repairing lawnmover cable

[xyz321]

Thanks for all ur replies. I managed to fix it (at least for now) with the ip67 inline connector linked above. I did think about replacing entire cable but it was £33 for original version, so at least worth a try.
Thanks everyone.

 

[SUNRAY]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread rather than start a new one.

A few weeks ago a friend of mine managed to cut through his mower cable and not thinking he did a temporary repair with choc block without unplugging the cable from the outside RCD socket. So he did the repair without so much as a tingle and continued cutting the grass.

A few days ago he repaired the cable with a 2 pin plug and socket (from a shed) which is labelled 'mains' and 'appliance'. Now he insists that he fitted the connectors individually and at no time were both parts dismantled simultaneously but he ended up with making a widow maker, ie the plug with exposed pins is labelled 'mains'.

This morning he twice found the hard way that an RCD does not switch off when you put yourself across exposed pins, first time as he handled the cable and second as he fell on the plug as a result of the first shock.

He asked me to replace the RCD socket, which I haven't done as it has trip times of 7mS & 18mS. I demonstrated that his dry patio slabs only conducted 2mA and touching the live pin onto a blade of grass tripped the RCD straight away.

I have of course remade the connectors but I'm surprised they have been constructed in such a way that the inserts can be swapped.

I went to said 'shed' on the way home with the original packaging and receipt (fortunately still on the top in the wheelie bin) and spoke to a supervisor, we checked their stock of 5 items which were correct and she has taken it seriously by putting some sort of inspection into their system.
Full marks to them we ended up with 2 more members of staff involved then the Duty Manager turned up having picked up on the computer activity.

However the slightest inspection of the packaging shows is had been restapled and their POS system shows a returned item 3 days before this purchase.

They have promised email response within 48 hours...

 

[JohnW2]

I went to said 'shed' on the way home with the original packaging and receipt (fortunately still on the top in the wheelie bin) and spoke to a supervisor, we checked their stock of 5 items which were correct and she has taken it seriously by putting some sort of inspection into their system.
Full marks to them we ended up with 2 more members of staff involved then the Duty Manager turned up having picked up on the computer activity. ... However the slightest inspection of the packaging shows is had been restapled and their POS system shows a returned item 3 days before this purchase.

That's a pretty (and, dare I say, surprisingly) gratifying story. Maybe not all 'sheds' need to be banned!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Now he insists that he fitted the connectors individually and at no time were both parts dismantled simultaneously but he ended up with making a widow maker, ie the plug with exposed pins is labelled 'mains'.

No matter what the legends on the connectors said, I think the fact that it didn't register that it couldn't possibly be right for the plug to be the live side shows that he should not be fiddling with electrical things. No doubt the connector had instructions that mandated it should only be fitted by someone competent.

 

[rsgaz]

KnightsBridge' own stock photo has them the dangerous/wrong way round on the 3 pin version...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ye gods.

Given that, and the fact that the cases appear to be interchangeable, things would probably be safer if there were no legends at all.

 

[SUNRAY]

No matter what the legends on the connectors said, I think the fact that it didn't register that it couldn't possibly be right for the plug to be the live side shows that he should not be fiddling with electrical things. No doubt the connector had instructions that mandated it should only be fitted by someone competent.

Well if it's any consolation I have come across a selection of 'widow makers' over the years which have been made by fully qualified electricians.
Such as this:

Removed from the 'load' end of a catering trailer.
For infothis was a 16/3 using 3 pins for a 1ph with 2.5mm² flex, other end was a 32/1 and usually used on a 5.5KVA genset. I measured the load at 55A IIRC, hence the heat damage.

 

[SUNRAY]

Ye gods.

Given that, and the fact that the cases appear to be interchangeable, things would probably be safer if there were no legends at all.

Unusually I find myself agreeing with BAS.

Edit: but it would be much better if the inserts were not interchangeable in the first place.

 

[SUNRAY]

My initial contact with 'the shed' was around 11am and an initial response arrived 14.37.

...show 1784 in stock across our stores. A stock check and inspection has been requested...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well if it's any consolation I have come across a selection of 'widow makers' over the years which have been made by fully qualified electricians.
Such as this:
View attachment 149171
Removed from the 'load' end of a catering trailer.

That's the correct gender of connector for a load to have, just like every load you have in your house with a flex with a BS 1363 plug on the end....

 

[SUNRAY]

That's the correct gender of connector for a load to have, just like every load you have in your house with a flex with a BS 1363 plug on the end....

This plug was on the load end of the link cable between a genset (or other supply) and the inlet on a catering trailer, the other end of the cable had a 32A 1ph plug. So the inlet on the trailer was a 16/3 socket and just as new looking as this plug. It had only been certified a few months before when it was replaced and yes I did report the installer to niceic.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So the inlet on the trailer was the wrong gender as well.

Doesn't excuse what the electrician did, of course, but the people who made the trailer also deserve a good kicking.

 

[SUNRAY]

So the inlet on the trailer was the wrong gender as well.

Doesn't excuse what the electrician did, of course, as he could have made up a gender-bender, but the people who made the trailer also deserve a good kicking.

The trailer was not new, the 'inlet' looked new and I got the impression it had been replaced at the same time this new cable was made and supplied. The CU on the trailer had obviously been got at over the years (and I suspect not original). It was actually wired for 3ph with a wire link between the phases.
This was a while back so the details are fading.

 

[SUNRAY]

So the inlet on the trailer was the wrong gender as well.

Doesn't excuse what the electrician did, of course, as he could have made up a gender-bender, but the people who made the trailer also deserve a good kicking.

So the inlet on the trailer was the wrong gender as well.

Doesn't excuse what the electrician did, of course, but the people who made the trailer also deserve a good kicking.

Glad to see you changed your mind on this one

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, I wrote it, and then thought, err.., no, hang on....