2 Amp round pin plug wired to trailing socket?

[eveares]

Curious how one would react to/code to a 2 amp round pin plug wired to a normal UK single trailing socket, So client can use normal light fixtures fitted with a BS1363 plug connected to a 2 amp round pin socket, to allow flexibility and easy hot-swapping of light fixtures without having to wire a 2 amp round pin plug to every lamp fixture.

Of course danger is that one could plug any item >460W into the BS1363 trailing socket and overload the 2 amp plug and 2 amp socket in the process, but not trip the breaker that the 2 amp socket is fed of.

Regards: Elliott.

 

[Murdochcat]

A 2A socket would be on a lighting circuit, so protected by a 5A or 6A fuse / breaker

 

[eveares]

A 2A socket would be on a lighting circuit, so protected by a 5A or 6A fuse / breaker

That is correct, however you could still end up with a load greater than 2 amps on the round pin plug it's self (plug rating) but under 5/6 amps (circuit rating), so what's your take on that.

 

[Murdochcat]

Check the MIs for the socket is my advice

 

[JohnW2]

Curious how one would react to/code to a 2 amp round pin plug wired to a normal UK single trailing socket,

That's a fair enough question but, if you're talking about EICR 'coding', I'm not sure that what you're talking about would be within the scope of an EICR.

So client can use normal light fixtures fitted with a BS1363 plug connected to a 2 amp round pin socket, to allow flexibility and easy hot-swapping of light fixtures without having to wire a 2 amp round pin plug to every lamp fixture. .... Of course danger is that one could plug any item >460W into the BS1363 trailing socket and overload the 2 amp plug and 2 amp socket in the process, but not trip the breaker that the 2 amp socket is fed of.

It obviously does not feel very right (even if not within the scope of an EICR), but I wouldn't personally be all that concerned. If you look at the pins of a 2A plug (and the corresponding bits of the socket), then, despite the 'rating', I'm far from convinced that they would be any less able to carry 13A than a BS1363 plug /socket.

... and, as has been intimated, another question is the 'rating' (MCB size) of the circuit in question.

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Boiled a kettle at least 3 times a day that was plugged into a 2A socket using just such an adaptor.

It was in the days before 3kW kettles, I think it was a 1.8kW.

This went on for months.

No worries!

 

[EFLImpudence]

If you look at the pins of a 2A plug (and the corresponding bits of the socket), then, despite the 'rating', I'm far from convinced that they would be any less able to carry 13A than a BS1363 plug /socket.

It would be difficult to make a plug out of parts that really could not handle more than 2A.

 

[JohnW2]

It would be difficult to make a plug out of parts that really could not handle more than 2A.

I think that's probably true. The sort of fairly hefty bits of brass (pins) we see, even in "2A" plugs could probably carry a lot more than 2A, probably a lot more than 13A, without even getting appreciably warm.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Fit a Fused 2a plug....they are available.

 

[sparkymarka]

With a 2/3 amp fuse fitted

 

[JohnW2]

Fit a Fused 2a plug....they are available.

With a 2/3 amp fuse fitted

%A plugs with fuses are certainly availableee, but I'm not so suree about 2A ones - havee you found theem?

However, in both cases above, someee clever clogs willundoubtedly make the point that fuses can be changed for ones of higher ratings

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

%A plugs with fuses are certainly availableee, but I'm not so suree about 2A ones - havee you found theem?

However, in both cases above, someee clever clogs willundoubtedly make the point that fuses can be changed for ones of higher ratings

Kind Regards, John

Unless a unique/bespoke fuse were used such as in 1A clock points.

 

[SUNRAY]

I think that's probably true. The sort of fairly hefty bits of brass (pins) we see, even in "2A" plugs could probably carry a lot more than 2A, probably a lot more than 13A, without even getting appreciably warm.

Kind Regards, John

One of the theatres I worked in had a Strand Junior8 dimmer board for 8 1KW spotlights which were on 5A sockets/plugs but the feed to the dimmer was 32A MCB - 2 to 3m of 7/0.029"(<3mm²) T&E - 15A rubber socket - #1m of 2.5mm² TRS flex. It was very normal for all 8 lights to be full on for the duration of a show for several nights a week and a possibly a matinee thrown in too. I'd been there for close to a year before some alterations were being made and I found it. The only part that seemed to have suffered was the rubber flex.

 

[JohnW2]

Unless a unique/bespoke fuse were used such as in 1A clock points.

Agreed, and IF fused 2A sockets exist, I'm not sure what fuse they would have (a BS 1362 one would probably not fit).

Mind you, in terms of the second suggestion (a fused 4-way trailing 'extension socket'), a 13A fise would obviously fit!

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkymarka]

As below