Leads from UK mains plugs

[JohnW2]

And of course when you search for them......

I suppose that was pretty inevitable

However, I'm still inclined to suggest that it might qualify (at least in my mind) as "pretty strange-looking, and probably cumbersome"!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Agreed, easier to have a downward pointing socket the plug goes up into. It was just the talk of cable exits that got me thinking (dangerous I know!)

 

[ericmark]

Lewden also have metal waterproof plugs

Seem to remember two types, one with fused pins and one unfused, and you could fit fused type in both sockets, and unfused would only fit in unfused sockets, and some you turned the plug to switch it on and pressed a button to release, but only seen them in industrial premises.

 

[FrodoOne]

This is an interesting topic and it has a definite relationship to the orientation of the Socket Pins (particularly the "Earth" pin) in the Socket outlets of any country.
In the UK, with switched (Type G) Socket-Outlets mounted horizontally, this has meant that the "convention" is that Earth Pin is uppermost.
(I am not aware whether it is a "regulation" - please advise.)

{In North America, illustrations often show 3-pin Socket outlets thus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEMA_5_1_devices2.jpg ),
with the Ground (Earth) Pin "Downwards"
but the "Official Line" seems to be thus : -
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NEMA_connector#/media/File:NEMA_simplified_pins.svg )
with the Ground Pin "Upwards".

Un-switched Socket Outlets in North America are/can-be mounted Vertically or Horizontally, in any of the 4 possible permutations.


In Australia (and NZ) in the 1930s, the (Type I) Socket-Outlet was adopted - from a North American design (on which the patents had [probably] lapsed.)
However, it was not until several years after WWII that a "convention" became informally established that the Earth pin should point "downwards" in these countries.
This has been maintained in both Australia and New Zealand, although in Australia Socket-Outlets are "normally" mounted horizontally while in New Zealand they are often mounted vertically!

From this "convention" there has been derived the Australian/New Zealand "Side Entry Plug".
While the name might imply that this is a Plug with the "Cord Entry" at 90 degrees from the Vertical, this is not so .
The "Side Entry" is at 135 degrees down on the Right of the top of the vertical, with the Earth Pin at the lower point of the vertical.
(Examples are shown here https://www.bunnings.co.nz/search/products?page=1&q=side+entry+plug&sort=BoostOrder )

Hopefully, you can visualize the situation where two such "Side Entry" plugs are inserted side-by-side into a pair of horizontal Socket Outlets, such as this
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mains-AU-10A-household2.JPG )

The "leads" from these "plugs" go down - sideways and downwards - and one does not interfere with the other but
neither is either "brought up short" by encountering the surface of the "work top", just a short depth underneath.

In "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AS/NZS_3112 " it is remarked that
"Many products such as "side-entry" plugs (with the cord exit in the 5 O'clock/135-degree position) and extra low voltage "plug packs" are manufactured for use in Australia/New Zealand assuming that the socket into which they will be inserted has the Earth pin downwards.

 

[plugwash]

Seem to remember two types, one with fused pins and one unfused, and you could fit fused type in both sockets, and unfused would only fit in unfused sockets, and some you turned the plug to switch it on and pressed a button to release, but only seen them in industrial premises.

The ones I saw for sale were fused BS1363-derived ones and unfused BS546-derived ones, but I would not be at all surprised if there were other variants.

Spotted them in various places, mostly in/on older non-domestic (but not nessacerally industrial) buildings.

 

[ericmark]

The Lewden sockets I used were 32 and 63 amp and you turned plug to lock it in and turn on the supply, and pressed a button to release. There was also the Walsall plug and socket with line pins rotated 90º from normal used where they did not want unauthorised use of the supply.

 

[securespark]

Oooooh, the Kiwis are calling them plugtops as well.......

Edited for clarity.

 

[JohnW2]

Oooooh, are the Kiwis are calling them plugtops as well.......

Seemingly, but that might be regarded as even more odd than it is for us - since it's well known that things in the Southern hemisphere are 'upside down', one might pehaps have expected them to be called "plug bottoms" down there

Kind Regards, John

 

[FrodoOne]

Oooooh, are the Kiwis are calling them plugtops as well.......

Those labeled "Plug Tops" (as opposed to "Plugs") are of the DETA brand, which is a cheap Chinese copy of Clipsal products (now a Schneider company.)
Clipsal Australia does not allow its products to be sold in "Big Box" stores, but only in Electrical Wholesale stores.
There is no problem in obtaining Clipsal products but the use of DETA products in an electrical installation is usually a "dead giveaway" that the job has not been done by a professional (qualified) electrician.

In Australia, a "homeowner" is not allowed to do their own electrical work, but
in New Zealand, with the same "Electrical Regulations" (AS/NZS 3000) they may do so.
In fact, the NZ Government provides a "guide" for this
(https://docplayer.net/18725556-New-...al-wiring-work-in-domestic-installations.html )

The situation is that in all States of Australia (since about the 1960s) Australian "Homeowners" may not (legally) do "electrical work" on their own premises - but in New Zealand they may - with a requirement for "inspection".

However, it would be a "Restriction of Trade" to not allow the sale of "electrical products" to "unqualified persons" in Australia

Hence, all such products are easily "available" for the DIY person, but there is no check (legally) available for such work, since it should not have been done.

Guess what happens !

Seemingly, but that might be regarded as even more odd than it is for us - since it's well known that things in the Southern hemisphere are 'upside down', one might pehaps have expected them to be called "plug bottoms" down there

Kind Regards, John

You might note that the (mainland) Chinese are also using the (Type I) Socket-Outlet.
However, they use it with Socket-Outlets having the Earth Pin uppermost.

No doubt, this is an example of the Chinese principle of having things "Ah Sup" !