Dodgy shed wiring?

[Speakercon]

Just stumbled across this by accident - http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/165469-robs-obsy-build/page__st__40

Apart from the messy design, can anyone spot what looks like a rather worrying problem with the ceeforms? (scroll right down too near the bottom)

 

[bernardgreen]

Looks like that cable is a widow maker.

But no problem as there is a RCD in the system ( Sarcasm )

 

[Speakercon]

Haha that's what I thought. Wonder if he's aware of the problem...

 

[jamesmcbride]

ouch! yes, he's got that completely round the wrong way!

What I don't get is how all of these seemingly intelligent people can't see how dangerous this is??

 

[rjm2k]

I wonder why the electrician he spoke to thought the best way of hooking up a fixed building was with a temporary "caravan" hookup? Surely it wouldn't have cost much more to hardwire it and use buried SWA so you don't trip over it when walking over the grass?

 

[Speakercon]

I wonder why the electrician he spoke to thought the best way of hooking up a fixed building was with a temporary "caravan" hookup? Surely it wouldn't have cost much more to hardwire it and use buried SWA so you don't trip over it when walking over the grass?

He was probably on holiday at the time

 

[xdave]

I have seen something similar to provide a temporary supply from a generator into a fixed equipment installation that used an interlocking socket to provide for the generator supply to the changeover switch. Obviously that requires a plug to connect to it, so was designed to need a widow maker between the generator and the socket.

I ended up making a back-to-back widow maker using screw down plugs to convert it from a socket to a plug then drilled a hole through the mating parts of the screw down lip on the socket assembly and both padlocked and wire crimped them together. I hung a warning card on the wire warning that the connector must only be withdrawn after both switch disconnection and disconnection from the widow maker and that it must not be used for anything else and disabled if it is to be left disconencted. I'm still not happy with that approach but I considered it safer than the alternative given that changing the interlock over would have required switching off the equipment which was not an option. At least you would need the key and some wire cutters to place yourself in direct risk rather than simply isolating the switch and assuming that the cable is dead which is how most people would approach a plug and cable coming out of a socket.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Widow-maker?

Wrong way round?

No to both.

I agree that the flex trailing across the garden is less than ideal, but there are no inappropriately-gendered connectors being used.

 

[DaftPunk]

Are you sure?

 

[Aragorn84]

The surface mounted Ceeform on the shed looks like a socket (it has a cover, and goes over the connector on the end of the lead), which means the live end of that extension cable is a plug...?

 

[JohnW2]

Widow-maker? Wrong way round?
No to both. I agree that the flex trailing across the garden is less than ideal, but there are no inappropriately-gendered connectors being used.

Are you sure? All the ceeforms I've seen have the hinged cover on the female part (whether 'fixed' or trailing). If that's the case here , the 'socket' attached to the shed would be female and the trailing plug connected to it would be male, wouldn't it?
Edit: missed Aragorn's post - we seem to be saying the same thing.

... and he also seems to have the same 'wrong (dangerous) gender' problem with the ceeforms at the garage end - also I wonder why he’s bothered about those at all - is that just because he couldn’t get his arctic cable into the 13A plug?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The surface mounted Ceeform on the shed looks like a socket (it has a cover, and goes over the connector on the end of the lead), which means the live end of that extension cable is a plug...?

Hmmm.

You could be right - must admit I didn't read the blurb properly - I assumed he'd bought a ready made lead, which would have put the male end in the garage (plugged into the bs 1363 -> female 60309 adapter), and the female end at the shed.

And you can get male inlets with hinged covers if they are to go outside

But he bought the individual bits, and I'm trying to think if I've ever seen a trailing female connector without a cover...

Speakercon - did you find that because you are registered there?

If so, you might like to ask what the genders are at the shed, and whether the electrician he consulted really did suggest that a widowmaker was the best thing to use....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

All the ceeforms I've seen have the hinged cover on the female part (whether 'fixed' or trailing).

And the one in the garage is hinged.

It appears not to be my day.

Have you seen my coat?

 

[JohnW2]

All the ceeforms I've seen have the hinged cover on the female part (whether 'fixed' or trailing).

And the one in the garage is hinged.

Indeed - and, as I said, (if it means female) it's the wrong one in the garage which is hinged.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So not one, but two widowmakers.

The correct bits would have cost no more.