Adding plug socket in airing cupboard

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I recently fitted a shower pump for the en suite which obviously needs power - I thought the plug already in there was a normal one and I coukd simply put an adapter in to power the pump however after fitting I pulled the plug out to discover it was a wierd type I'd never seen before!

20200628_190154.jpg


I'm currently having to use an extension which is annoying - the pump has a standard 3 pin plug and I'm wondering what the best way to connect it is. Would it be taking a spur and making a new socket or could I take the wires out of the plug and connect to something else in the airing cupboard?

In the airing cupboard is power for the Hive thermostat, immersion heater and Grundig pump.

20200628_190144_HDR.jpg


Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers
 
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That type of plug is still available, but they are usually installed to prevent random things being plugged in.
What is that plug connected to?
 
It's a 15A, unfused, round-pin, British Standard BS546, plug.

It's seldom used domestically (thousands are used in theatres) because house sockets are usually on circuits designed differently

Is the socket supplied from a ring final circuit, with other sockets supplied from the same circuit?

Or does it come off the immersion heater circuit? Or the boiler supply? Or a lighting circuit?

When we know where the socket is supplied from, we can suggest a suitable alternative.

it looks like yours is an obsolete design with unsleeved pins, which is no longer sold due to risk of shock. The pins should look like this
BS546-15A_plug.jpg

with protective plastic insulation at the base of the two live pins.

There are a few people who think you mustn't put an ordinary BS1363 square-pin socket on a lighting circuit. They're mistaken, but if you do, you should mark it "maximum load 5amp," or something. This is because a BS1363 is usually intended to supply up to 13Amps, so a person might unknowingly plug in something unsuitable.

Round-pin BS546 5Amp plugs and sockets are also available, and are suitable for use on lighting circuits.

edit:
BS number corrected
 
Last edited:
whats the plug connected to? Immersion heater? pump?

if it's not used I would change it to a normal type. The system will then have the protection of a suitable fuse
 
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I wouldn't consider electrical equipment in a hot press to be particularly good practice, other than the connection to the immersion heater and central heating. (Perhaps also a shower pump.)
 
I wouldn't consider electrical equipment in a hot press to be particularly good practice, other than the connection to the immersion heater and central heating. (Perhaps also a shower pump.)

Hot press? What's that?
 
As this is a UK site and Risteard lives in the UK (all be it close to a foreign border) perhaps we should use English terms.
 
As this is a UK site and Risteard lives in the UK (all be it close to a foreign border) perhaps we should use English terms.

Risteard is posting English terms (hot press is in the Collins dictionary). As is the term ‘albeit’, as opposed to your term ‘all be it’. Having said this, any chance you can leave the thread on track, to get Matty sorted?
 
Hi all thanks for the replies and sorry for my late one.

I've taken some additional pictures which I'm hoping may help a bit more.

The round 3 pin plug looks like this:

20200701_214305.jpg


I'm wondering if the fuse next to it is connected to it:

20200701_214414.jpg


The 3 pin plug is connected to this pump :

20200701_214327.jpg


The pump was fitted new along with the honeywell box, 3 port diverter valve and Hive. The plug and socket look quite old so it seems the plumber must of fixed the new pump wiring to that old round 3 pin plug.

The honeywell box is connected to a 3 port diverter valve - I had this fitted to separate my hot water and heating to enable me to fit hive :

20200701_214431.jpg


So now I need to be able to plug the 3 pin standard plug in somewhere to operate the shower pump I installed.

Hope this helps, if not I will provide more info if I can - cheers!
 
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I don’t think you can use that 3 pins plug outlet.
As it would mean the shower would only work when your heating was on for example.
 

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