnW2 said:

(albeit a fig-of-8 connector is not very large).

Click to expand...

I can drill a hole big enough to take the cable with a basic drill and a regular drill bit. Making a hole big enough for the connector (i'm guessing it would need to be of the order of 20mm, don't have exact dimensions to hand) gets tricker depending on the material the hole has to go through.

True, although I don't suppose many of us would have much problem drilling a 20mm (or whatever) hole through most materials. However, I accept that some might not regard a 20mm hole as aesthetically desirable!

Kind Regards, John

JohnW2 · 19 May 2015

333rocky333 said:
Personally i would do a continuity check between the Fuse holder and the place you cut it, that way you will ensure its the same as it was manufactured

Yes, as per what I said about brown/blue, the potential purist within me would probably feel the same - although it's obviously really nonsense when there is a reversible connector at the other end of the cable!

Kind Regards, John

ban-all-sheds · 19 May 2015

richardrich79 said:
positive and return

It's AC - there is no positive and there is no return.

One core will be the neutral, and will be at or very close to earth potential, and the other will be live and will vary from +325V from N to -325V. The current will change direction 100 times per second.

ericmark · 20 May 2015

ban-all-sheds said:
richardrich79 said:

positive and return

Click to expand...

It's AC - there is no positive and there is no return.

One core will be the neutral, and will be at or very close to earth potential, and the other will be live and will vary from +325V from N to -325V. The current will change direction 100 times per second.

You correct some one for calling it positive and return and then you refer to neutral and live when neutral is live and it should be neutral and line.

I don't think it really matters if called positive, line, phase or live we all know what is mean.

ban-all-sheds · 20 May 2015

ericmark said:
You correct some one for calling it positive and return and then you refer to neutral and live when neutral is live and it should be neutral and line.

Sorry - old habits and all that.

I don't think it really matters if called positive, line, phase or live we all know what is mean.

Of course it matters.

If it did not you would not have corrected my misuse of "live".

securespark · 20 May 2015

No, you're missing the point.

It was because you were so swift to correct the OP but then got it wrong yourself.

If you weren't so self-righteous, eric would not have commented.

As eric said, it does not really matter (except to you), we all know what was meant.

333rocky333 · 20 May 2015

securespark said:
It was because you were so swift .

C'mon it was 5 hours later, I expected it sooner

To be fair though I read Bas post more as an educating post rather than critism

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Figure of 8 plug for laptop charger

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