So Sad
- Thread starter Robgers
- Start date
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They could, but why bother, when sockets already have shutters built in.
Even if such a locking cover existed, it would just lead to situations like this:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=267452
But having small srtewdrivers around is not a good idea if small children can find them.
I'd have had the telly dismantled ...
Actually there might be many instances where a socket which had a 'secret key' switch might be useful, to discourage casual or unauthorised use.
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If you were in a situation where you wanted to discourage casual use then you could surely just fit a fish key switch.
FatallyFlawed - it might be interesting to test a selection of non-MK sockets to see how easy it is to use something other than a socket cover to open the shutter - i.e. give a demonstration of how difficult it is and thus why the covers aren't needed. You could also demonstrate attempting to plug a real plug in upside down and showing why it doesn't tend to make the shutters open as it doesn't bend like the plastic ones etc...
FatallyFlawed - it might be interesting to test a selection of non-MK sockets to see how easy it is to use something other than a socket cover to open the shutter - i.e. give a demonstration of how difficult it is and thus why the covers aren't needed. You could also demonstrate attempting to plug a real plug in upside down and showing why it doesn't tend to make the shutters open as it doesn't bend like the plastic ones etc...
There are many things which can be used to open earth-pin operated shutters, the real question is whether they will stay open. The shape of the operating mechanism is such that only something with a very similar cross section to an earth pin will keep the shutters open without the object being held in place. Small children tend not to use both hands for different but co-ordinated tasks. Thus, it is easy for a child to plug in an inverted socket cover, which will leave the shutters open. At some point after this the child is then free to poke a metallic object into the live contact. this may be imediately or some time later (an inverted socket cover could remain in a socket for hours without an adult noticing, it is not that obvious unless you are looking directly at it.
Here is a small sample of actual quotes from parents:
"We have a 9 month old baby. Our first child is nearly six. There is one double socket in the house that is accessible to the crawling 9-month-old, which my wife decided last week to put a pair of safety socket covers on (she’d received these in a pack from some baby group). When I got home from work, the 6-year-old had taken one of the safety socket covers out, and put it in "upside down", opening the shutters and leaving direct access to the live terminals for small objects – lucky I noticed before the baby put something in."
"I remember my own parents used them when I was younger and I used to regularly play with them to see which covers I could fit in which sockets the wrong way around."
“All my children could get the blasted socket covers out, whereas I struggled to prise the darned things out. TBH, never have used them much anyway - especially when I realised the kids could get them out (and yes they tried reinserting them the wrong way up) and they appeared to be more of an attraction than deterrent.”
There are many more quotes at FatallyFlawed on the comments page.http://tinyurl.com/UserCom
I encourage people to test for themselves how difficult it is to place a real plug in the earth contact only.
But that needs two faceplates (unless you can find a faceplate that takes both 13A and gridswitch bits).
A single 13A socket with an inbuilt key switch would be useful in lots of circumstances.
It would require modified plugs but I can envisage a socket with an interlocked switch - i.e. the plug can't be inserted or removed unless the switch is off, and the socket can't be switched on unless the plug is inserted.
Something of that description was patented by MK Electric back in 1932, see GB Patent 365275.
It is of course questionable whether such a thing has any practicability when the intrechangeability benefits of BS 1363 are taken into account!
This is already common on CEEform sockets.
This story is very sad, I have a two year old who managed to push a screwdriver behind a socket front, dont know how he did it as he pushed a hole in the plaster to do it, was very worrying as what could have been had he touched live terminal.
During a visit from the ECA the inspector noticed my plug protectors, he told me there had been a few cases that when these had been in sockets for a long time, and when they are removed the safety covers inside do not return back in to place leaving the holes open and ready for small fingers to push things into!!
He told me to throw them away and rely on the safety features inside the sockets installed my the manufacturers.
During a visit from the ECA the inspector noticed my plug protectors, he told me there had been a few cases that when these had been in sockets for a long time, and when they are removed the safety covers inside do not return back in to place leaving the holes open and ready for small fingers to push things into!!
He told me to throw them away and rely on the safety features inside the sockets installed my the manufacturers.
The way it would work would be that modified plugs would work in any socket, thus removing any disincentive for plugs to be modified, but those who wanted their sockets to be safer would need modified plugs, as normal ones would not work.
Indeed.
For all that they are not shuttered, BS EN 60309 sockets with such an interlink are probably safer than BS 1363.
A tad bulky though.
C
cumbriahandyman
You also need to keep kids away from these...
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