3 pin socket

[BlueLoo]

In your very limited opinion. If you had some specialised mains powered equipment, which you only wanted to be be able to plug into one particular socket, or series of sockets, how would you do it?

Change the plug.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Change the plug.

Which defeats the whole purpose of fitting such a plug..

 

[BlueLoo]

I think its a bit of a stretch to justify 70 year old plugs because of some outlier case of a paranoid nightclub owner and his nefarious cleaners.

In fact, i think it probably a cautious thing to do to update the plugs as you really don't want to be plugging in very old stuff in to those things.
What if, for instance, a young lad was to find his grandads old drill in the shed, recognize the plug, and go into the house and plug it in, do you think the 70 year old insulation would be up to scratch?

There are far better ways of securitizing plugs and sockets other than using outdated standards.

 

[bernardgreen]

BS 546 is from the 50's and has no use real use 70 years later except for museum pieces.

Most of the lights in my cottage use 5 Amp 3 pin sockets. The sockets are individually switched by relays operated by 12 Volt switches.

 

[BlueLoo]

Most of the lights in my cottage use 5 Amp 3 pin sockets. The sockets are individually switched by relays operated by 12 Volt switches.

My old man had a 12v relay system in his house when he bought it.
He thought it a massive pain in the arse that he couldn't plug anything into it that wasn't from another era or without changing his plug so he binned it off.

Not a modern solution really is it.

 

[bernardgreen]

Not a modern solution really is it.

Installed by me in 2011, so yes... it is a modern solution to some of the problems that arise when renovating an ancient cottage.

 

[David Sarbutts]

Hi all, thanks for very informative information. I wii disconnect the socket and replace it with a single 13amp socket if everyone agrees

 

[BlueLoo]

Hi all, thanks for very informative information. I wii disconnect the socket and replace it with a single 13amp socket if everyone agrees

Just to be exact....

If you mean removing the fused switch socked and everthing after that, then yes.
If you mean switching the 5amp grandad socket for a n ew 13 amp one then no, because you will need to do a few things such as upgrade the cable and conduit it in fully etc, etc. (which is an option isn't it? Do you still want a socket here?)

 

[David Sarbutts]

Hi Blue, I don’t need a socket to replace it. Just need it removed.
Thanks Dave

 

[BlueLoo]

Hi Blue, I don’t need a socket to replace it. Just need it removed.
Thanks Dave

Ok, Suggest you get a double plug socket and new back box (if the old one has ahole in it for that trailing cable) and replace both. (Check for fit).
Looks much better.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

In fact, i think it probably a cautious thing to do to update the plugs as you really don't want to be plugging in very old stuff in to those things.
What if, for instance, a young lad was to find his grandads old drill in the shed, recognize the plug, and go into the house and plug it in, do you think the 70 year old insulation would be up to scratch?

There are far better ways of securitizing plugs and sockets other than using outdated standards.

They are a perfectly useable standard way of doing things, why should industry standards change to suit your rather strange views? The is nothing old, or outdated, or obsolete about them, they suit sockets for specially purposes perfectly.

What some young lad did plug his grandad's drill in, what do you suppose might happen? More to the point, what might this lad be doing on what is most likely a commercial or industrial site, plugging a drill in? I think you are missing the whole point of why these plugs and sockets are still very much in common usage. They are to restrict and make it obvious what can and cannot be plugged into circuits.

 

[BlueLoo]

They are to restrict and make it obvious what can and cannot be plugged into circuits.

Incorrect.

They are re-purposed for that reason and work because its old tech. It is the equivalent of having USB-A chargers to stop your missus from nicking yours.
I am not sure what the disagreement is here tbh.

It is outdated and old tech but can use it for other reasons. both valid.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Incorrect.

They are re-purposed for that reason and work because its old tech. It is the equivalent of having USB-A chargers to stop your missus from nicking yours.
I am not sure what the disagreement is here tbh.

It is outdated and old tech but can use it for other reasons. both valid.

I give up, you obviously know more and better than the rest of the electrical industry...

 

[BlueLoo]

I give up

Good.

 

[JohnW2]

BS 546 is from the 50's and has no use real use 70 years later except for museum pieces.

If you were right, then that would be fractionally more 'modern' in concept than current 13A sockets, then, since BS1363 (and 13A sockets, like the ones we use today) first came into being in 1947.

However, I think the truth is that BS546 first appeared in 1934, although I think the 'current edition' (albeit with several subsequent amendments) dates from 1950.

Kind Regards, John