surely these are bad news

[17thman]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-BC-ES..._Reptiles_Spiders_Insects&hash=item4cfe68def5

after fitting by the unaware, carefree recipient, how would they know that the outer terminal was not connected to line or live?

 

[crystal ball]

Might be the type that has the "outer" terminal in the base of the lampholder, there again might not

 

[ban-all-sheds]

after fitting by the unaware, carefree recipient, how would they know that the outer terminal was not connected to line or live?

They wouldn't.

Simple solution - screw the adapter onto the lamp and then insert it into the base.

 

[17thman]

true, but not ideal. I dont like that simple solution.

 

[17thman]

Does the determination of "safe?" have to consider potential misuse by the ignorant?

That is what i mean

 

[ericmark]

The same could be said for these

you can swap line and neutral around with ease.

I remember caravan consumer units with warning lights and a change over switch to correct the polarity when using abroad but for the smaller units there is nothing.

You will note one has a US plug so even voltage and frequency will be wrong.

At the end of the day there is a limit to how much cotton wool can be used and one has to expect some knowledge and care to user.

I have a BA22d to 5A socket adaptor that I use to measure the earth loop impedance at lamps and in my hands it's safe. Far safer than using probes.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Since you don't like the simple answer, we'll embark on what might be a more complicated one.

after fitting by the unaware, carefree recipient, how would they know that the outer terminal was not connected to line or live?

Why would they need to?

 

[seasickstevie]

I suppose the issue is that the metalic threaded base to the ES lamp is live, and it can be touched. Although that's extremely unlikely, if the light is on a two-way circuit and no way of knowing if it's off, changing the lamp when blown could present a danger. And those ES lamp bases do have a tendency to come adrift from the lamp.
Obviously in such cases the circuit should be isolated, but that's a separate issue.

 

[seasickstevie]

Actually, looking again at the ebay picture, it seems the threaded lamp base could be fairly well covered.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I suppose the issue is that the metalic threaded base to the ES lamp is live, and it can be touched.

No different from inserting a lamp into a base which is a native ES one, not a converted BC.

 

[seasickstevie]

But if it's a wired-in ES lampholder as apposed to the adaptor, and wired correctly the threaded ES part of the cap will be linked to neutral as apposed possibly to live.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Who sticks their finger in a lamp holder?

 

[securespark]

Raises hand reluctantly.....

I did. But it was a long time ago....1970.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But if it's a wired-in ES lampholder as apposed to the adaptor, and wired correctly the threaded ES part of the cap will be linked to neutral as apposed possibly to live.

Will it?

Who says so?

 

[dhutch]

I remember caravan consumer units with warning lights and a change over switch to correct the polarity when using abroad...

No just abroad.
- I beleve it is a requirement of any narrowboat these days, for when used with a generator/inveter/etc.


Daniel