2 amp socket question

[coopersim]

I have four 2 amp sockets in the living room, as the plugs are un fused, should there be some supplementary protection other than the MCB?

Thanks.

 

[Taylortwocities]

No, they are there to power light fittings only.

The circuit for that light circuit will (probably) be protected by a 6 amp device in the consumer unit, so no additional fusing is needed,

 

[bernardgreen]

One should check these 2 amp sockets are on the lighting circuit and not just assume they are. I have found 5 amp sockets spurred from a circuit feeding 13 amp sockets and protected by a 30 amp wire fuse.

 

[winston1]

MK used to do fused 2A plugs. Don't know if they still do.

 

[ericmark]

I would question the idea of a 2A plug protected by 6A MCB to be protected by 3A fuse rather than 2A OK as 3A is a preferred size and easier to locate but to go 3 times the rating is going a bit OTT.

Dorman & Smith plug was fused but not seen one of these for many years and would not expect to find one now. If fuse was to blow I would not fancy your chances of finding a replacement.

There are some Indian variations

rated 6 - 16A the fuse is wired by electrician installing it is not pre-wired.

Since there is a British 5A as well as 2A there is no real excuse for using 2A on a 6A MCB.

In the old days sockets were wired as radials and there were paxolin fuse holders which also held spare fuse wire one for each socket. At that time a typical house would often only have 2 sockets normally in hall downstairs and landing upstairs in the rooms common to connect to lights for power even though illegal as lighting power was cheaper than socket power.

The 2A socket is used for lights but really should use a grid switch with a fused connection unit fusing down to 2A if a 2A version is used. Only real reason for using 2A is where 5A is used for something else in the same building.

 

[333rocky333]

mk 639 whi

https://www.mkelectric.com/en-gb/Pr...PlugsandAdaptors/Roundpinplugs/Pages/639.aspx

 

[ericmark]

Thanks for link to fused version as long as no unfused versions are used that would cure the problem as to 2A on a 6A lighting circuit but personally I would still not fit 2A sockets as the unfused versions are so readily available.

The old version was designed so fused one would fit standard socket but unfused would not fit socket designed for fused plug.

 

[winston1]

Thanks for link to fused version as long as no unfused versions are used that would cure the problem as to 2A on a 6A lighting circuit but personally I would still not fit 2A sockets as the unfused versions are so readily available.

The old version was designed so fused one would fit standard socket but unfused would not fit socket designed for fused plug.

Let's face it the 2A plug is well under rated. The pins are similar in diameter to continental plugs rated at 6A that are wired on 16A cuicuits.

Many years ago a nurses home near me was wired with 2A sockets in their rooms and they used to run their electric fires off them eith no apparent problems.

 

[plugwash]

BC lampholders have a similar rating and yet noone worries about putting them on 6A circuits. If nothing is brought in from outside then I don't really see how having portable lamps on unfused 2A plugs plugged into a 6A lighting circuit is any worse than your normal pendant.

I think the risk of someone brining in something unsuiable from outside is low enough to be acceptable in your own house or in most commerical environments, obviously something like a student hall of residense is another matter.

As someone else has linked MK do list a 2A fused plug in their catagloue, however i'm unsure if it is actually available. Rapid used to sell it but now list it as discontinued. In any case I don't see the point, I don't think it's really needed with lamps and if you are worried about people bringing in stuff from outside it doesn't help

 

[JohnW2]

I would question the idea of a 2A plug protected by 6A MCB

As others have said, I'm sure that 2A plugs are seriously over-engineered, and I would personally be very happy for them to be protected by a 6A MCB and, indeed, to carry an in-service current a lot more than 2A.

In any event, as I'm surprised someone hasn't pointed out, OPDs are theoretically there to protect the cables, not the accessories.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I'm surprised someone hasn't pointed out, OPDs are theoretically there to protect the cables, not the accessories

I did begin and thought they may be alright on a 32A circuit - especially a spur but of course they would be pointless as a 'normal' 13A socket could be used.

Overload would be all but impossible with just some lamps (or a clock).

Then I wondered why there is such a thing, 2A socket that is.
To be on a 6A circuit why not make them 6A.
The pin contacts must surely be a fair size to match the plug pins and how small can the terminals be?

 

[JohnW2]

I'm surprised someone hasn't pointed out, OPDs are theoretically there to protect the cables, not the accessories

I did begin and thought they may be alright on a 32A circuit - especially a spur but of course they would be pointless as a 'normal' 13A socket could be used. ... Overload would be all but impossible with just some lamps (or a clock).

Quite so. As you say, I can't really see what would be the point.

Then I wondered why there is such a thing, 2A socket that is. To be on a 6A circuit why not make them 6A. The pin contacts must surely be a fair size to match the plug pins and how small can the terminals be?

Indeed - a very good question. I would imagine that it would be difficult or impossible to design a plug of that physical size (and with the pin/terminal sizes they have) which couldn't happily cope with a lot more than 2A!

The impression I get is that when people use 2-pin or 5-pin plugs/sockets these days, it's usually simply to distinguish them from 13A 'power' sockets - if they are functionally switched by remote light switches' (particularly if they are dimmers!).

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I'm surprised someone hasn't pointed out, OPDs are theoretically there to protect the cables, not the accessories

I did begin and thought they may be alright on a 32A circuit - especially a spur but of course they would be pointless as a 'normal' 13A socket could be used.

Overload would be all but impossible with just some lamps (or a clock).

Then I wondered why there is such a thing, 2A socket that is.
To be on a 6A circuit why not make them 6A.
The pin contacts must surely be a fair size to match the plug pins and how small can the terminals be?

I do see where 5A or 6A can be classed the same so for example a 5A ceiling rose is protected by a 6A MCB but in the same way as you point out a normal 13A plug and socket can be used there is also a 5A version of the round pin plug they are made in 2, 5, and 15 amp versions so I can see little point in using a 2A version on a 6A supply.

As to the BA22d bulb holder in theroy there should be a built in fuse in every bulb so being rated at 2A is exactly the same situation as using a 13A socket on a 32A supply there is a fuse built into every plug.

I know years ago you could get adaptors to allow a 5A 2 pin plug to go into the lamp fitting but not seen these for years.

I would agree that many of the plugs and sockets can take well over their rated value but clearly there would be no problem using 0.5 mm² cable with a 2A plug it's rated at 3A so well within the requirement. However when used in a socket protected by a 6A MCB then there is a danger that the cable could be overloaded.

If there was not a 5A version then I could see why a 2A would be used on a 6A supply but there is a 5A version so no real excuse for using a 2A socket on a 6A supply.

 

[yorkspark]

but the point is the socket is rated at 2a, how many table lamps are going to be daisy chained together to draw more than 2amps?

the terminals inside the 2a plugs are that small anyone trying to connect standard flex would struggle and would be an idiot anyway, as why would you restrict an appliance to 1 or 2 outlets in your home?

 

[JohnW2]

... clearly there would be no problem using 0.5 mm² cable with a 2A plug it's rated at 3A so well within the requirement. However when used in a socket protected by a 6A MCB then there is a danger that the cable could be overloaded.

... but is that significantly different from saying that someone could connect 1.0mm², 0.75mm² or 0.5mm² flex to a 13A plug with a 13A fuse in it?

Kind Regards, John